Past Featured Athletes

"Featured Athlete" (previously "Featured Athlete") began the week of August 7, 2006. Those recognized are shown below from the most recent going back. If you would like to nominate an individual (someone else or yourself) or group for "Featured Athlete", click here.

Faithful Soles is proud to honor runner and children's book author Brianna Grant as our "Featured Athlete". Though Brianna "grew up" in dance studios around the country, spending countless hours in ballet, tap and jazz shoes, she never considered herself an athlete until she laced up her first pair of running shoes at the age of 23. In school she believed that the term athlete was reserved for those who play team sports or who were fast runners, swimmers, or cyclists. "Now I realize that I am able to enjoy running in my adult life BECAUSE of my years as a dancer. When I hung up my dancing shoes, I fed my creative self with writing, but there was still a void, which I now recognize was my athletic side. I had to get outside of the dance studio to notice how incredibly athletic dancers are - something my mother had been trying to get through to me for years!" Realizing that other girls and women in the world might also misinterpret althleticism as she had, Brianna wrote We Are Girls Who Love to Run to speak to the athlete in all of us. "Running intimidated me, definitely. But when my husband would go for a run and come home smiling, I knew there had to be SOMETHING good about it. I decided to get myself off the couch and give it a try, afterall, my body had one time endured hours upon hours of aerobic exercise with my dance training." Starting off slowly, Brianna ran only two blocks on her first try, and then spent most of her "runs" walking with bursts of jogging. She slowly built up her distance, crediting her enjoyment of the longer times to figuring out how to breathe. "Once I fell into the right rhythm of breathing, I was hooked! Running made me feel good about myself and for the first time in a long time, I felt STRONG!" A summer of 5K races in the Charlotte, NC region eventually led to her first (and only, thus far) marathon in November of 2003. "I was teaching third grade at the time and had a few students who were participating in the program Girls on the Run. There were days when I questioned my decision to train for a marathon (I was also finishing my Master's Degree!), but these girls were so enthusiastic about their own progress in running that THEY motivated ME to keep on my path toward my goal of completing those 26.2 miles." In the end, it really was her students that enabled her to cross the finish line. "I hadn't eaten enough along the course (typical beginner error) and was really struggling in the last few miles. My husband ran beside me and had me focus on getting from one orange course cone to the next - baby steps to reach the goal. As I passed each cone I said the name of one of my students. It did the trick. I could visualize them saying, 'Keep going, Mrs. Grant!' as our roles as teacher and student reversed." She finised in 4:58:02, meeting her goal of running the marathon in under 5 hours. Now a full-time mother to three-year-old Ethan and baby Megan, Brianna continues to feed her creative self with writing with occasional articles for her community's newspaper, The River Current News. Though training for distance races hasn't fit into her life plan for a few years, the walks to the park with her children, family hikes and short runs she can do along side her husband, or with dog or kid in tow are treasured times in her week. "I'm not fast, but I'm proud that I stay fit and take care of the active part of my body and spirit. Days that I don't get to move just aren't as vibrant for me, so I do my best to do SOMETHING, even if it is putting in one of Ethan's CDs and dancing around the family room with my little ones. It makes all the difference."

Faithful Soles honors everyone who has started out the New Year with a resolution to begin or maintain a walking or running program. Our goal here at Faithful Soles is to continue to provide you with inspiration through the stories, reports and information sent to us by our readers.  Faithful Soles wishes you the best in the coming year as you run toward your dreams and achieve the greatness within you.

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete",  John Stephenson of Houston, Texas. John is currently training with Bay Area Fit to run his first marathon at the Chevron Houston Marathon on January 18, 2008. In addition to keeping up with his training schedule, John is an Associate Pastor at Clear Lake United Methodist Church involved in their contemporary worship services. He is also a talented musician and plays in their praise band. Another unique aspect of John's many talents is that he spent time as a violin maker. John is an inspiration to everyone around him through his great sense of humor and sermons with powerful messages that make amazing impacts on the lives of the people in the congregation. John is married to Amy and they have 2 young sons.

