Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1510511
30 WAC Magazine | wac.net RUNNING RESOURCES AT THE WAC Find your stride with the WAC Running Club! Hosted by WAC Running Coach Yon Yilma, the group meets weekly at 6 am on Wednesdays for complimentary morning runs. Email cascaderunclub@gmail.com to learn more about the WAC Running Club. Plus, learn more about individualized marathon coaching from Yon at wac.net/ run-coach and start training now with Freemotion and Technogym treadmills in fitness areas around the Club. living fit meet the athlete / running resources Q. You didn't start distance running until your mid-40s. How did that come about? A. A friend asked me if I wanted to run the Seattle Marathon together. Growing up, I ran track as a sprinter. During that first marathon, I just wanted to finish in one piece. I ended up catching the runner's bug. I felt like my body needed it. Q. How do you think the Mike Magnussen of 2013 would react if you told him that he would go on to run two dozen marathons? A. He'd have thought you were pulling his leg! Running marathons was never a bucket list item for me. Q. Looking back on that first Seattle Marathon, what were some of the thoughts "running" through your head? A. I was biting the distance off in chunks that my mind could digest. I just told myself to keep going. As you become more accomplished, you pay more attention to splits, strategy, and nutrition. But as a newbie, I was just trying to finish. Q. What was it like to qualify for the Boston Marathon for the first time? A. I felt like I had really accomplished something. Qualifying for Boston for the first time is a special moment. Q. What's your favorite race? A. e London Marathon. I just love the city, the crowds, and the way the organizers put the race together. It's a big English event, so there's a lot of pomp and circumstance. Meet the Athlete Michael "Mike" Magnussen By Joey Carreon Mike Magnussen completed his first marathon at age 45. A decade later, the Redmond native has run 24 marathons, including Boston. His personal best time of 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 40 seconds equates to a 6:35-per-mile pace. When he finishes the Tokyo Marathon this coming March, he'll earn his second Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star medal, given to those who finish the Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City marathons. Mike, a commercial real estate owner and manager, often trains at the WAC and around downtown Seattle. We caught up with him to chat about how he got started and his favorite race. u Mike Magnussen is currently training for his second World Majors Six Star medal, another he hopes to add to his already impressive collection. E M I L I O H U E R TA S ( 2 )