In the weeks leading up to the EWEB Run to Stay Warm, the Turkey Stuffer 5K and the Holiday Half and Hustle, we’ll be introducing you to some of our Team Run Hub athletes who will talk about their goals and how their training has gone. Today, meet Boyana Norris, a 43-year-old computer science professor and distance runner.
How/why did you start running? How long have you been running?
I’ve been running consistently since October 2010, gradually going from 5K to 100 miles.
How old are you? And what do you do for work (or your favorite non running hobby if you’d prefer)?
I am 43 and a computer science professor at the UO, so work involves mainly research (in high-performance computing) and teaching.
Why did you sign up for the Team Run Hub Training Program?
I have never raced a half marathon and was looking for a different challenge after mostly running ultras for the past several years.
What race are you training for? Include distance if EWEB. And what are your goals for race day?
I’ll be running the EWEB half with the goal to finish in less than 1:50. I usually have only one goal — that helps me stay focused on that during the race.
What stands out as your favorite part of training with a group or following a training program?
Training with a group is a new experience for me, and it has been truly wonderful. Workouts are not nearly as painful when you are doing them with friends! It is also very rewarding to see others making progress.
What have you struggled with this training season?
Running-wise, everything has gone perfectly. Work has been super busy, but that is not unusual and generally running helps with general energy levels and focus.
Tell us about your favorite or most memorable workout/long run during this training cycle.
During our Tuesday workouts involving longer timed or distance flat intervals, it felt like everything — body, spirit, the friend next to me — was in perfect sync, which is a rare and wonderful feeling.
The funniest moment was when during a long run, when one of us spotted a significant amount of cash by the path, but nobody thought of stopping to pick it up.
Good luck, Boyana! Our next Team Run Hub training program kicks off in early 2017 in preparation for the Eugene Marathon (full and half). Keep your eyes peeled for more information on that coming soon.