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete",  Melisa Angelone of Scottsdale, Arizona, who completed her second Ironman on June 24, 2007, at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (her first Ironman was in Florida in 2006). Melisa (seen here in the bike portion and below right in the run segment of her Ironman) has written an amazing and inspirational Couer d'Alene Ironman race post on her blog, which is also one of the blogs listed in our Blog Database. For those of you who may not be familiar with the Ironman distances, here they are, all done non-stop in succession (140.6 miles total):

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete", Joan Nesbit Mabe of North Carolina. As a member of the 1996 US Olympic team for the 10,000m, Joan is our first Olympian to receive this honor, and recently she linked her blog to our Blog Database. An excerpt from her blog clearly shows why she has been so incredibly successful in not just her running career, but in life: "I tried with all my might to make the Olympic team in 1984, 1988, 1992, and finally succeeded in 1996. To get what you want you must commit yourself for some time. 16 years of my life were spent in pursuit of this singular goal … and sometimes it was ugly. I remember one work-out when a young, talented 800m runner witnessed me grunting and spitting and 4-lettering at the end of each track interval. He declared, 'If that’s what it takes to be the best, it’s not worth it.' My effort embarrassed him. I suppose it should have embarrassed me, but I learned long ago not to care what other people think. Now, as an age-group master’s athlete, I must once-again ignore the comments from the peanut gallery. How unseemly for a jiggly-kneed, 44 year-old, mother-of-three to be running hard and cursing at the end of intervals!! I may be older and slower and way past my prime, but I still love to run with all my might. I will not let the world’s opinion of what older women should (or should not) do affect my joy. Today, my running goals have more to do with duration than competition. I want to explore every inch of trail in my town; I want to foster lifelong friendships with my training partners; and I want to run five miles a day until I die. I continue to strive even though my best is no where near the best." Joan's list of accomplishments and records are truly amazing and include:

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete", Cristina Singleton of Friendswood, Texas. Cristina's professional life centers around dance, and she has just concluded her first year as director of the award-winning Clear Brook High School Celebrities 45+ member drill and dance team. During a slide show capping moments in the Celebrities 2006-2007 year at their most recent 3-night Spring Show performance, Cristina's photo as director received by far the greatest applause for her efforts and leadership from the sold-out audience. Between choreographing numbers for the Celebrities, as well as other musicals put on by the high school and other groups, Cristina finds time to run 5 days a week from 45 minutes to an hour-and-a-half, and has her sites set on a possible half-marathon. Cristina attended Texas A&M on an academic scholarship majoring in pre-med. While at A&M she taught a night dance class for non-dance majors. While teaching this class she realized just how much she missed dancing and performing. She transferred to Sam Houston University where she was a member of Dance Spectrum and also had leads in the department's theatre and musical theatre productions. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre (Dance Emphasis) Cum Laude in 1999. Upon graduation from SHSU, Cristina moved to NYC where she appeared in several productions on the East Coast, a dancer in industrial shows with Chez/Zam Entertainment, singer at Dillon's in NYC and as a singer with the Celebrity Cruise Lines. She has also performed with The Great Caruso Dinner Theatre in Cabaret (Fraulein Kost / U/S Sally Bowles / Kit Kat Girl) and 50's Doo Wop, Houston's Theatre Under the Stars productions of Zorro: The Musical, The Wizard of Oz, Brigadoon, (Ensemble / U/S Meg), My Fair Lady, Jekyll and Hyde (Ensemble / Red Rat Girl).

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete", Michal "The Joggler" Kapral of Toronto, Canada, who began joggling – the sport that combines jogging and juggling – in 2005 to raise money for a childhood cancer research charity. He had first heard about the bizarre sport while reading the Guinness Book of World Records in the 1980's. He kept the childhood dream alive of one day becoming the world's fastest joggler, and made his dream come true in 2005 when he ran the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon while juggling three red Exerballs every step of the way in a world-record time of 3:07:48. This record was soon broken by American joggler Zach Warren. Michal and Zach then faced off in the world's first ever marathon joggling duel at last year's Boston Marathon, where Zach pulled ahead in the Newton Hills in a new record time of 2:58:23. Michal stormed back to reclaim the record with a 2:57:44 in Toronto later that year, but again, Zach returned the favor with a stunning 2:52:23 in Philadelphia.  On April 21 of 2007, Michal and Zach staged a joggling rematch at the Salt Lake City Marathon. Michal got his revenge, beating Zach by 3 1/2 minutes in a fierce, back-and-forth battle, but fell just over a minute short of the world record with a time of 2:53:28.  Michal also holds the 10K joggling Guinness World Record of 36:27 (without a drop) as well as the Guinness record for "fastest marathon pushing a baby in a stroller," (2:49:43) which he set in 2004 pushing his daughter Annika. "I love to push myself to the limit and make seemingly impossible goals a reality through hard training, dogged determination and a clear vision. I'm inspired by all runners and athletes who strive to do their best, especially those who are just starting out and taking that "leap of faith" to change their lives." Michal juggles life as a father of two, senior editor at Captivate Network and co-owns a personal training company, Fitness At Heart. He writes a blog called The Bloggling Joggler:  and spends way too much time practicing juggling tricks in his living room.

