Dana Casanave.
I found Dana in one runners forum and I have read about her challenge. It really inspired me. Let's have a look :)
Dana about herself:
"My name is Dana Casanave, I'm 28, and a resident of Leesburg, VA. I'm a wife and mother of 3 children (ages 9, 6 and 4). I work part time in sales at an Anytime Fitness Gym and train on the side as NASM certified personal trainer."
Dana is now ready for a very big challenge - she wants to run 52 marathon in 52 weeks:
"I took on this challenge because I wanted to push my own physical limits, but I also believed that through this, many different people's lives could be touched and changed. As a mother, I knew I wanted to work with 25:40 again to help these orphaned children. I could not imagine if my children were orphaned! I hope I will inspire others, especailly women and youth that struggle with weight issues. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be a marathoner. I believe our bodies are capble of so much more than we can ever imagine."
And here are her thoughts about running:
1. Why did you start running? Why not other sport?
I never intended to be a runner and it was rather by accident that I took on running. From age 7 on I had a weight issue, that continued to be a problem until I was in my early twenties. In 2004, I decided to lose weight and get healthy, the right way. No more crash dieting, no more exercise avoidance. I started using my treadmill for cardio workouts and at first it was something I truly despised. Every time I got on the treadmill I felt like I was going to die, but after months of sticking with my program and many pounds lost, I began to feel very different. From the height of my weight, I dropped about 70 pounds. I found myself really getting into the numbers. How far could I go? How fast could I run? For the first time in my life I actually enjoyed the feeling of exercising.
2. Do you think that running changed your life? Do you feel more active, happy :)?
Running has completely changed my life. It has had a strong positive impact in many different areas of my life, not just physically speaking. It has been a good outlet, an area where I can push boundaries and has taught me perseverance, humility and discipline in ways I had never before experienced. I am by far more active and it has added a great deal of joy to my daily life.
3. When did you start running?
As I stated before, I started back in 2004. My second child was born in June of 2003 and shortly after I embarked on this mission to get healthy. It took me quite awhile before I could actually "run". When I began I couldn't have even run a half a mile.
4. What are personal records for 5k and 10k?
It's funny to say, but I have yet to run a 5 or 10k! In 2006 I found myself struggling with motivation and decided that maybe I should sign up for a race to help keep focus in my workouts. I came across a pamphlet for the Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach. At that point my longest run had been 7 miles, but after reading about the race I couldn't imagine a better first race experience. I decided to see if I could run 13.1 and if so then I would sign up for the race. The next day I did 13.1 on my treadmill and I continued to train several more months till the race. I made a lot of mistakes race day, had tons of jitters about what I was taking on, but I crossed the finish line and for the first time in my life, felt like I could say I was a runner. I felt sick and dehydrated, but I was elated at what I had accomplished. I was hooked. Two weeks later I went to Philadelphia to run the Philly Distance Run Half Marathon. It was an onward spiral from there.
5. Do you participate in races?
Since my first half marathon in 2006 I have continued to run races, completing 14 more half marathons, 23 marathons and 3 ultra events.
6. What would be your top (1 or 5 or 10) tips for beginners?
*My biggest tip is to be patient. It takes time to build endurance and speed. Most people struggle with finding the right pace for themselves and will burn out early because they push too hard too fast. I would highly reccomend getting a heart rate watch to help you know the right pace for your body. This made a huge, huge difference with my running and I can't empathize enough how important it is to learn the correct pace, especially when your trying to build a running base.
*I would also highly recommend making a list of both short and long term goals and share them with at least one other person. Make sure it's someone that will help keep you in check and will motivate you. You are much more likely to carry through with your plans when you know your friend is going to ask you how your training is going.
*Signing up for a race is also excellent motivation to stick with the program. If that does not interest you, try planning runs with a friend on the weekend, or join a running group.
*One thing that really worked well for me when I first started exercising was to make a one month contract with myself. I know it might sound corny, but I by making that committment to 30 days, and crossing off each day on the calendar it encouraged me. All habits take time to develop and the contract is a great way to establish that healthy habit.
7. What are your running goals?
Honestly, my number one running goal is to be able to run well into my 80's. I am so impressed with people who continue to run their entire lives and everytime I see an older person running at one of my races, I feel like taping them on the shoulder and telling them I want to be you when I'm your age! It inspires me a great deal. This next year I'm taking on my most extreme running challenge ever. I'm planning to run 52 marathons in 52 weeks, and although this will be a huge personal accomplishment, I'm running these races for a cause far bigger than myself. I'm running for the non profit organization 25:40, who's mission is to help children in South Africa survive the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Many of these children have lost one or both parents to AIDS and many are HIV+ themselves. I'm calling this challenge 52 beginnings because its about giving a new beginning for these kids, who need so much. It's about giving them hope. I plan to run each race for a different child and make a different beginning for 52 children that have lost so much. I'm going to struggle to accomplish my goal, and yet these children struggle to just survive day to day.
8. How often do you run (per week)?
My mileage varies from week to week, depending on where I'm at in my race schedule, but typically I run 30-50 miles a week. I will actually be running less weekly mileage this next year, as I will need to incorporate more rest and cross training days in between the weekend marathons.
9. What is running in your life?
Running is my passion and my own personal time away. It's that time in my day when I can break away from everything and it's a very freeing feeling to be able to shut out everything else and just focus on the moment. It gives me a chance to sort out my thoughts, my plans for the day, my feelings, etc.
10. If you were asked to describe "RUNNING", what would you say?
Running is living life. I have experienced so many different things from my runs and I've covered ground in so many different areas. It's an experience that I can't really begin to explain. It's something you have to live for yourself. Throwing on a pair of running shoes and taking that first step can change your life. It has transformed mine!
Thank you, Dana, very much. Your challenge is just amazing. I wish you the best!
You can read Dana's blog here.
And you can see Dana's interview for NBC here :) Good luck to Dana ;)