Runner of the Week: Stephanie Velasco

The Runner of the Week is Stephanie Velasco!  It all started back in 8th grade when her friend wanted them to do track together. Her friend really enjoyed it and thought Stephanie would too.  Plus, Stephanie wanted something to do, and track fulfilled that desire for her.  She also joined the cross country team in high school.  She really enjoyed being part of both of these teams.

Utah Valley Half Marathon, June 2011

Utah Valley Half Marathon, June 2011

Stephanie is a very self-motivated person and enjoys pushing herself to go farther.  She likes doing long distance running, as well as doing speed workouts, which is what she does every other day.  One of the warm up exercises she does is making circular motions with her arms.  Arms aren't usually something we think of to warm up before running, but it's just as important to warm them up as well as the legs. 

Kaysville 5K, July 2011

One day while Stephanie was running, she came across someone playing soccer.  She joined him and they had a great time playing.  They talked a lot and got to know each other.  They talked about their goals for the future regarding running.  They thought it was great they got to meet another person who had the same enthusiasm for running as they themselves did.  

Dirty Dash 5K, September 2011

In September of 2011, Stephanie ran in the Dirty Dash.  She said she and her friends loved rolling around in the mud and getting all dirty.  Definitely a fun experience!

Santa Run 5K, December 2011

Stephanie got to run in a Santa Run several years ago.  Each participant got to dress up in a Santa costume, including the suite, hat, beard, and all!  

Pride of the Valley 5K, 2012
Stephanie (left) and Heather (right) with two Green Men
from the marching band at UVU.

The Pride of the Valley 5K is where I first met Stephanie.  She came up to me after the race near the finish line and started talking to me and asking questions about me and my experience with running. After that, we walked around the booths together and got to know each other a little more.  Since then, we have kept up our friendship and still enjoy talking to each other.  I'm so glad a great friendship was the result of this race!


 Stephanie went to Bolivia this past summer and while she was there, she still wanted to keep up with her workouts.  She went to one of the tracks there and she was able to teach some people some of her workout and running techniques. 

Big Cottonwood Marathon, 2013

 In 2013, Stephanie ran in the Big Cottonwood Marathon.  It was her first marathon and she was really excited to do it.  During the race, it started raining.  In addition to this, a lot of the race was downhill, so her knees started to get tired.  She had to slow down to a walk for part of it, but she was determined not to quit.  The people at the finish line started taking down the equipment because the race was over, but Stephanie wouldn't give up.  She kept on going and finished the race!! Even though it was really tough, she is glad she did it and is happy to say that she completed her first marathon!

She would much rather run outside.  However, during the winter months she runs inside because the air outside is too cold for her lungs.  This way she gets a variety of inside and outside running.  It also makes her look forward to spring each year because she can start running outside again.

Stephanie is a great inspiration for me to keep on running, even when I'm tired and don't feel like getting to my original goal. Stephanie is able to motivate herself to complete her goals.  "I think it's just because I love it, " Stephanie says. "The more I run, the more I can't stop."

Runner of the Week: Mary Christensen

This week's Runner of the Week is Mary Christensen.  She has been running for a year and a half now.  It all started when she played volleyball a couple years ago.  The cross country coach would come in while they were practicing and he kept insisting that Mary join the team.  She decided that she would join it and has been running consistently ever since.  The only exception is when she broke her toe in three different places because of accidentally running into a wall.  Because of this incident, she didn't run for about five months, but she got right back on track after it healed.

BYU Invitational

Mary's family definitely supports her running.  Before her races, her dad looks up statistics to show her who she needs to beat in the next race.  It's always an exciting time.  She is greatly encouraged by her family.  

Region 7 Championship, 2013

Several months ago, Mary ran in the Region 7 Championship race and took first place! What a great accomplishment.

Region 7 Championship, 2013

In the beginning of August of this year, Mary ran in the Pre-region race.  It was the first race of the season and is the race that determines who will be on the Varsity team and who will be on the JuniorVarstiy team. The Varsity team is the group of the top 7 racers for that season. 