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete", Sallie from Bern, Switzerland. Sallie started a walking program back in October, and is about to participate in her first race, a 5K at the Bern Grand Prix on May 12. Her blog, The Stampede, is filled with not only her training, but some of the most breathtaking scenery you will ever see. Sallie wrote, "I always said I was not a runner. I thought I was too old to even try. I never understood how people could get out there and run. I thought I would never ever be capable. I see folks out there loping along like they're machines! It was a monumental challenge to reach the goal I set for myself.  It took an understanding that we reach our goals, whatever they may be, by planning, and taking things in small steps, one day at a time, and having faith. All we have control over in life is the moment we are living in. So, when I went out to do my running workouts, I kept my mind in the moment. If I had a bad workout, I let it go because I'd done my best, and knew the next one would be better.  I'm looking forward to the 5K race in Bern in a few weeks.  I'm not going to stress over it too much. I view it more as a celebration.  I'm pleased with the progress I've made and I'm going to enjoy this 'run'. My only goal this time is to make it to the finish line."

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athletes"  all of the dedicated athletes who are realizing their dream of running in the 111th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16. For those of you not familiar with the history of the race, Boston is the oldest running marathon in the world, having begun in 1897, one year after the first Olympic Games in 1896. Boston is also the only marathon in the world other than the Olympics where an athlete must qualify based on his or her age group criteria. To read about the the race or find out results for someone you know, please click here to go to the official Boston Marathon web site.

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete"  astronaut Sunita Williams, who will be running the Boston Marathon on April 16 from 210 miles above earth on the Space Station (pictured here running on a treadmill aboard the Space Station where tethers hold her in place while running, otherwise she would float off the treadmill, photo courtesy of NASA). Per a NASA news release dated March 29, 2007, "This will be the first time an astronaut in space will be an official participant in a marathon. Williams hopes her unique run will serve as an inspiration. 'I encourage kids to start making physical fitness part of their daily lives,' Williams said. 'I think a big goal like a marathon will help get this message out there.' Williams, who is an accomplished marathoner, has served aboard the Space Station since December 2006 as a member of the Expedition 14 crew. She will run the race on a station treadmill, circling Earth at least twice in the process, running as fast as eight miles per hour but flying more than five miles each second." To read the full NASA press release, click here.

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete"  Don from the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Don has one of the most inspirational and positive attitudes of any runner you would ever want to know. In his blog, "Make it a Masterpiece", he writes, "I have been running for almost five years. I enjoy everything about it, except maybe the last half mile of a tough race. Three years ago I was diagnosed with myeloma, a blood cancer with no cure. Happily, there are no symptoms yet, and running is a way to celebrate that. My sweetheart of 43 years and my daughter often run with me. Live one day at a time and make it a masterpiece!" Please take a moment to go to the link to his blog and simply read through the entries. Don celebrates every day of life with such love and enthusiasm and is a shining example to all of us what overcoming obstacles and seeing the beauty in life is all about. Updated March 27: Don posted on his blog today a photo of him winning the 65-69 age group at the Austin Marathon!

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete"  9 year old Brendan from the North Shore of Boston. Brendan wrote, "This is a photo of my very first race taken by my mom, the Kids Fun Run at the San Diego Triathlon Challenge in La Jolla, California on November 5, 2006. We posted that picture in support of the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). This was the 13th annual SDTC, a fundraising event for the CAF that raised nearly $2.5 million to benefit physically challenged athletes of all abilities. I was eight-years-old at the time. I was invited to the event where I received an athletic running prosthetic from the CAF. I was born without a functional left leg. I had always dreamed of being able to run as fast as my friends and now, thanks to the CAF and my new athletic prosthetic I am doing just that. This short run down the street and back was my very first race. Amazing how winning your first race can charge up your life. Now I am training and headed for real competition at the Endeavor Games in Oklahoma in June of 2007. Dreams do come true!" In the picture below, Brendan leads a group of amazing young athletes at the start of the race.

