March Runner of the Month: Kelly Schranck
When and why did you start running? I started running probably around the age of 7. I was one of two girls on a a youth soccer team and because the boys would never pass the ball to us, I could never wait to run OFF of the field. Flash forward to 7th grade when I was 12 and I couldn't wait to do track. I ran the 800m and once in a while the 1600m until high school where I realized I preferred distance and switched to the 1600m and 3200m and of course my favorite, cross country. Much to my mother's horror I quit running my senior year of high school to focus on boys and other ridiculous pursuits. About 6 years ago, after substantial weight gain when we moved to Texas in 2005, I decided to just get my act together again to prep for some family events. I haven't stopped since and I'm about 60lbs lighter and slightly more well adjusted. How long have you been a runner? I've been a runner on and off my entire life.
First race? My first race was some middle school exhibition race or actual meet. I don't really recall any super fun meets til high school. The best year being my junior year in 1993 where our very little girls team finished in fourth place in the Class A State Finals. I was not the fastest girl on my team but at that meet my score actually helped sealed our spot and that was such an awesome feeling. Most recent race? My most recent race was the 2016 Detroit Free Press marathon. I had never had need for a passport til o decided I was doing this race. What moron decides they need a passport to go run 26.2 miles for fun?! Me! That's who!! My brother and his family still live up there so it was a chance to spend a weekend with him and look at the city through adult eyes. Detroit gets a bad rap a lot but it really is a beautiful city with wonderful architecture and music and great food. I THOUGHT choosing Detroit as a race would be a good idea as it was October 16th so the weather should be more like fall than Texas....not exactly correct. It was humid and more like 58 degrees at the start and by mile 23 it was pouring BUT! I did have a five minute PR and I had some personal redemption from a previous race.
Favorite piece of gear? My favorite piece of gear is probably my shoes. What shoes do you run in? I run in Brooks Glycerines and after they changed the body type last year with the 13's it was a real struggle trying different brands that I though could work. I suffered through the 13's and it was a happy day when the 14's rolled out and my feet screamed with joy. I also really love my Orange Mud vest and I never fancied myself as a vest wearer. But thanks to some cool chicks at Frisco Run Company I am sporting that smelly thing at least four days a week! Favorite way to cross train? My favorite way to cross train is something I never meant to stick with. My daughter (Ruffles) and I go to 9Round. I was really anxious for her to find an activity she enjoyed just to get her blood flowing and after much trial and error we hit upon 9round last summer and while I can see the changes in myself, it's her that I'm really impressed with. She's 19 and lives at home and works and goes to Collin so I see her every day. Seeing the more positive attitude and the fact that she actually likes when we can go workout together has been awesome. Best running memory? I think my best running memory is sticking that 26.2 sticker on the back of my car. I ran the Irving Marathon in April of 2015 about 10 weeks after my dad died suddenly at 59. My daughter was a senior in high school who was determined as hell that she was moving to Utah for school, we had a family wedding to go to in Florida, and we had to visit the actual school. I was in an absolute daze during that time and I think deciding to run that race (I had NEVER run a marathon) probably saved me in a lot of ways. And I like to think that my dad was looking down asking what the hell I was doing!! I think he'd think I'm crazy at this point but I know he'd also be very proud.
Bucket list race? Bucket list....LOL!! Boston!! But when I'm 80 and the time frame to qualify is a little lengthier!!!! Lol I do think I'd also really enjoy Grandma's Marathon but this year I'm just going for a run. Favorite race so far? My favorite race so far I think would be Detroit 2016. I did it with myself and for myself and that was something I felt like I had to do. Do you have a favorite distance? My favorite distance is probably a good solid ten miles, but for a race 26.2!! What is something most people do not know about you? I don't think there is much that people don't know about me...I'm pretty much an open book. I wasn't always, but life is short and if someone asks me something about myself I really don't mind sharing. I've had a few very entertaining years and some not so entertaining. And stories for all of them!
Favorite tune to rock out to while running? I don't really have a "favorite" song for running. I have a running playlist and anytime I hear something that I find catchy I just add to it and press shuffle. I have Cat Stevens, Tracy Chapman, Kings of Leon, some Hamilton soundtrack, of course music from the Rocky movies and Taylor Swift because who doesn't love Taylor?!?! And lately when I run with music I don't wear headphones I just play the music out loud so I can hear stuff around me too since a lot of times I'm out at dark thirty by myself. Best part about running? The best part of running is the fact that I am ABLE to run!! No one is stopping me...no one is telling me I can't and no one has to go with me if they don't want to!! I can either run with my head full of thoughts or no thoughts at all. I can run kinda, sorta fast or I can run kinda, sorta slow. The speed and the distance really don't matter, it's the fact that it's MY time to do exactly what I want to be doing and that I am able bodied to do it. Sometimes I talk to myself, sometimes I talk to my dad, rarely do I plan a grocery list but I do sometimes plan outfits...when I'm out there it's just great to be ABLE to do it!!! Who inspires you? I find all of the ladies in MRTT inspiring. I know everyone is in a different place in their lives, we are different ages, with different work schedules and family schedules and it's hard sometimes to carve out a niche for ourselves so I think it's great to have a place where we can all talk about whether or not we go commando on our outings or we keep it all covered up LOL...thanks for that ladies!! It was VERY amusing!!
Any words of advice? I don't really have any great words of wisdom for y'all...I think we all just need to keep on running! Or doing whatever it is that makes you YOU!!