Still Kicking Ass at 50
At 28 years old, I was training for my first marathon, the L.A. Marathon in 2003. I had just started running, with no sports background, but something about it intrigued me (more on that in the About Me section). Instead of waiting for L.A., I ended up running the Carlsbad Marathon as my first, right around the time I had a 24-mile training run scheduled, so I figured, why not just race?
That year, I set a long-term goal: 50 marathons by age 50.
Over the years, I tracked my progress, sometimes running for fun, sometimes training, and occasionally getting competitive. Along the way, I also got into ultra-running and triathlons. (For the record, ultra distances don’t count toward my 50, that’s a whole other story for next time.)
Here’s a (not-so-great) visual:

50 Marathons completed, by year. Some of the races were completed more than once.
By the Numbers:
• Unique # of Races: 25
• Years: 20 (skipped : 2016, 2017, 2024)
• Cities/States/Countries: 22 U.S. cities, 6 U.S. States, 1 Federal district, 3 countries
• Pace: Average 12:09 per mile; fastest 9:41 (LAM 2015); slowest 16:20 (TX Trail 2021)
• PR: 4:14 (LAM 2015)
Fun facts:
• Ran at the state capitol in both states that I have lived in the U.S. (CA & TX)
• L.A. Marathon was the most times I’ve ran a race (12x)
• Athens Classic Marathon in Greece, while nostalgic, was the most boring marathon due to running on industrial roads from the city of Marathon to the Olympic stadium in Athens, Greece – but it was still pretty cool.
• Ran at the smallest (Hard Corps Marathon, 2009) and biggest (Marine Corps Marathon, 2010) military-affiliated marathons
• Highest elevation gain for road marathon was Big Sur Marathon (~3k feet) and Golden Hills Trail Marathon (~4k feet)
I turned 50 in 2024, but setbacks and minor surgery delayed my 50th marathon until early 2025. As soon as I got clearance (sort of 😊) to run long distances again, I signed up for the Austin Marathon. It felt fitting to reach my 50 by 50 goal in the city we now call home.

Not my most flattering 50 year old photo, but these are from race days: 2003 San Diego (Carlsbad) Marathon and 2025 Austin Marathon
Austin Marathon Recap: Austin Marathon marked my 50th marathon, and I’m also 50. I dressed as Salley O’Malley from the SNL skit (because I’m 50, and I can kick, stretch, and run marathons 😊). The marathon course was hilly, per the people I’ve talked to, I had skimmed the course map but had no idea what to expect. Race morning was cold. I ditched my mylar blanket before the start and handed off my throwaway gloves early when I saw someone collecting clothing. I started with the 4:50 pace group (aiming for an 11-min pace) but felt great in the first 10K and took off ahead of the group.
I stuck to my nutrition plan with Huma gels every 1.5 hours, Tailwind every 6 miles, plus a Picky Bar. Spectators handed out bananas, which I grabbed in the later miles. But around mile 13, my knees started aching. I slowed down, hoping it would pass, but it didn’t. I found a teammate along the course, ran with him for a bit, but eventually couldn’t keep up.
The second half was brutal for me. The 4:50 group passed me after mile 15, and I struggled to stay at 12:30 pace. I took a porta-potty break, switched to run-walk intervals, and just counted down the miles. That last hill to get to the finish, was a killer, esp after being all those miles.
I secretly hoped for a 5-hour finish (you know, 50th marathon, 50 years old, 5 hours), but I crossed the line in 5:27:21. Not the time I wanted, but I finished my 50th, and that’s what mattered most.
So what’s next?
Over the years, I’ve learned that things may not always go as planned, but persistence and adaptability matter more than perfect timing. Running 50 marathons by 50 wasn’t just about hitting a number; it was about resilience, learning to adjust, and showing up no matter what. Plans may change, but the ability to adapt and keep going is what truly gets you to the finish line, and beyond. It’s time for a new marathon goal: 80×80!