I did not start running long distance until I was 36. I always ran sprints, relays and short distances in high school as part of the track & field team, but nothing much more. Not until I had three children and was living in Switzerland. My husband started preparing for a marathon and I figured I should do some activity to keep up with him and stay fit. I bought a jogger stroller and ran around a Swiss mountain lake with my baby son. At first I just ran with my son each morning to get some sunshine. Then I started running for fun, and soon thereafter I started running road races (5K, 10K and Half marathons). I ran my first 5K in 2007. I still have the shirt, I was the ninth woman over the finish line. I realized that I could be “ok” at this thing called running.
I was raised in The Netherlands, US and Switzerland, born in California to Dutch nomading parents. My superpowers besides running are speaking Dutch and German fluently!
Ineke Garbacz
