Maureen Porter

Maureen Porter
Resides in: South Whitehall
Years Running: 15
Bio: I had fractured my ankle back in 2002 while running in the dark before work. I stepped on a tree branch that I didn’t see in the dark and fell. Besides that injury and few other minor injuries I’ve stuck with running throughout it all.

What do you enjoy most about running?
The aspect of running that I enjoy the most is how it relaxes me. Especially when I am able to run in a beautiful place like The Lehigh Parkway. I appreciate the beauty around me while I run and all the stresses of the day disappear.

What is your biggest running accomplishment and why?
My biggest running accomplishment was completing the St. Luke’s Half Marathon this past spring. This is the first time I have been able to increase my mileage without having any injuries stop my progress.

Current running goals?
My current running goal is to be able to increase my speed. I’ve been hovering at about an 8 ½ to 9 min/mile pace and I would like to get that closer to 8 minutes. I seem to have hit a plateau with my improvement. I suspect it’s because I split my free time between running and cycling which doesn’t leave a great deal of time to dedicate solely to running.

What are some things you’ve learned about yourself from running?
One of the things I’ve learned about myself from running is that you can always push yourself a little harder. When I’ve experienced fatigue or discomfort while pushing during a run and I feel like giving up, I encourage myself to hang in there. Each time I do that I feel more confident about myself in general because I didn’t quit.

Best race experience?
The best race experience I’ve had was in the recent St Luke’s Half Marathon. The race was well run but that wasn’t the best part of the race. The support and camaraderie between the runners was just so uplifting. We weren’t competitors, we were striving for the same goal and encouraged each other.