Date: 3/24/08 NAME: Sara Sperl

City: Mohawk, NY

When did you  start Running ? Fall of 2000 Why did you start? To get in shape!

How did  you get started running? Initially I started running with the encouragement of a coworker with the goal of running the boilermaker in 2001.  There was a whole group of us training together so it was also a great way to get to know each other!

How many Boilermakers have you run? I have run 3 in total.  I ran my first boilermaker in 2001, again in 2002, then life got a little hectic as I got married in 2003, had a daughter in 2004 followed by a son in 2005.  After that I began running again with the anticipation of running the boilermaker in 2006.  Well, I did run the heart run and was up to comfortably running 5 miles when I fell down the stairs helping to move a desk and sprained my ankle.  Although I did not run the boilermaker that year, I did get back on to a 3 day a week running schedule by around August.  My next boilermaker was in 2007.

What advice would you give to new runners? My advice would be to be patient with yourself, running does not come natural to most of us, but with training it will begin to feel that way.  Also, don?t be concerned with speed!  I felt very accomplished after completing my first boilermaker, however tried to push myself to go faster than my normal pace made me too exhausted to even enjoy the after party!

What is the biggest challenge you have had to overcome? The biggest challenge has been incorporating running in to my schedule working full time and having two toddlers at home.  I have resolved that by waking up and leaving to run between 5:30 and 6:00 am while my husband and children are still tucked in to bed- it wasn?t easy this winter!

What is the most memerable experience? The whole experience is memorable with the crowd support, music and excitement along the entire course.  Even some of the zoo animals come out to root you on!