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athletes"  sisters Robyn and Rachel from Durham, North Carolina (pictured here finishing the Music City Marathon in Nashville). Robyn and Rachel are not only marathoners, but are also triathletes. What makes their training and racing even more impressive is that their efforts are all about raising money for their charity, "Genesis Home". On their blog, "Tri to End Homelessness", they state that they are "Two sisters, triathletes, and community advocates tri-ing to end homelessness by raising awareness and funds for Genesis Home - a transitional shelter for homeless families in Durham, North Carolina."

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete"  71 year old Allen Leigh of Utah (pictured above in various races and runs). I have been very inspired by Allen since coming across his blog, "Old Man Running", about a month ago. He describes his blog as, "A tutorial log of my reentry into distance running that teaches the basics of running injury-free via the experiences of a 71-year-old geezer. My next goal is to set a new PB (Personal Best) in the Salt Lake Half-Marathon. My half-marathon PB is 2:21:16 and was set in August 2006." Allen has been running for 34 years and has never had an injury, and his outlook on running and life is amazing. On one of his blog entries, he wrote, "We are runners, and we are all successful within our own capabilities. But, so many of us are negative about our ourselves. We say that we can't succeed, that we can't set a new PB (Personal Best), that we can't run more than a few minutes. We put ourselves down so we can melt into the crowd. Instead, let us be who we are. Let us succeed in our running and in our lives and thus help others rise above the crowd and succeed in their lives." Allen epitomizes what it means to be runner and a great human being.

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete"  22 year old Carolyn from Ottawa, Canada (pictured here on the left in September of 2005 at 170 lbs. and on the right in January of 2007 at 135 lbs.). On February 14, Carolyn was chosen by Weight Watchers to be in a pictorial as one of their success stories, an incredible honor. She began running in 2006 and ran her first race, a 5K, on December 31, 2006. Carolyn said of that race, "Fear was out there today, I just ran past it". If you go to her blog, and scroll down to the entries on February 22 and below, she has some of the most amazing before and after pictures that you will ever see. On that entry, Carolyn writes, "It was a long time coming and I had a lot of support and encouragement on my journey. I am proud to tell others what I have accomplished and more than happy to encourage and support others as well. I thank all of you who continue to read my blog, and to those out there who think they cannot do this- think again! It wasn't until I believed in myself that I truly saw success!"

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete" John Kynaston, an ultra-runner who is presently training for the 153km (95 miles) West Highland Way (WHW) race to be held on June 23, 2007. John (pictured here prior to one of his training runs in his beautiful homeland of Paisley, Scotland in the United Kingdom) writes in his blog, "The object of West Highland Way race is essentially simple, you start at Milngavie Railway Station (7miles north of Glasgow) at 1am on 23rd June & run/jog/walk to Fort William Leisure Centre by noon on the 24th June, 35 hours to cover 153km (95 miles) including 3543m (11624ft) of ascent. Along the way you pass through checkpoints within time limits. In order to participate you must have your own motorised backup, consisting of at least two people, one of which must be capable of covering the last two sections with you (or find you) if assistance is required or during the hours of darkness."

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete" Jan P. from Sugar Land, Texas (pictured right in her before and after shots), whose blog, "From Fat to Fab"  is truly an amazing account of her journey to lose weight and conquer not just the marathon, but to  inspire everyone she comes in contact with. Jan's incredibly positive attitude and determination are an example to athletes of all abilities. When Jan completed her first Houston Marathon in 2006, where she also was raising money for the Houston Food Bank, she wrote, "Not only did I accomplish my goal of completing the Houston Marathon, but I exceeded my original fundraising goal of $1000 for the Houston Food Bank by raising $1540. I have achieved something that at one time I would have thought impossible. Thanks to each and every one of you for your unwavering support."

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our "Featured Athlete" the late Jack "The Dipsea Demon" Kirk, who passed away at the age of 100 last week. Jack (pictured here at the 93rd annual Dipsea in 2003) ran the famous 7.1 mile Dipsea Race from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach in California for 67 consecutive years, having won the race twice. The Dipsea Race, which began in 1905, is the longest running cross-country race in the United States and is most famous for it's climb of 671 steps at the start of the race. To learn more about the life of this amazing man and the race, visit the Dipsea Race web site, or click here to read an article about Jack written by Dave Albee of the Marin Independent Journal.

