Welcome to a Special Edition of Friday’s Featured Female!

Get to know the New Balance #ReachTheBeach Team – Pumped Up Kicks!

It’s Relay Day!  Team Pumped Up Kicks begins their 200 mile relay journey today at 9am EST.

I’m lucky enough to be running this unique relay race with some great ladies.  Some of these bloggers are friends already, some I’ve admired for a long time and some are new on my radar.  I’m looking forward to getting to know all of these women and I hope you are too!

Pumped Up Kicks – New Balance Reach The Beach 2014 – Van 1:

Runner 1: Jess@RacePaceJess: (25.40 total miles/8.10, 9.30, 8.0):

Image: RacePaceJess.com

Jess starts the relay off and she has the most amount of distance to cover.  I’ve been a fan of this lady from when I lived in New York back when she was “Fit Chick In The City”.  Jess is a jack of many trades – Health Coach, Corporate Wellness Specialist, Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Director, Spinning Instructor, Run Coach and Lululemon Ambassador.  Here’s to a near marathon distance run, girl!

Runner 2: Carrie Repucci@RunGiaRun (18.7 total miles/8.9, 3.5, 6.30)

Carrie is running representing Gia’s blog RunGiaRun.  I don’t know much about her but I’ve heard she’s fast!  Not too many people could also look that good crossing a finish line.  No UglyRacePics for this girl!

Runner 3: Theodora@PreppyRunner (17.5 total miles/3.9, 5.0, 8.6)

I’ve been a long time fan of Theodora and her blog.  She used to write under “Losing Weight In The City” and when I first started reading running and fitness blogs in NYC, her’s was (and still is) a must read.  I’ll never forget seeing Theodora with Tina@CarrotsandCake in front of me at the NY Mini in 2009 or 2010 and feeling like I saw a celebrity.  Yes, I’m a dork.

Theodora writes with honesty about her life and fitness.  Fitness is her life’s work as well.  She works for DailyBurn.

Runner 4: Gia@RunGiaRun:  (15.10 total miles/2.9, 6.5, 5.7)

Gia, another NYC runner, a USATF certified running coach and is a mom of twins.  As if that isn’t enough, Gia is dedicated to helping others find life-work balance.  Gia is also the founder of mamalete.com, showcasing that women that are mothers can be both mom and athlete and inspire others to live healthy and fit lives for themselves and their children.  She is just coming off of a recent surgical procedure…and still committed to running 15 miles.  #Rockstar.

Runner 5: Christine@LoveLifeSurf: (18.8 total miles/5.6, 9.1, 4.1)

Christine and I have been friends for a long, long time.  We were first time parents together in Brooklyn and we found a new friendship through blogging.  I’ve loved watching Christine evolve into the amazing blogger, yoga teacher, runner and mother that she is.  I’m very proud to call this woman my friend!  I’m also hoping she has a yoga sequence set up for us after the race is over!  For more about Christine, see her own special Friday’s Featured Female post right here.

Runner 6: Melissa@FitnessNYC: (17.5 total miles/8.6, 5.8, 3.1)

We have 3 Melissas on our team (good choices, New Balance).  I don’t know Melissa personally but I kind of feel like I do.  I believe that she’s friends with Dori@DorisShinyBlog, one of the first blogs on my “Must Read” blogs.  She’s a Melissa and she lives in NYC.  I’m pretty sure that I’m going to like this girl.

Pumped Up Kicks – New Balance Reach The Beach –  Van 2:

Runner 7: Caitlin@CatePlusAte:  (19.1 total miles/7.3, 9.4, 2.4)

Cait lives in Boston and works in the wine industry!  This 25 year old already has her MBA and through her blog talks about food, fitness, fashion, marketing and eating disorder recovery.  Cait is currently training for her first half marathon.   Considering she’s slated for 19 miles, I think she’s going to kill her first 13.1!

Runner 8: Allie@VitaTrain4Life: (19.7 total miles/6.6, 6.4, 6.7)

Any time I’m given the chance to gush over my friend Allie, I’ll take it.  Not only is Allie an athletic freak of nature but she’s hilarious, heartfelt and is always there to motivate the hell out of anyone who is even remotely interested in fitness.  This mother of twins continues to amaze me with all that she is. Allie has been a Friday’s Featured Female as well.   I’m so excited to having this experience with this fantastic friend of mine!

Runner 9: Marissa@BarefootColorado: (19.0 total miles/ 6.4, 8.5, 4.1)

Marissa runs and she CrossFits.  She’s a lover of all things outdoors (good thing she lives in gorgeous Colorado, right).  Marissa seems very well acquainted with trail running so I hope she can help me out with a thing or two.  Marissa will be my roommate before she’s my teammate so I’ll try to pick up a few tips.  My last relay teammate (Jamie@FitApproach) who ran right before me was definitely good luck so here’s hoping lightning will strike twice.

Runner 10: Me (12.7 total miles/5.1, 3.5, 4.1)

You already know enough about me.  I can say that I’m pretty excited to be running .4 miles less than a half marathon in this relay!

Runner 11: Melissa@SoTheseAreMyThirties: (17.0 total miles/4.8, 8.8, 3.4)

Our third Melissa is a Jersey girl who now lives in Austin, TX.  Melissa just finished running Hood To Coast and has run another relay so we’re in good hands with her in our van.  This lady wasn’t always a runner but now she has a running shoe addiction (don’t we all?).  I love that Melissa loves wine, chocolate and being organized.  I’ll have to make sure not to tell Wild Boy that she’s not a Yankees fan though.  I’m pretty sure she’ll get a pass because she is named Melissa, after all.

Runner 12: Lorraine@RunWifeyRun: (12.4 total miles/3.8, 4.5, 4.1)

I’m so glad to know that there’s someone else on the team who is over 40.  I can’t wait to get to know this former music executive who is now a wife, mother and writer (featured in Fitness Magazine, writes for many national magazines and is on the American Cancer Society Blogger Advisor Council).  This powerhouse just ran her 3rd marathon and has discovered destination running.  Sounds like a smart woman to me.

If you’d like to follow Team Pumped Up Kicks via social media during Reach The Beach, you can do so via by following any of the above people’s social media outlets or following the hashtags: #RTBRelay, #runnovation or @newbalance.