Amy Elson

I'm Amy Elson, and I'm a 2010 Carleton grad. At Carleton I ran track
and field--my favorite event was triple jump. Otherwise I did the
pentathlon/heptathlon. My favorite events in the multis were high jump
and 800m.

Then I graduated and signed up for the Nike Women's Marathon in SF.
Quite the leap from sprinting 90 feet and jumping into the sand to
26.2. (To be fair, I ran cross country in high school, but even so
before I started training I'd never run longer than maybe 8 miles at
one time in my life). And now here I am, a year after graduation, and
I've run two marathons!

What I'm doing with my life: I work with K-3rd graders at Four Seasons
Elementary in St. Paul, and hope to be an elementary school teacher
one day! Kids are the best. I also do some volunteer coaching at St.
Kate's--it's fun to still be a part of the MIAC even if my meet gear
has changed from maize and blue to purple.

Favorite Running Locations: Lake Calhoun in the summer, so I can end
my run with a jump in the lake and walk home. And you just can't beat
the Carleton Arboretum.

Favorite Post-Run Snack: Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Banana Smoothie

My i-Pod Playlist is: Ridiculously random. Right now I'm loving Girl
Talk but you can always find a bunch of 80s music on there.

Favorite Workout(s): Repeat 200s, like the sprinter that I am (was?)

Goals: Right now I want to get used to racing again/learn how to
actually race longer distances so that next year I can focus on
getting faster. So I don't have any expectations right now for times.
And if, and whenever my next marathon is, it'll be to break 4 hours.

Grandma's Marathon 2011

The Scene

Fog City the day before the race.
We stayed on the lake, less than 2 miles from the start line.

The Not-So-Secret Secret Weapon

They promised PRs for everyone if we got the rhubarb raspberry with whipped creme. Thanks, New Scenic Cafe. You do not disappoint.

The Results

Keren Gudeman: 3:18.51 chip; 3:19.28 gun.
Jessica Deutsch: 3:17.24 chip; 3:18.01 gun.
Kelsey Barale: 3:17.38 chip; 3:18.16 gun.
Amy Elson (the awesome sign for Amy): 4:01.23; 4:05.15 gun.

USATF Team results to come.

Half-Marathon
Shauna Overgaard: 1:38.45; 1:42.07

Sunday Morning Perspective

A favorite part of Sunday mornings, as of late, has been taking the time to enjoy a nice long run with a group of chatty and intelligent women, then coming back for a relaxing brunch. It's a nice opportunity to instill perspective for the week to follow. I find that food and friends, particularly when running is introduced as an interactive variable, are health promoting factors. - Shauna Overgaard

"My feeling is that any day I am too busy to run is a day that I am too busy." - John Bryant