Introducing Sara Schwartz

Sara is running legs 2, 14, and 26 for the team.

Sara has been married to her husband Eric for 22 years and has 4 children ages 12-19. With 4 children, she's on the go, shuffling children back and forth to events such as swim meets and basketball tournaments while running a household. Official title: Domestic Engineer. Job Description: everything!

Her hobbies include taking children to sporting events, reading, scripture memory, running, singing on Hillcrest's worship team, traveling, being outside, and weekly date nights with Eric.

Despite saying, "I hate running", Sara has an accomplished running career. She's run 7 marathons including the Boston Marathon twice. At one point in her life, she had surgery and was told she would never run again. It was after that she qualified for Boston. She proved the doctors wrong on that one! She is a consistent runner according to running partner and teammate Michelle. " No matter how tired she says she is, her performance never seems to waiver."

Introducing Kathleen Moschkau

Kathleen is running legs 4, 16, and 28 for the team.

Kathleen has been married 15 years and has two kids. She's a talk radio host and filmmaker. Some of her favorite show guests have been running gurus like Jeff Galloway, Christopher McDougall ("Born to Run"), Bill Pierce ("Run Less, Run Faster") and just this week ultra-running stud, Scott Jurek. Kathleen jokes, "Wait a minute, where are the women runners on this list? Need to fix that." Kathleen digs running, hot yoga and reading. For a more complete bio or "a little mojo from the experts", jump to Kathleen's site at http://www.thekathleenshow.com

Kathleen is doing the MC200 because of Pam Peterson. Kathleen notes, "She's very convincing. Truth be told, I laugh my butt off every time I'm with Pam and decided that 24 hours in a stinky van with her would be a riot."

Kathleen running the Madison Mini-Marathon around 10 mile marker. "I'm smiling so big because I can't believe I'm still upright", muses Kathleen.

Runner Leg Swap

For logistical reasons, Vern and Kathleen are swapping legs. Well, they'll still use their own legs (we're not doing any cool transplant surgery here), but they are switching the relay legs they'll be running. Vern is now running legs 10, 22, and 34 and Kathleen is running 4, 16, and 28. The estimated race times link and the profile for Vern have been updated to reflect this change.

The weather forecast is looking hot for Friday and Saturday. If you're on the CDB team, drink a lot of water. If you're following our progress, have a drink for us!

Introducing Al Bausch

Al is running legs 11, 23, and 35.

Since Al has neglected to send me any information, I'll have to go with the story that I know and whatever sounds nice. So most of this is true, at least in my mind.

Al is bordering on an addiction to marathon running. He recently completed his 26th marathon (just beating the clock at Madison) and finished his 25th marathon before he turned 50. And all this marathon activity has happened in the last 8 years. Before that, he never ran a step. Well, maybe if he was being chased, but nothing on purpose at least.

Al started his running journey with interval training. He ran from mailbox to mailbox as fast as he could. After a while, some friends taught him about pace and challenged him to a race and some longer runs. These are called "gateway races" for the addicted marathon runner. It wasn't long and Al was running marathons. At his current marathon pace, he'll likely complete 3,472 marathons before he dies and he'll probably only take a week off after his last marathon before he enters the pearly gates of heaven.

Al is convinced that this relay will be easy because the total distance is less than a marathon and there are big breaks in between. I hope he's right, but this blog will reveal the truth.

Before you go, check out this video of Al carrying his bride of 25 years across the finish line at his 25th marathon finish - the Wisconsin marathon.

Introducing Justin Marthaler

So I'm the blogger for this adventure. Since I'm in charge of this site, you'd think I'd have gotten this profile done earlier. But I put the team first! Anyway, I'm running legs 9, 21, and 33 for the team.

