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| Katie Tomlinson (left) and twin sister Kelly at the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon, March 17, 2013 (photo by Jay Tomlinson) |
It was only natural that Katie Tomlinson become a marathon runner. After all, it's been a goal of hers since 7th grade, when she first joined her middle school cross country team. Katie's mom has been a runner for years, so the skill and aptitude for running is definitely in the genes. But Katie's path to tackling one of the holier grails of distance running - 26.2 miles of sheer guts - has been measured, consistent, and emblematic of her greater approach to life. Katie enjoys running for the fun of it, for the camaraderie it provides, and the motivation and inspiration she gains from her fellow runners. An elementary school Spanish teacher by day, Katie seeks to motivate her students with the same passion she shows in her running pursuits, and her love for the sport is demonstrated by the consistent dedication and hard work she puts into it, day in and day out.
After getting off to a running start in middle school, Katie ran for her high school track team in Mount Laurel NJ and for a season at Providence College before transferring to Rutgers University and joining a running club. She later graduated to long distance running, and began training for her first marathon in 2011. She completed the Chicago Marathon that fall with a solid 3:41 debut, followed up by a 3:28 finish in the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC. Katie had sought out a running club when she moved to DC in 2011, and after checking out a few local groups, decided she had found a home with NOVA in 2012. She became Membership Coordinator on the NOVA Board of Directors in 2013. Katie likes NOVA because "It is challenging and encouraging at the same time." Katie also appreciates having a core group of dedicated runners to run with every week, as well as the sage advice of NOVA Coach Jerry Alexander. Katie says that Jerry has always been very supportive and very accessible, and "He has a way of making you feel like the only athlete he's coaching. He has a wealth of knowledge, knows the sport, and knows what it takes to get to the next level."
Although modest and humble herself, Katie's NOVA team members knew they had a champion in their midst, as did Coach Jerry. As Katie began training for her third marathon, the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach, VA, Jerry watched her improve consistently week after week, and knew she was ready for a big PR this spring. Katie proved him right with a stunning 3:01.29 performance at the marathon on March 17, 2013. Jerry states, "That was a huge, HUGE breakthrough for Katie, and it was well-earned. No one at NOVA has worked harder than Katie for the last few months, and she proved once again that in our sport, hard work is rewarded. My hat is off to Katie for a stupendous race!" Katie, ever modest, says "It was a flat course, just a great day. I got lucky." All of us at NOVA would argue that luck has not much to do with such an incredible performance, but rather a lot of effort, dedication, and heart.
After taking some well-deserved time off, Katie's running goals for this year include registering for the 2014 Boston Marathon, racing in the Philadelphia Half Marathon this September, and working towards a new marathon PR (her goal is 2:59.59). Katie feels fortunate to have had the support of her parents and sisters throughout her running career. Her twin sister Kelly is a dental assistant in New Jersey, and older sis Kristin is a nurse in NJ. Katie says she misses Jersey but she loves the DC area too much to go back. The NOVA Running Club is fortunate to have Katie and glad she's decided to stay and serve as a leader and a source of inspiration to all of our runners.
