Al Emma
1. Name - Al Emma
2. Occupation- Retired – Builder/
Developer
3. Family- 4 children 8 grandchildren
7 stepchildren 17 stepgrandchildren
Live w/girlfriend Carolee Norton 2
children 2 grandchildren Both wives
are deceased
4. What is your favorite food- Pizza
5. What made you decide to start
running marathons- 1080 started
running to lose weight. Picked up
copy of “Running Times” in store and
read about thousands running marathons
and decided to try. First one in 1982.
6. Do you have any health conditions
or handicaps that might make your
running more remarkable- No very
lucky.
7. Favorite marathon and why- 1st one
1982 Philadelphia Independence because
I proved to myself I could do it.
8. Least favorite marathon and why-
Had fun in all of them.
9. Your most memorable experience at a
marathon- Placing 2nd (age group) at
Myrtle Beach. As a youth was always
one of the slowest on teams. A
complete surprise. Didn’t find out
until I saw the results the next day.
10. What is the one thing you have
learned from doing marathons-
Provided my ability to set long term
goals and accomplish them.
11. Favorite motto or quote- I think I
can
12. What is the one goal you would
like to accomplish one day- After age
60 I have accomplished organized
century bicycle rides in every USA
state and in every Canadian Province (
I believe I am the only one). Would
like to finish marathons in every
state and province after reaching age
70.
John Fenton
1. Name- John Fenton
2. Occupation- I am an attorney, and I
am currently working as contract
manager in purchasing and supply chain.
3. Family- I have been married to my
high school sweetheart since August
1992. We have two children: a son,
Garrett, born in November 2002 and a
daughter, Cedar, born in June 2004.
4. What is your favorite food-
Crab fettuccine alfredo is my
favorite, but almost any good pasta
will do.
5. What made you decide to start
running marathons- I started running
to lose weight. I started running
marathons to keep me motivated to run.
6. Do you have any health conditions
or handicaps that might make your
running more remarkable- No. I used to
be fat, but I got over it.
7. Favorite marathon and why- I was
sick, and I didn't have my best race,
but I still really enjoyed the Eugene
Marathon. The area is a haven for
runners, and the race reflects that.
The race was a nice size, well-
organized, and with a beautiful, fast
course. The finish in Hayward Field
was unforgettable.
8. Least favorite marathon and why-
You'd have to pay me to run the Walt
Disney World Marathon again. It had
the worst aspects of the mega-
marathons without the usual benefits.
The course was boring with a lot of it
run on the highways between the parks.
It started so early that the parks
were not open, so there were initially
no non-employee spectators.
9. Your most memorable experience at a
marathon- My mother unexpectedly
passed away in June 2006, just as I
was starting to train for what at the
time was a completely unrealistic
attempt to qualify for Boston at the
November 2006 Marshall University
Marathon. A spring half marathon told
me that I was in much better shape
than reflected in my marathon PR
(4:04:44 at the 2005 Chicago
Marathon), but I still needed a 49-
minute PR to qualify (3:15:59). So I
spent the whole summer training with
my mom on my mind. I had still almost
given up hope over the summer, but
some tune-up races got me to the
starting line with a 3:15 in my
sights. I ran a fairly even pace all
day, but at mile 23, I was 21 seconds
off pace. After a friend in the same
situation had run 3:16:06 the prior
month, I swore that whatever happened
I would not run 3:16. So I went for
broke, picked up a few seconds each
mile, frantically sprinted into the
stadium, and crossed the line in
3:15:54, qualifying for Boston with 5
seconds to spare and tears in my eyes.
10. What is the one thing you have
learned from doing marathons- I have
learned not to impose a ceiling on my
long-term goals and aspirations.
11. Favorite motto or quote- One of
the greatest delusions in the world is
the hope that the evils in this world
are to be cured by legislation --
Thomas Bracket Reed
12. What is the one goal you would
like to accomplish one day-
I want to qualify for an elite entry
at the U.S. Masters Marathon
Championship. That currently requires
a 2:40 marathon for M40-44 or a 2:48
for M45-49. So I need to get either 11
minutes faster now or 3 minutes faster
and 4 years older.
Terry J. Nelson
1. Name: Terry J. Nelson
2. Occupation: Chiropractic physician
and Certified Clinical Nutritionist
3. Family: Wife Jane Martin and 2 adult
sons, Steffen in Brooklyn, NY and
Ronald in Lee’s Summit, MO
4. What is your favorite food? Pretty
much, whatever is on my plate.
5. What made you decide to start
running marathons? I ran the KC
Marathon in 1994 to see if I could, I
ran it again in 1995 hoping to qualify
for Boston and it remains my life time
PR. I started running the states after
being inspired by my wife who wanted to
run the Twin Cities Marathon and I
trained all summer with local 50
Staters.