Pre-Region, 2013

Mary's favorite race was the Bob Firman race in Idaho.  She took 8th place.  The reason it was her favorite race is because it was just a great overall experience.  Everyone had a great attitude and people were cheering the racers on.  It was a fun race and Mary is glad she got to participate in it.

Bob Firman Invitational, 2013

Mary's advice to other runners is to eat as healthy as you can.  It gives you more energy while you run and helps keep you feeling good.  Mary says that when she eats bad, it makes her feel sick, which makes her not run very well.  This is probably true of a lot of other runners as well.  Mary suggests drinking Gatorade after the race to help with dehydration. 

Mary says that she probably wouldn't run as much if her coach wasn't there calling her up and telling her that she needs to run. She is grateful for the accountability and is glad she decided to join the cross country team. 

Hit and Run 5K, 2013

On Saturday, October 12th, my younger sister and I participated in the Hit and Run 5K in Salt Lake City.  It was so much fun!  It was the first 5K we did together, and it was a great experience! Even though it wasn't the type of race to try to get a good running time, it was an experience that I'm glad we didn't miss out on! 

Sabrina and me before the race!

Before the race started, they had music playing that was getting everyone pumped up and ready to run!  People were dancing and doing jumping jacks, as well as talking about how fun this race was going to be!  The speaker was so enthusiastic that it was easy for us to get even more excited. We were ready to do this! 

Gathered at the starting line

Aaaaaaand we're off!!!

Running together just after the race started.

We had to run through a pit of foam, as well as try
to dodge all the huge red balls in our way!

We had to try not to get knocked into the water
by the giant, spinning red balls!

There were six obstacles we could run through. (We were not required to run through them if we didn't want to, but that's the point of this race, so why not?!)  Each one of the obstacles had unique aspects to them. My favorite one was the third obstacle, where we had to jump across several of these huge balls, almost like yoga balls. Even though I fell off, it was still pretty fun to try to do.

We did it!!

One thing that made this race fun was having my sister with me while we ran.  I completed all my other 5K's by myself, so it was a treat to have someone to be with the whole time.  This race would be a really fun group activity! But whether you do it with a group or by yourself, I'd definitely recommend it! 

Runner of the Week: Matt Lawyer

This week's Runner of the Week is my friend Matt Lawyer.  He has been running for seven years now.  His dad runs every morning, and one day he invited Matt to go with him.  Since then, Matt has learned to greatly enjoy running.  He loves the feeling of blood rushing through his body- the feeling of being alive!

Bob Firman Invitational, 2012

Throughout the past seven years, Matt has been mostly consistent with his running.  There have been a couple months on and off when he gets too busy for it, but he always starts back up again later.  He has run about 40 races.  During his junior and senior years in high school, he was on a cross country team.  One day during practice, it was storming outside, so his coach told them to run around the school for 40 minutes.  Matt said that it was a fun experience because students don't usually get to run inside like that!

Murray, 2012

Last year, Matt ran the Bob Firman Invitational of 2012 5K in Idaho with his cross country team.  He won 1st place in Junior Varsity, crossing the finish line with a time of 17:22!  He says that the guy right behind him pushed him to run even harder.  To watch his interview after the race, click here.  

Bob Firman Invitational, 2012

This past April, Matt ran the Miles for Smiles 5K.  The runners pushed people with special needs in wheelchairs.  This was a great way to get them involved in the race, even though they couldn't actually run it.  Matt pushed a woman named Jill and I'm sure she greatly enjoyed it!

Matt and Jill in the Miles for Smiles 5K, 2013

Matt much rather prefers to run outdoors.  He even runs outside in the winter!  While he was running with his dad one day, they had to run through the sleet.  The only way to stay warm in a circumstance like that was to keep running hard.