Faithful Soles is proud to honor as our Featured Athletes 39 students from Sam Rayburn High School in Pasadena, Texas, who trained diligently in walking and running programs for months and participated in the Aramco Half-Marathon (13.1 miles) in Houston on January 14. What is even more impressive is that ALL 39 students who started the race also finished the race. The students (pictured right after a training session at Memorial Park in Houston), ranged in grades from freshmen to seniors. In addition to those involved in a race of this distance for the first time, several of the students were doing it for the second and third consecutive year. Joan Propp, the cross-country and track coach at Sam Rayburn (who herself is a 3-time Boston Marathoner), is the organizer of the group and said, "This is the third year of this program, and we started out the first year with 7 students and have grown to 39. I do it because running is something the kids can experience for a lifetime. Of the 39 students who did the race this year, 22 of them were in cross-country and 17 were those in regular PE classes who decided to set this as a goal. Next year I want them to bring a buddy to the program and I hope to double our numbers."

Faithful Soles is proud to honor Steve Epps of Sugar Land, Texas as our "Featured Athlete". Steve (pictured right crossing the finish line of his first marathon at the Chevron Houston Marathon) had a very special day for his first marathon in many ways. Steve wrote, "Sunday, January 14, 2006 was my 66^th birthday and what a special way to celebrate by walking the Chevron Houston Marathon. It was my first Marathon and the 27 week Fort Bend Fit training really served me well. It was also a great opportunity to try out my bi-lateral total knee replacements that I had received six years ago. Those chromium and super-polyethylene knees worked very well. But it was God’s overseeing and guiding the surgeon’s hand six years ago and his faithfulness this past week that gave me the strength and will to finish the race. I look forward to continuing my training and future Marathons."

Faithful Soles is proud to honor 14 year old Robert Key, V, as our "Featured Athlete". Robert completed the Aramco Half-Marathon (13.1 miles) on Sunday, January 14, in Houston, Texas. Robert has run more than 400 miles in his training since he first registered for the race back in September. The half-marathon was the furthest distance he had ever run, and he accomplished his primary goal of running the entire race without stopping, and he even sprinted the last few hundred yards to the finish line. Robert started his morning before the race by being interviewed on Channel 2 (the local NBC affiliate) and talked about his goals and what it took to train for the half-marathon (see "Faithful Soles in the news" for Sunday, January 14). During the race, Robert exhibited great sportsmanship by shouting words of encouragement to other runners, and he received many "hoo-yah's!!!!!!!" from the several hundred members of Fort Bend Fit who were also participating in the marathon and half-marathon, and had met him earlier in the week at their annual pre-marathon pasta dinner. Robert's next race will be the half-marathon in Austin coming up on February 19.

Faithful Soles is pleased and proud to honor Kevin Kline as our "Featured Athlete". Kevin is part of the morning crew on The New 93Q in Houston, Texas, and will be running his first marathon at the Chevron Houston Marathon this coming Sunday, January 14. What makes Kevin's effort even more special is the reason he is running... to raise money for his Snowdrop Foundation to find a cure for pediatric cancer. In December of 2005, Kevin met Chelsey Campbell, then 15 years old, as she was undergoing treatment at Texas Children's Cancer Center. Sadly, Chels passed away on Saturday, December 9, 2006. She was 16 years old.  The day after Chelsey died, Kevin ran the Sugar Land 30K (18.6 miles) and beat his goal time by eleven minutes. Kevin wrote, "For the marathon, I will wear a pink shirt, Chelsey's favorite color.  I will have the Cure Kids Cancer logo and the Texas Children's Cancer Center logo embroidered on one sleeve.  On the other sleeve, I'll have our radio station logo.  On the back, I hope to have our Snowdrop logo.  The front will read, "I'm running for Chelsey".  I won't be surprised if I'm the only man in a sea of 15,000 people wearing a pink shirt." Follow-up: Kevin completed the Chevron Houston Marathon in 3:44, beating his goal time of 3:45! Congratulations on a great first marathon!

Faithful Soles honors everyone who has started out the New Year with a resolution to begin or maintain a walking or running program. Our goal here at Faithful Soles is to continue to provide you with inspiration through the stories, reports and information sent to us by our readers.  Faithful Soles wishes you the best in the coming year as you run toward your dreams and achieve the greatness within you.

Congratulations to Faithful Soles "Featured Athlete", Michael Johncock of Houston, Texas, who is presently in training for his second Ironman Arizona Triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112.0 mile bike and 26.2 mile run). Michael has been running for a number of years, and after tackling the marathon a couple of times decided this past April to try his first Ironman in Tempe, Arizona. Michael says, "For anyone considering doing one, then I wish you the best. It will change you forever. Try not to think too much during the day of what lies ahead, but instead remember why you are there and the sacrifices you and others made to get there. Stay in the “moment” and the “now” in order to enjoy every minute of the day and whenever the pain sets in, thank God. It’s just a reminder that you’re alive and healthy!"

