On December 19, 2018, I received a call with the thrilling news that I was selected to be Hammer Nutrition’s January 2019 Ambassador of the Month. I was stunned, humbled and thankful.
I wrote the following in response to this most welcome news.
I was born in Denver, Colorado in 1951. I feel richly blessed to have enjoyed the first eight years of my life immersed in the culture of the Colorado Rocky Mountain people. Family weekend trips to the Rockies, including Leadville, seared the dazzling scenery and amazing wildlife of Colorado deep into my soul. I loved and looked forward to Field Day races at school, entering every event possible. I tried my hardest to win the blue ribbons! I felt rich and lacking in nothing.
When I was eight years old, my parents moved the family to Los Angeles, California. I immediately learned LA culture was very different. I dove into books, loved swimming and soaking up the warm sun. I danced my heart out to the tunes of the 1960s all through high school, during lunch and every weekend. Shaped by the 1960s President’s Council on Physical Fitness, I exercised daily, throughout the decades, doing tai chi, stretching, swimming and walking on a treadmill. I am still in Los Angeles, working full time as a Librarian for LA County Library.
In 2012, I was part of a winning team for LA County Library in an LA countywide physical fitness challenge. Our Head of Human Resources was a marathoner and member of the LA Road Runners. She asked if I had ever considered a marathon. This quest had inhabited my mind for as long as I could remember. Game On!
I immediately joined LA RoadRunners and began walking/running at 60 years old. I wanted to lose 50 pounds and complete a marathon. I accomplished both and have since completed 13 marathons, including Bhutan 2017, New York City 2016 and 2017, and Boston 2018 with Team 261 Fearless. I have completed 32 additional, shorter races, ranging from 5Ks to half-marathons. I won my age division or placed on the podium in 14. I have also completed 3 ultramarathons, including the Born to Run 60-mile ultra in 2018. I won my age division for the 60-mile ultra and am currently training for the 100-mile Born to Run ultra. I won gold medals in the Nevada State Championships, Senior Olympics, for both the 5K and 10K, qualifying for the 2019 National Senior Olympics. I plan to race a variety of shorter distances, including 50, 100, 200, 400 meter dashes, as well as 800 and 1500 meter runs.
In 2013, I discovered Hammer Nutrition. I credit Hammer’s quality and effectiveness for unfailingly supporting me through my many quests. I relied on Hammer to enhance my endurance and speed for racing, and aid in my complete and rapid recovery from several hospitalizations. These included shattered bones, a frozen shoulder, cardiac effusion, A-fib and cholecystitis resulting in emergency surgery. I am rarely sick with colds or flu, although I am constantly exposed.
Over the years, I have taken practically all of the Hammer products, varying my selections with changing needs, goals and conditions. Currently, my daily regimen includes Whey Protein, a peanut butter chocolate Whey Protein Bar and The Early Break coffee. Supplements include Premium Insurance Caps, Tissue Rejuvenator, Enduromega, Mito Caps, LSA Caps, Essential Mg, Endurance BCAA+, Phytomax, Xobaline and REM Caps. When really pushing my training or racing, I add Fully Charged, Perpetuem Solids and Recoverite. I top these off with up to 10 more supplements as needed.
Currently, I run a 5K at marathon pace Monday through Thursday. I try to run/walk a 10K on Fridays and Sundays, but I may just take the days off or run a 5K at marathon pace. I also try to walk/run a 20-miler on Saturdays, although, again, I may choose to drop that to a marathon pace 5K or a day off. I train on a treadmill and the LA River Bicycle Path. I am aiming for maximum speed for the shorter races and endurance for the ultras. My goal is to be competitive in the Senior Olympics well into my 80s and beyond.
In 2017, I was blessed to join Kathrine Switzer’s powerful, global 261 Fearless organization, #261Fearless. 261 Fearless empowers and unites women through the creation of local running clubs, education programs, communication platforms and social running events. We are creating a global community for women runners of all abilities to support, encourage and inspire each other towards a positive sense of self and fearlessness. In 2018, the dream continued, and I was honored and thrilled to become a 261 Fearless Influencer, Coach, Team Leader and Club Director.
In addition to reading, writing and running, I realized that photography was a skill I needed to develop to document the many blessings of nature and fitness that we, who are out there, continually witness and receive. Our stories are wonderful. The photos snap them to life, preserve them and reach others. In 2018, Luis Escobar, #allwedoisrun, graciously spent hours instructing me on the elements of photography, scheduling dazzling photo shoots and enabling me to capture and share these priceless gifts with others. I designed and launched a blog to deliver these wonderful visions, stories and experiences.
My intense love for nature, fitness and books has spanned nearly 70 years. It is only increasing. Now we journey together, and individually, into 2019. I see a great future ahead! Hammer and Quest On!
Patricia Carleen Winiecki
December 22, 2018
http://PatQuests.com
