Mile #11 - Beth Warren

 I have been a runner for almost 39 years.  My parents were both very active and encouraged me to try many sports.  My mom ran (often with me) and cycled.  My dad cycled and ice skated.  Although I have a serious lack of coordination due to issues with my ears and 13 surgeries on them, I have enjoyed many sports through my life this far - ice skating, cross country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, golf, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, canoeing, kayaking, SUP to name a few.  However, running has always been my first and longest love.

 

I ran competitively for Mohawk Valley Community College where I became an NJCAA All American in the 5,000 meters in outdoor track in 1987.  I transferred to Syracuse University on a partial scholarship and ran Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track.  After graduating with a BS in Mechanical Engineering, I lowered my running mileage to work full time and pursue an MS in Manufacturing Engineering from Syracuse.  During this period, I became a cancer survivor by beating cervical cancer.

 

At age 30, I renewed my running with a goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon.  I have qualified for Boston 15 times and run the race 6 times with my most notable race in 2013, the year of the bombing where I finished 10 minutes before the bombs went off.  My next goal was to win a marathon and run a sub 3:30 marathon.  Both goals were realized in the same race with a 3:25:53 in 2008 at age 41.  I then spent a year studying to take a test to get my Profession Engineering license.

 

On a whim with a bunch of running friends in NY, I started learning to swim and bike in early 2010 with the goal of finishing a sprint tri before the swim cut off.  That first year, I did 6 tris, including Ironman Syracuse 70.3 and was hooked on the sport.  Since that time, I have done 3 full Ironmans, a 3/4 distance Ironman and 11 half races and love the long distances.  I have been fortunate enough to proudly represent Team USA at Worlds races four times in both Standard Duathlon and Long course Triathlon.  My best finish so far is 9th.

 

I enjoy group rides with the Triad Triathlon Team, training with my friends and traveling the world for work.  I am fortunate to have a husband that not only supports my crazy races (often with one eyebrow raised) but he is an extremely, even more weathered, talented triathlete as well.  We enjoy "friendly" competition at races together.  He beats me solidly at shorter races while my run gives me an advantage at longer ones.  I believe that I am a much stronger, more well rounded athlete in my 50's than when I was younger.  For example, I ran my first ultra this year at age 53 and once in a while can still win a 5k (last week)!  I am a firm believer that anything is achievable, age is just a number.