Congratulations to Faithful Soles Featured Athletes, Kevin Walker of Sugar Land, Texas, who ran 90K (about 56 miles) over the weekend of December 9-10 by competing in the Sunmart Ultra-Marathon on Saturday, and then a 30K on Sunday. Kevin (pictured here a few months back when he ran 100K at the Bandera Ultra-Marthon) is a veteran of many marathons and ultra-marathons and a real inspiration to not only those members of his Fort Bend Fit running group, but to everyone he comes in contact with. I have had the pleasure of meeting Kevin and discussing my own ultra-marathon goals with him, and he is always encouraging, supportive, and full of great advice on the sport that he is so passionate about.

Congratulations to Faithful Soles Featured Athletes, the more than 8,000 finishers of the marathon and half-marathon in Dallas, Texas on Sunday, December 10. I have read numerous postings on various running group discussion boards about what a great race it was for the participants, and from all accounts the weather was ideal for the event. I have also received word that many of our FS readers participated and all of them had a great time. If you would like to access the race results page, please click here, or if you would prefer to go to the home page of the event, please click here. If you ran in this race (or any other races) and would like to share your race experience with our readers, please send FS your race report! Once again, congratulations to all!

Congratulations to Faithful Soles Featured Athletes, ALL of those amazing Houston area runners who completed yet another major phase of their training by participating in various 30K (18.6 miles) group runs or races this past weekend, as well as those who will be participating in the 30K race on Sunday, December 10. Many of these people had never walked or run for exercise prior to only a few months ago, and they have steadily progressed through a series of graduated distances up to this point. The focus for many is now the Chevron Houston Marathon and the Aramco Half-Marathon on Sunday, January 14, 2007. For those of you participating in the half-marathon in January, you may not realize it, but you will have completed approximately 350-500 miles in your training, and the marathoners will have completed approximately 750-1,000 miles in their training (that's like running from Houston to El Paso folks). Way to go!

Congratulations to Faithful Soles Featured Athletes, Rick and Dick Hoyt, the famous duo of Team Hoyt. I had the opportunity to meet the Hoyts at the 2001 Boston Marathon (pictured here), which I can truly say was one of the highlights of my life as a runner. An excerpt from their web site reads, "Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts who together compete just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that daunting, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. Together they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,735 miles across America. It’s a remarkable record of exertion — all the more so when you consider that Rick can't walk or talk." I am constantly sent emails or asked by other runners if I am familiar with them and their incredible story. The accomplishments and amazing history of the Hoyts are too lengthy to list within this context, so please click here to visit their web site.

Congratulations to Faithful Soles "Featured Athlete", my daughter Kenan (pictured here in 2002 when she ran cross-country in junior high), who is a senior in high school and will be turning 18 years old this week. It is not often that a parent gets to tell people that his heroes are his children, but Kenan to me is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. Kenan always works very hard in school and plunges herself headlong into every challenge. As a member of her high school drill team for 3 years, she has exhibited to us and those around her what it means to go for your dreams, and to be dedicated and passionate about something you love. Kenan has wanted to be a teacher since she was old enough to know what one was, and she will be working towards achieving that goal in college. I feel so blessed to have her as my daughter, and I know that God will continue to honor and watch over her. Kenan, I love you.

Congratulations to Faithful Soles Featured Athletes, the students at Wedgewood Elementary in Friendswood, Texas, who participated on Friday, November 17, in a 1.5 mile Diabetes Walk to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. According to one of the coaches at the school, there were approximately 775 kids and their families doing the walk. Robert Key, founder of Faithful Soles, had the opportunity to talk to the entire student body (picture) about goal setting and the importance of being fit the week before the walk. The kids had great manners, great questions and were very respectful and attentive during his talk.

Congratulations to Faithful Soles Featured Athletes, all of the Faithful Soles members and visitors who participated in this past weekend's ING New York City Marathon. The weather conditions were absolutely beautiful and I have heard from and read posts from runners who participated that said it was a magnificent day. As with the Chicago Marathon two weeks ago, there were numerous Faithful Soles members and regular visitors who ran in the race, and quite a few of them completed their first marathon, and a number of others ran a PR (Personal Record). New York is one of the 5 world major marathons which over a 2 year period will determine who the number one ranked male and female marathon runners are based on a point system (the other 4 being New York, Boston, London and Paris).