6. Do you have any health conditions or
handicaps that might make your running
more remarkable? No.
7. Favorite marathon and why? I have
heard this question answered as “the
last one I ran” and to some extent that
is true. I think if you are going to
run very many marathons then you have
to do New York or Chicago just because
of the thrill of the numbers involved.
For scenery I include Port Angeles, WA,
Maui, HI, Anchorage, AK , Titusville,
PA, and the trip across the Golden Gate
Bridge in San Francisco ranks right
up there.
8. Least favorite marathon and why?
2010 Madison (Mad City) Marathon
because they tried to close the course
because of heat (85 degrees) at 4
hours. Part of the race while
beautiful, is on a bike trail and
riders gave little heed to runners on
the course making it more dangerous
than it needed to be and finally, the
timing company sent goons out to take
the chips from people still on the
course stating that the clocks were
turned off … true but the timing mats
were still live and collecting data
about finishers.
9. Your most memorable experience at a
marathon? ING-NYC, I think I understand
why Lance Armstrong would ride the Tour
de France so many times. That feeling of
exhilaration when spectators push into
the street leaving room for only 3-4
runners to get through and screaming
and clapping so loud was an awesome and
thrilling feeling I will never forget.
10. What is the one thing you have
learned from running marathons? I want
my patients to know that an active
lifestyle is possible. I often use
marathons as a metaphor for life, there
are hills, valleys and sometimes long
flat stretches where you think you are
running alone but finishing requires
you to show up, persist, know your
limits, borrow energy from your friends
when you need it and return the favor
when you can. This is not a rehearsal
so enjoy every step.
11. Favorite motto or quote? “There
will be days when I won’t know if I
could run a marathon, but I have a life
time knowing that I have.”
12. What is the one goal you would like
to accomplish one day? Completing the 50
States has been my goal for some years;
I am now looking at completing 65
marathons before I turn 65 in Feb. 2012
and the quest for 100 doesn’t seem as
unreachable as it used to but we’ll see.
Meredith Sparano
HALF MARATHON MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
1. Name: MEREDITH SPARANO
2. Occupation: FEDERAL GOVT
EMPLOYEE/GRAD STUDENT
3. Family: HAVE A TWIN SISTER AND TWIN
BROTHERS
4. What is your favorite food? DEPENDS
ON MY MOOD. LOVE PIZZA AND SEAFOOD.
5. What made you decide to start
running (or running half marathons)? I
RAN TRACK IN HIGH SCHOOL AND AFTER
ROWING CREW IN COLLEGE, I WANTED TO GET
BACK INTO RUNNING. HALF MARATHONS ARE
CHALLENGING JUST LIKE MARATHONS, BUT MY
BODY RECOVERS FASTER SO I COULD ENJOY
RUNNING AND TRAVELLING AT THE SAME TIME.
6. Do you have any health conditions or
handicaps that might make your running
more remarkable? JUST BEING SPONTANEOUS
AND CRAZY.
7. Favorite half marathon and why?
RUNNING THE VEGAS STRIP FOR THE LAS
VEGAS HALF BECAUSE MY SISTER WAS WITH
ME AND IT’S VEGAS!
8. Least favorite half marathon and
why? HAVE NOT HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH
ANY HALF MARATHONS YET. EACH ARE VERY
UNIQUE.
9. Your most memorable experience at a
half marathon? HELPED MY ONE FRIEND RUN
HER 1ST HALF MARATHON. RAN BESIDE HER
THE ENTIRE TIME TO PUSH HER THROUGH. IT
WAS INSANELY AWESOME BECAUSE SHE IS NOT
A RUNNER AT ALL AND MENTALLY SHE MADE
IT THE WHOLE WAY WITHOUT STOPPING. IT
WAS REWARDING TO KNOW I HELPED HER
ACCOMPLISH A GOAL SHE’S HAD FOR A WHILE.
10. What is the one thing you have
learned from running? YOU CAN PUSH YOUR
BODY TO RUN ANY DISTANCE IF YOU HAVE
THE MENTAL STAMINA TO DO SO.
11. Favorite motto or quote? ‘SOME
MISTAKES ARE TOO MUCH FUN TO MAKE ONLY
ONCE”
12. What is the one goal you would like
to accomplish one day? FINISH A HALF
MARATHON IN EVERY STATE - I AM ON MY
WAY. AND PERHAPS RUN A MARATHON ON
EVERY CONTINENT.
John Eng
1. Name John Eng
2. Occupation- Realtor
3. Family- Single
4. What is your favorite food- BBQ,
cheeseburgers or anything deep fried
5. What made you decide to start
running marathons - Living in NYC, I
started running shortly after 9/11.