I am 34 years old and a network administrator for Strand Associates. I'm married to Dana, the luckiest woman in the world. I'd like to say that's because she married me, but Dana has a knack for winning things -- she recently won a trip to the Peoples' Choice Awards in California and won big on Wheel of Fortune several years ago. So I'm the lucky one and I'd say that even if she hadn't won so many things along the years. Our family also includes 3 lovely children ages 3-7. If you care to know more, you can read about us at our blog http://ianhank.blogspot.com

My hobbies are running, biking and snowshoeing, but I give up snowshoeing in the summer - it's hard on the snowshoes. I've been running since I was 15 when a friend convinced it would be fun to be on the cross country team. I ran two years in high school and four years in college at Concordia University Wisconsin, and have continued to run ever since. I've dabbled with bike races and duathalons, but I swim like a rock so triathlons are probably out. But I've pretty much settled into running because it requires the least time and equipment. I still bike but mostly for commuting to work purposes. Sometimes I even wear a costume (see video below). I've run 7 marathons in 7 states with the Boston Marathon being my favorite (my wife would say Honolulu, but she wasn't running!) and the Disney marathon my fastest (3:02:55). My long term goal is to run 50 marathons in 50 states, but unlike my teammate Al who runs a race every other week or so, it may take me until I'm 3,472.

Recently, I've done a bit more trail running and did my first relay last year in an off-road race called Dances with Dirt in Gnaw Bone, Indiana and then did the one in Devil's Lake, WI. I had so much fun with that, I figured I'd give this adventure called the MC200 a try. It will definitely be a new experience and fun to hang out with runners.

Shopping List

What does it take to fuel a 12 person relay team? Well, our fearless leader went shopping and this was his list:

Food

• 70 - bottles water
• 48 bottles of Gatorade (lemon lime, orange, fruit punch)
• Assorted cracker/cookie snack packs
• 2 - Mongo sized bags of peanut M&M's
• 24 - Fiber One bars (oats & chocolate) - (is this a good choice since we're all confined in a van?)
• 4 large bottles V8 Tropic Splash
• 2 lg packages sliced Colby Jack cheese
• 3 pack sliced chicken breast
• 3 pack sliced ham
• 24 pack Dannon yogurt
• 2 jars Skippy creamy peanut butter
• 2 packages of Sliced Bagel Thins (think bagel sandwiches without the big bagels)

Runner Supplies

• 24 - Gels (assorted - Chocolate, Vanilla, Latte, Stawberry Creme)
• 5 - Gu Chomps
• 750 - Ibuprophin 200 mg tablets. (Should be enough!) Gotta love Costco

Introducing Nicole Jackson

Nicole Jackson is a sprint triathlete running legs 5, 17, and 29 for the team. She is 37 years old, married to her best friend and husband, Jax for 12 years and has 4 children ages 4 - 10.

Nicole's hobbies include singing and writing. She feels blessed to be part of the worship and praise team at Hillcrest Bible Church. She loves to write about the ways God works in her life, which she calls her "I Spy God" moments. Nicole says, "God allows me to see Him working in every aspect of my life, whether it be big or small…and it has been such a gift."

4 1/2 years ago, Nicole weighed 230 pounds and was miserable. She says, "I needed to make a change, so I started walking which turned into running which turned into me quickly figuring out that I am NOT a runner. However, it did help me lose 60 pounds and has provided many God-sightings ever since… so I can’t diss it too much."

Nicole at 230lbs ... before she started walking, running, and doing tris. Way to go!

In 2008, she fell in love.. with women's sprint triathlons. She isn't that fond of the run saying, "Granted, with the run last, there isn’t a whole lot to look forward to after the swim and the bike…but I get through it, and am always thankful when it’s OVER!!"

When asked if she would do the MC200 by both Jeff and Michelle, she laughed.

Hard.

But she didn't say no. As she puts it, "But y’know, I would like to attempt a ½ marathon before I die so I thought this might be an interesting run to do first. I just cannot imagine running for several hours straight…and with the MC200, I can get the distance covered with at least SOME rest in between! Yesssss!"

Her goal for the MC2o0 is to not irritate her fellow CBD teammates with her slower pace (Don't worry, we won't be irritated) and not end up on a stretcher. She's confident God will be working overtime during the relay. Nicole says, "I KNOW I’m going to be praying HARD the whole time…but I look forward (apprehensively) to seeing those 'I Spy God' moments unfold!"