I am honoring my grandfather, J. C. Yonn, who passed away at the age of 87 after a long bout of illness due to emphysema. Like many of you, there is probably someone in your life that may not have been a runner, but nevertheless in their own way inspired your running. My grandfather was one of those people to me. His passion for the things he loved to do, especially playing golf, instilled in me what it truly meant to put your whole heart into something you love, regardless of your ability, and I have carried that same spirit with me in my running. He lived through the Great Depression and World War II, where he served honorably in the Navy. He was married to my grandmother, Clevy, for 51 years and they had 4 children (my mother Jackie, my Aunt Carmen, Uncle Hugh and Uncle Richard). During his last week, he was sitting in his bed at home and commented to my aunt, "If I should die tonight, I want you to know this old man has lived a good life." Oh what a treasure it would be if all of us had that sort of peace and outlook on how we lived each day. God bless you, Grandpa. 

Congratulations to Faithful Soles Featured Athletes, all of the Faithful Soles members and visitors who participated in this past weekend's The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. The weather conditions were cold and in the 40's, but it did not deter the efforts of the field. I know of at least 100 or so of our members and regular visitors who ran in the race, and quite a few of them completed their first marathon, and a number of others ran a PR (Personal Record). Chicago is one of the 5 world major marathons which over a 2 year period will determine who the number one ranked male and female marathon runners are based on a point system (the other 4 being New York, Boston, London and Paris).

Congratulations to Faithful Soles "Featured Athlete", Jose' Nebrida of Chicago, Illinois (seen here holding the American flag which he is famous for carrying in marathons). Jose' was nominated by Felix Lugo, a former "Featured Athlete" on FS and a fellow runner who also carries the American flag. Felix wrote this about Jose': "When I first started running with the flag I read an article about a flag runner.  I was so touched by what I read that I immediately prayed for this man.  Each marathon that I have run with the flag, some come up and ask, are you Jose'?  Of course I respond no that I am not, but I know who he is. When I ran Bataan Memorial Death March this year, I noticed this flag runner ahead of me.  Though I had never met him, when I caught up to him I immediately knew who it was.  Nonetheless, I asked him "are you Jose?"  He responded yes.  I ran with him for some time and thanked him for his unparalleled devotion.  I also told him what an honor it was to finally meet him and what an inspiration he has been to me."

Congratulations to Faithful Soles Featured Athletes, all of the 5th and 6th graders at the KIPP 3D Academy in Houston, Texas who are in cross-country and 5K training programs (seen here during a Saturday morning training workout doing some stretching exercises at the school track). There are about 75 kids in the program, and the ones training for the 5K will be participating in the Houston Press / Smart Financial 5K in Houston on January 14, 2007, which is run in conjunction with the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Half-Marathon. The kids are being coached by Faithful Soles founder Robert Key and Houston Fit organizer Debbie Goldberg along with some great volunteers.

Faithful Soles honors all of the women who are breast cancer survivors, who are currently battling the disease, or have passed on because of it. As many of you may know, I lost my own mother to breast cancer on March 29, 2000, after she courageously battled the disease for more than 2 years.  As I reflect back on the hundreds of thousands of participants around the country who were part of The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation runs this past weekend, I am deeply moved by the pink hats and pink shirts of the survivors, and the signs and t-shirts that honor those who have been lost. I can not help but think of the words to the Melissa Etheridge song, "I Run for Life", about her own battle with breast cancer. She sings, "I run for hope, I run to feel, I run for truth, for all that is real, I run for your mother, your daughter, your sister, your wife, for you and me my friend, I run for life." May God continue to be with those whose lives have been effected by this disease, and may we find a cure soon.

Congratulations to Debbie Goldberg of Houston, Texas (pictured here coaching a group of 5th and 6th graders at KIPP 3D Academy in Houston who are training for their first 5K in January), Faithful Soles "Featured Athlete"! Debbie is the organizer for Houston Fit, the largest USAFit group in the United States, and has helped thousands of people since 1997 accomplish their goals of completing a marathon or half-marathon. She herself has completed more than 10 marathons, most recently having run the Paris Marathon. She is also the founder of "Beyond the Finish Line", a non-profit whose mission is to bring group fitness activities to underserved communities for the purposes of developing good health, nurturing self-esteem, promoting a sense of community and encouraging a deeper sense of spirituality. Debbie says, "The personal reward of helping others grow physically, mentally and spiritually through physical fitness is immeasurable."