Running marathons was a way to
celebrate life and to do the things I
really liked to do like travelling,
eating exotic foods and to challenge
myself.
6. Do you have any health conditions
or handicaps that might make your
running more remarkable - Other than
moderately-severe scoliosis, no.
However, I remember when the
chiropractor told me before my first
marathon that I would never be able to
run a marathon, that I was determined
to show him I could. 17 marathons
later, I think I showed him.
7. Favorite marathon and why - St.
Jude's Memphis - Fun city, great
logistics, awesome post-race food,
wonderful volunteers and running past
the terminally ill kids who were
cheering the runners on in front of
St. Jude's Hospital is a moment I will
never forget.
8. Least favorite marathon and why
I loved them all. I probably wouldn't
run Miami Marathon again though
because there is never a good time of
year as far as decent weather
conditions. It was really hot and
humid when I ran it and it was in
Febuary.
9. Your most memorable experience at
a marathon - The first time lining up
on the start of NYCM. I had always
seen on tv what the start looked like
and I had to keep pinching myself that
I was about to do it. The firing of
the start cannon and the masses of
runners going over the bridge really
gave me goosebumps.
10. What is the one thing you have
learned from doing marathons - That no
matter how many marathons you run,
each one is a different experience and
anything can and will happen. You
never stop learning.
11. Favorite motto or quote - "Catch
your dreams before they slip away".
12. What is the one goal you would
like to accomplish one day - I would
love to run the Great Wall Marathon.
Janette Oca
1. Name - Janette aka Stitch
2. Occupation - Admin Asst/Exec Admin
3. Family - My running Community
4. What is your favorite food- PIZZA
and SUSHI!!! My two favorite pre-race
foods
5. What made you decide to start
running marathons - To lose weight
6. Do you have any health conditions
or handicaps that might make your
running more remarkable - Not really.
Just can't be too cold. I get hives
when my body gets too cold.
7. Favorite marathon and why - Nike
Women's marathon. Mainly, because it
was my first, and for the amount you
pay for the entry....you pretty much
get a Tiffany's necklace for free.
8. Least favorite marathon and why -
New York City ....I know...crazy. I
think I'm just more bitter than
anything. I missed the NY Times, by a
minute and a half...mind you...this is
after PRing that year on a tougher
course. Also, I think I've gotten so
used to the smaller marathons that I
kind of like the solitude when running
the less spectatorish marathon. Less
people saying...."You're almost
there!",when you're only at mile 16.
That really ticks me off.
9. Your most memorable experience at a
marathon - At WDW, I'm a pin trader.
So during the beginning of the Mickey
Marathon (mind you I was signed up for
the Goofy) I asked a Cast Member to
trade with me. He said I was just so
crazy, that instead of just trading
me, he gave me his WHOLE lanyard. I
still have all the pins from that race
and from that Cast Member. I didn't
ever catch his name, but he was
definitely very nice.
10. What is the one thing you have
learned from doing marathons - That
nobody can ever really tell me I can't
do something. It really comes down to
whether or not I WANT to do it. Most
of the time, I'm up for the
adventure. But the times I do say no,
there must be some really good
reasoning behind it.
11. Favorite motto or quote - "Small,
but Mighty"...."The best things come
in small packages"...."Forget all
numbers, and enjoy life!"
12. What is the one goal you would
like to accomplish one day - To be the
youngest woman to do all 50 states and
7 continents. I know I'm probably out
of the running, but it would be nice
to be one of the youngest as well.
Any sponsors out there!!?
Donald Biere
1. Name - Donald Bierer
2. Occupation - Chemist
3. Family - Wife - Xin; Son - Donnie
4. What is your favorite food - Pasta
5. What made you decide to start
running marathons - The challenge to
see if I could do it. After the
first, I said that I would never run
another one again.
6. Do you have any health conditions
or handicaps that might make your
running more remarkable - No
7. Favorite marathon and why - New
York City, because of the crowds
lining the streets the entire course.
8. Least favorite marathon and why -
Cologne, because the course was
boring, and there was a very long wait
at the start; only the Kölner Dom was
memorable near the end.
9. Your most memorable experience at a
marathon - Finishing the 2000
Pittsburgh Marathon, which was the
Olympic trials race, when it was
nearly 100°F. I still wonder how I
ran fast and finished.
10. What is the one thing you have
learned from doing marathons -
Setting a goal and working to achieve
it.
11. Favorite motto or quote - "To give
anything less than your best is to
sacrifice the gift."
12. What is the one goal you would
like to accomplish one day - Finish
the 50 states.
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