To other runners out there, Matt would say, "Consistency is the number one thing that will effect your running."  The only way to keep up your endurance is to not quit running. Run even when it hurts!

Grass Relay, 2012

Runner of the Week: Niki Swan

Niki Swan is our Runner of the Week for this week!  She was my Career Explorations teacher in high school.  Niki has been running since 2010.  When she was in 9th grade, her parents ran the Saint George Marathon.  She remembers the feeling of admiration for her parents for being able to achieve this great accomplishment.  Since then, she wanted to start running, but never did until one day she realized that since she has to start sometime, the best time would be now.  She started running with neighborhood friends and training for the Couch to 5K event.  After she ran that, she did the Couch to 10K, Utah Valley Half Marathon, and finished her first marathon, the Santa Barbara Full Marathon about one year after she started training. 

Niki likes to run on the trail through Provo Canyon.
This trail takes her past Bridal Veil Falls.

Within the past three years while Niki has been running, she has completed about 20 races.  Her favorite one was the Santa Barbara Marathon.  That was the first marathon she ever ran, and right after she crossed the finish line, she told herself that she never wanted to run another marathon!  However, she was so happy about accomplishing her goal that she decided to keep on running.  Among the many races she has done, one of them was the Ragnar Relay in Las Vegas two years ago.  Running through the desert was difficult, but it was a fun race. 

Ragnar Relay, Las Vegas 2011

Since 2010, Niki has been pretty consistent with her running.  There have been a couple months where life has been too busy for her to get out there and run, but then she realizes that she misses the great happiness she gets from running and makes time for it in her busy schedule. 

In September of 2011, Niki ran the Top of Utah Marathon.

One thing Niki suggests is to find a running partner or two, or a small group of people to go running with.  That way a person is more likely to not miss their runs for that week.  It is also a lot more fun to go running with other people than just by yourself.  Some people Niki runs with are some neighborhood friends, her brother, and her daughter Tauna.  She and Tauna ran the Utah Valley Half Marathon together in the spring of 2012.  

Niki and her daughter Tauna ran the Utah Valley Half Marathon in spring, 2012.

Niki definitely prefers to run outside more than inside on a treadmill.  Even in the winter when there's snow on the ground!  One day while she was running with a friend through the snow, they looked back at the tracks they had made in the snow.  Her friend's tracks went in a straight line, but Niki's tracks were in a zigzag pattern.  She laughs at herself for running like this, but I know how she feels!  Sometimes I start weave too after I've been running for a while.

Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back, 2013

Another exciting experience Niki had while running was when she went to do a 13 mile run on the Bonneville trail.  She was running by herself and took a wrong turn on the trail, taking her into a game of paintball!  As she turned the corner, a man with a mask and a gun turned around and pointed the gun at her.  In that moment, she didn't know that the man was participating in a game of paintball and she got really nervous!  Once she realized it, however, she quickly left the game area and made her way back to the trail.  I'm glad she made it out of that situation unharmed and unpainted!

One thing Niki suggests is if you're going to run a lot or participate in races or other activities frequently, getting good shoes that fit is very important.  She suggests Brooke's PureFlow shoes or Sauconey running shoes.  It is very important to be comfortable while running, so having good shoes makes the world a difference!

Brooke's PureFlow Running Shoes

Saucony Running Shoes

Even though Niki is a mother of several young children and teaches high school classes, she still finds time to go running every morning.  I admire her very much and she has inspired me to continue with my running as well!

Color Me Rad 5K 2013

This past Saturday was such a blast! Blast of Color, that is!  I ran the Color Me Rad 5K and it was probably my favorite race I've done so far.  This event is held all over the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.  If you've never heard of it, it's a race in which the runners get covered in colorful powder!  It's a great exciting and adventurous way to get your exercise in for the day. :)

One thing I really liked about this race was the enthusiasm the staff had.  They were all so excited about this event, and they wanted to make sure we were excited about it too!  Especially as we were all gathered at the starting line, they were cheering for us and throwing out free stuff, like socks, fanny packs, shirts, hats, and various other items.  They were sincerely glad we were there and willing to participate in the fun with them.  They definitely made my whole experience of this race absolutely fantastic!