Congratulations to 10 year old Catherine Godfrey of Sugar Land, Texas (pictured here competing in a triathlon), Faithful Soles "Featured Athlete"! Here is what her mother Patty had to say about her daughter: "Catherine is in the 5th grade and she is a member of Finish Line Sports Running Club. She has competed in a 5K, 6 Kid Triathlons, including Ironfish in Shreveport, Louisiana, placing a solid 6th out of 54 in her age group. She went to a USAT (Triathlon) Camp this summer in Austin. She will be competing in her first Sprint Tri on October 1 at Try Andy's Tri. I can honestly say she always has a smile on her face and loves to be around others who enjoy running and triathlons as much as she does. She has motivated other kids to come out and not only run trials, but participate in triathlons and work on their open water swimming."

Faithful Soles takes a moment to honor those brave men and women who lost their lives on 9/11/01, of which many were our fellow runners and were in training at the time for the upcoming NYC Marathon. As I reflect back on that fateful day, I think about Felix Lugo, the "Featured Athlete" 2 weeks ago who runs marathons carrying the American flag and will be running NYC in November. He said, "I have been asked many times why I continue to run marathons with the American Flag.  My response is simple;  I run with the American Flag not so that people will remember, I run with it so that we don't forget." May God continue to bless and heal the families and friends who lost loved ones on that day, and may God continue to bless this great country of ours.

Congratulations to Mark Berman of Sugar Land, Texas (pictured here on August 25 dressed for a very special fund raiser... read more...), Faithful Soles "Featured Athlete"! Mark is a member of Fort Bend Fit (FBF) who completed his first marathon this past January in Houston in a very respectable time of 3:25:25, and will be running the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, Pennsylvania in October in hopes of qualifying for Boston in the 40-44 age bracket. What makes Mark truly inspirational to those around him is his great sense of humor and willingness to do things for the benefit of others. Case in point... On the FBF message board several weeks ago, a post was made about a man in Canada who had worn a pink running skirt that he talked about on his blog. One thing led to another, and the members of FBF started daring Mark to wear a pink skirt after one of their training runs. From there, the idea was hatched by Bobbie Browne, another FBF member, that Mark would do it to raise money for The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. So, on Saturday, August 25, right after FBF's training run, Mark made good with his promise and in the process raised money for a great cause.

Congratulations to Felix Lugo of Houston, Texas (seen here earlier this year at the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico) Faithful Soles "Featured Athlete"! Felix is a marathon coach with Houston Fit. I have had the honor to meet and talk to Felix on many occasions, and he is truly an inspirational individual. Not only has Felix run 24 marathons, but 12 of those he has completed carrying a 3' X 5' American flag on an 8' pole that weighs 10 pounds. Felix started carrying the flag shortly after 9/11 not only to honor those fallen on that day, but to also honor his father and other veterans. When I asked Felix to tell me the history of him carrying the flag he stated, "My initial thought was to run one marathon in Houston with the American Flag. The emotional response that I received was so overwhelming that I decided to run the Austin Marathon.  After that the flag took on a life of it's own.  We have since run in Dallas, Austin, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Washington, D.C. and White Sands in New Mexico (3 times).  We have run Houston many times. I have been asked many times why I continue to run marathons with the American Flag.  My response is simple;  I run with the American Flag not so that people will remember, I run with it so that we don't forget." Felix will be carrying the flag next at the upcoming NYC Marathon.

Congratulations to Randy Smith (seen here earlier this year at the Seabrook Lucky Trails Half-Marathon) of Sugar Land, Texas, the first individual named as the Faithful Soles "Featured Athlete"! Randy is a Walking Coach with Fort Bend Fit. I had the honor to meet and visit with him this past January during the week of the Houston Marathon and he is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. Here is what his wife Terrell had to say: "Randy has completed 14 marathons or better, including one 50K (31.0 miles) last December at Sunmart… the last official finisher! He gives back to the running/walking community by being the first coach out on our official group runs, the last one back, and our general “sweep” man.  Randy uses “tough love” to motivate his walkers and leads by example.  While not fast, Randy’s determination helps inspire those he knows to stick to their goals and persevere."

The "Featured Athlete" is dedicated to all of the family, friends and coaches out there who support us in our training. Thank you!

Week of Aug. 7 - 13, 2006: Since this is the first week of the site, the "Featured Athlete" is dedicated to anyone out there who is training for his or her first race, regardless of the distance. Congratulations!