14-year-old ultra marathon runner makes history
Florida has a new superstar. On December 28, 14-year-old Cadence Garza became the youngest runner ever to finish the Round the Bay Ultramarathon.
The 36.8-mile Northwest Florida Track Club (NWFTC) race starts on Okaloosa Island and courses its way through Destin, Bluewater Bay, Shalimar and Fort Walton Beach, before coming to an end at Okaloosa Island. In rainy conditions, Garza completed the course in just under eight hours. Further up the field, the winner Nikolai Rhodes clocked four hours 18 minutes.
The event organiser, Dennis Samac, said he was initially doubtful about letting someone so young take part, in an intense ‘wear and tear’ race that taxes the body. However, his concerns were allayed by the young runner’s father, who followed behind on a bike and provided full support enroute.
Commenting on her training, Garza said that she had built up mileage at jogging pace, running two or three miles in the mornings or sometimes running long distances of up to 15 miles. This had given her self-belief in endurance, and the motivation to keep going while having fun along the way.
She has now taken part in all kinds of running events, from races with her school track team through to 5K and half marathon level, and now has her sights set on qualification for the Boston Marathon and US National Team when she turns 18.
If you feel inspired by her story, reach out to expert marathon coach Maximum Mileage Coaching today for further ultra training tips.