Eager runners at the starting line! So many people.

Everyone gathered around the stage after the race.

Throughout the course of the race, we ran through several color blast stations.  These were the parts of the race that everyone was looking forward to!  There were three dry color stations and one wet.  For the wet one, I thought the staff was just hosing the runners off with water.  However, I soon found out that they weren't using regular water! It was a liquid dyed yellow!  Some people didn't run through it, but most people did, making their clothes even more bright and colorful!

Approaching another color blast during the race!

After the race, we all gathered around the stage for more excitement.  We had several more awesome color throws to add to the excitement.  They also had a couple competitions.  One of them was for the kids, so they picked out several kids from the audience to see who could drink a bottle of chocolate milk the fastest. The young boy in the middle with the white stripe on his shorts was up for the challenge and won this competition!

Chocolate milk drinking contest

 For another competition, they picked people from the audience and paired them up in teams of two.  Each team got one fruit roll up, and the objective was to see which team could be the first to eat their way to the middle. 

Fruit roll up competition

Not only is this colorful race fun for teens and adults, it is also a family friendly activity.  There were several families that ran all together, including the Erickson family.  What a fun time to make more memories together!

Color Me Rad is family friendly!
Erickson Family

At the same time, it's also fun to run it by yourself like I did.  My mom and sister came to cheer me on.

After the race!

Hit and Run 5K 2013 Details

The Hit and Run 5K is a race through an obstacle course that tests your balance, coordination, reflexes, strength, speed, and endurance. You don't want to miss it! This run is being held all over the country, and we are so lucky to have one this close! You definitely won't regret participating in it.

Utah State Fair Park, Salt Lake City, Utah

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Waves start at 9, 9:30, 10, 10:30
Parents and Kids wave at 11

Click here to register.

If you're interested in running this exciting 5K, you can save $10 on your registration by using the promo code found by clicking here.  And when you register, it will ask you to make your own group or choose a group to be in.  My sister and I will be running this race and are in the group called Passion for Running.  If you would like to join our group, feel free to do so. :)

Now doesn't that look like fun?!

Runner of the Week: Kaitlyn Lauritzen

Every week, I will be posting about a runner in Utah Valley.  This week's runner is my friend Kaitlyn Lauritzen.  She started running three years ago because her older brother frequently went running.  This inspired her and she decided to try it out too.  Her mom would often bring her along to the gym, so Kaitlyn had the opportunity to start running on the treadmills there.  Since then, she has been consistent with running several times a week.  She has done about 15 races, five of which were this year.  These included the Freedom Fest 10K race, the 6K scholarship fun run for our high school, two half marathons, and a 17 mile race. 

Lehi Roundup 5K, 2012

Kaitlyn also ran a 5K in the American Fork Canyon.  Her Mom ran it with her and was very supportive.

Kaitlyn and her mom, American Fork Canyon 5K, 2012

Kaitlyn's favorite half marathon she has done was the Thankful 13 on Thanksgiving.  She liked the fact that it was flat, not downhill like some of the previous races she has done.  The runners got to run past part of the lake, which was really enjoyable.  It also wasn't too crowded.  There was enough space for people to run comfortably in their space bubbles instead of running shoulder-to-shoulder for the first couple miles like the AF Canyon Half Marathon. 

American Fork Canyon Half Marathon, 2013

The Freedom Fest 10K this year was another race that Kaitlyn ran.  It was on the 4th of July and looped all around Provo.  The runners got to run down the parade route, which makes it much more memorable.  Thousands of people cheering you on as you run would make a difference, I'm sure.

Freedom Fest 10K, 2013

Kaitlyn ran the Deseret News Classic Half Marathon on Pioneer Day this year.  This race also directs the runners down the parade route, but what makes this race even more unique is that it is the oldest race in Utah.  And Kaitlyn's picture for this great half marathon made it in the newspaper!

