FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Marathon 'maniacs' Prove 26.2 miles is a Challenge, not a Barrier
Yolanda Holder and Julie Weiss demonstrate the power of perseverance
LOS ANGELES, February 14, 2011 – "I started training in Sept of 2007.
Before that I could barely run around the block."
Julie Weiss decided she liked running, and completed her first attempt at
the marathon distance in the 2008 City of Los Angeles Marathon...and
hasn't stopped since. Her appearance in the 2011 Honda LA Marathon
presented by K-Swiss will be her 20th marathon in the past three years, and
at age 40, she ran a lifetime best of 3:47:19 at the California
International Marathon last December.
Speaking of that race, Weiss - a mother of two - said "I realized that you
can do anything you put your mind to, even in the toughest of situations.
Hard work, passion and determination paid off."
She shares those qualities with a world-record-setting "walking diva,"
52-year-old Yolanda Holder of Corona, who last year surpassed the Guinness
World Record for the most marathons completed by a woman in a single year
with 106, equaling the overall record set by two men. Weiss and Holder are
just two of the amazing participants in this year's Honda LA Marathon. They
and thousands of others will bring their personal quests and abundant
perseverance to the starting line at Dodger Stadium on March 20.
Holder started at age 40 by walking with a neighbor in a 10K, writing in
WalkAbout Magazine years later that "The next day I was so sore and
couldn't walk for what seemed like days. There was something magical about
the feeling, though, because I actually liked the soreness and the natural
high that came along with it."
Pretty soon, there was no stopping Holder, also the mother of two, who set
a goal of finishing 50 marathons in 52 weeks in 2008, but actually did 65
and was named "Marathon Maniac of the Year." She finished 77 in 2009 to win
the "Marathon Maniac" title once again, and then stepped up to essentially
complete two marathons each weekend to get to 106 in 2010, with a best of
5:26:57. She'll be walking her eighth L.A. Marathon in 2011.
Weiss lives in Santa Monica and couldn't contain her enthusiasm for the
Stadium to the Sea course introduced in 2010. "I was so passionate about
this new course and when it was approved, I was the happiest girl in the
world, except for the day that I got to run it. I had so much fun. I was
living, breathing, sleeping and eating that marathon (like I am doing now).
This new course is so fun, so scenic, and you feel like you are on a tour
of L.A. Not to mention the finish line is in my back yard."
Her enthusiasm spread quickly to her son and daughter as well. "I have
inspired them to lose weight and work out too. My son lost 70 pounds when I
started this journey and my daughter is now the youngest-ever certified
yoga teacher." Weiss is now sharing her passion with others as a pace
leader for the L.A. Roadrunners training group for the 2011 race; her Group
6 pack will be aiming for a 4:25 finish.
Her only question is, "Is it March 20th yet?"
Weiss and Holder will be on the starting line for the 2011 edition of the
Honda LA Marathon, but registration totals are rapidly heading toward the
level of the sold-out 2010 race. "Julie and Yolanda are examples of the
transformative power of sport, and why marathoning continues to attract new
fans in all age groups," noted LA MARATHON LLC chief operating officer Nick
Curl. "For those who wish to run on March 20, please register now by going
to www.lamarathon.com before it's too late."
Both Weiss and Holder will be waiting.
About LA MARATHON LLC:
We inspire athletes and connect communities. With thousands of volunteers,
tens of thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators,
the Honda Los Angeles Marathon presented by K-Swiss is one of the largest
organized road races in the country. For more information, visit
www.lamarathon.com.
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