NOVA Team Profile: Betty Blank

 

 

NOVA Legend Betty Blank
(photo courtesy Betty Blank)

PRs

1 mile 5:26

5k 18:53

8k 30:43

10k 39:26

10 miles 64:50

1/2 marathon 1:24:30

Marathon 3:02:00

52 marathons

32 Triathlons

3 half Ironmen

 

Betty was a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines for 17 years. While she was based in New York, a guy named Bob Girgus came into the crew lounge and said he needed a woman partner to run the Trevira 10 mile twosome race in NYC. Her roommate Patsy said that Betty could do it. Bob Girgus left Betty a note in her mailbox and she called him up and said she would do it. The most Betty had run up to that point was five miles. So she owes her running career to Bob Girgus!  The race was in September, and she only had one month to train for the ten miler. They ran it together in 90 minutes and Bob Girgus said Betty was a natural and should run a marathon. She then trained for two months and ran the 1979 Marine Corps Marathon 4:18:20. She knew then that she was hooked on running.

 

Betty has run 52 marathons. In 1984 she was on the Washington Running Club Women's team at the Boston Marathon and they won 1st place in the Woman’s Team Category. Betty ran 3:04:15. In the 1984 Chicago Marathon Betty ran 3 hours and 2 minutes, 24^th woman overall, 5^th U. S. Woman, third in the Woman’s 30-34 age group.  Betty started doing triathlons and half Ironman’s as well, always placing 1st in her age group.

 

Betty has been a NOVA member for over 25 years. She hardly ever misses a Tuesday night track workout, and has made many good friends through the club. NOVA has kept Betty running fast and strong, as demonstrated over the years by her consistent #1 runner ranking in her five-year age group.  Just turning 60, this #1 ranking should continue in a new age group.

 

Betty has been a Personal Trainer for the last 25 years. Helping clients get fit,

lose weight, and feel better about themselves as a person. She also has coached many of her clients to run 5ks.  Betty loves to race and compete. She loves the challenge of not slowing down even as she ages. She runs 4 times a week and does swimming and biking as well to cross train. She also has been doing Trapeze for the last nine years. Betty will always be racing the big races as well as the local ones, but the main thing is she is having fun!!!