Deseret News Classic Half Marathon, 2013 (Kaitlyn is on the far left)

This weekend on September 29th, Kaitlyn will be doing the Remembering Penny Walk/Ride against abuse.  Penny was Kaitlyn's aunt's deaf friend who was killed in her apartment three years ago.  The race is hosted by Sego Lily, Center for the Abused Deaf.  Click the following link if you would like to know more about this event. Remembering Penny Walk/Ride Against Abuse

One thing that Kaitlyn has learned through her running experiences is to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.  She learned this the hard way... After swallowing a fly!

Some advice Kaitlyn gives to runners is, "Sometimes it hurts, but you gotta suck it up!"  You have to push yourself to achieve your goals and be successful.  Another thing she tells runners is to always stay hydrated and drink a lot of water before running.  However, she suggests not to eat a lot right before running.  Kaitlyn suggests a white bagel and some orange juice because they supply a person with enough energy to run, while at the same time they're not hard to digest.  I am definitely going to try this out next time I go running.  Who's with me?!

Another thing Kaitlyn suggests is don't skip a day that you planned to run.  If you miss one day, you are likely to miss another and another, and you will most likely not achieve your goals.  Keep being persistent and run on!

About Me

My name is Heather Knight, and I'm a 17 year old who loves to run! I have been in love with running since the time I was little. When my parents took me and my two siblings to the park, I would run and run until I could run no more. Anywhere we went, if there was a running game or activity, that's where I would be found.

When my older brother Rob and I were young, we used to play soccer almost every day in our backyard.  We used the trees as goals and would sometimes make up our own rules for our soccer games.  Being homeschooled was awesome because we could use any free time we had to go outside and play soccer.  

I never really ran consistently until about a year ago.  Up until then, I just ran when I had the opportunity, like in PE class or playing soccer or frisbee with friends.  What got me really interested in running was my Fitness for Life class at Utah Valley University (UVU), during the Fall 2012 semester.  We were required to exercise at least three times a week for 20 minutes or longer.  I began running at a local track several times a week.  When I heard of an upcoming 5K, I decided to try it out. It was the Pride of the Valley scholarship run at UVU on September 22, 2012. 

My friend Allison Chapa (left) and I just before the Pride of the Valley race started.

My high school, Utah County Academy of Sciences (UCAS), then hosted a scholarship fun run on April 13, 2013. Instead of a 5K, it was a 6K because it was set up to have the runners race around a city block twice.  This distance was 0.7 miles farther than a regular 5K, so in order to have the starting line and finish line be at the same spot, they just made it a 6K.  I didn't train at all for this race.  When I was training for the Pride of the Valley race, I didn't notice anything in my performance.  Since it was my first race, I had nothing to base it on.  When I did this 6K, I hadn't run for about four months, but I didn't think training for it was necessary.  Therefore, my body wasn't ready to run that much again.  I had to keep stopping to walk out stomach cramps and get my heavy breathing back under control.  It showed me that running consistently for weeks up until the race is very important, even if we don't realize it at the time.

I just finished my first 6k, the scholarship fun run!

After this race, I didn't have time for running because I was busy studying for finals and stressing about school.  And I didn't go running at all this past summer either.  I started running again at the end of last month, August.  I have gone running at least twice a week since then.  Even among the heavy school load and working about 20 hours a week, I still find time to go running.  Actually, let me rephrase that.  I make time to go running.  There are some days that I want to sleep in just a little longer, but I choose to get up and go running because I know how healthy it is for me.  I notice a difference in so many areas of my life.  I'm keeping up my grades because I am able to concentrate better.  I feel happier most of the time.  And most importantly, my self-esteem has increased because I know I am doing something great for my body.  Overall, I have learned that running can be very effective and so amazing.  If you're a runner and you ever feel discouraged, don't quit!  It's worth the hard work!