Global Run Challenge: Jennifer Bayliss is working toward one major goal - to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials

RUN THE WORLD: Jennifer Bayliss discovered running in the third grade.  She says,  "Laura beat me in the 50 yard dash on the sidewalk in P.E .class at school. I did not like that. I really wanted to beat her and all the boys."  In high school and college she still wanted to beat all the Laura's and the boys.  She did until injury took over her collegiate career.   "I did manage to capture All American status, a conference championship title and run at the NCAA's before having to call it quits."  15 years later she returned to running as a master once my kids started driving and she found a little time to lace up her shoes.  How important is running to Jen?  "Running is where I push myself to reach goals, believe in myself, have confidence, trust the plan, feel fit and healthy, connect with people, see beautiful places, have stories to tell, learn how to deal with good and bad stress, and mostly have a blast."  Just recently she ran the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, New York. She clocked 56:59 (which is 6:05 per mile).  She was the 5th American Master woman. She was pleased with her performance as she pursues her ultimate goal.  "My goal is to run an Olympic Trial qualifier for the Marathon. For women, that means at least a time of 2:45. My plan is to race myself into shape with a hybrid of a plan- a little short, long, trail and training and racing distances from the mile to the marathon."  Jennifer is a Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach.   How did you find out about this challenge?   "I heard about the Run The World Challenge from Rosaura Briceno-Tennant and Bertrand Newson and thought- these are my friends, my people-I want to do what they are doing because they are awesome people and runners."

posted Tuesday July 10th