Profile: Kimberly Burnell

Intro
March 15, 2009

Kimberly Burnell is one of those runners who seemed to come out of nowhere and soon could be seen everywhere. She races a lot, is one of the SBAA/Rusty Snow trained team members and perhaps most important for Runners Profile purposes, she seems to love running, particularly in Santa Barbara.

When many of the SBAA training group turned in impressive performances at the Cal International Marathon, Kimberly was high on the list. How many folks do you know who beat their goal marathon time by 10 minutes!!

Read about Kimberly- you will certainly enjoy learning more about someone with a delightful combination of candor, good cheer and a genuine appreciation of life in Santa Barbara.

Name: Kimberly Burnell

Age: 28 (2009)

Nicknames: Kim, K-Monkee, K2, Kim-space, "The Girl in the Green Shorts"

Hometown: Lakewood, Colo.

Employment: A happy "Toad" at Horny Toad Activewear (and a survivor of the newspaper industry)
Family: My "beau," Ricky, is a graphic designer (not to mention my personal chef and housekeeper), and we have a cat named Charlie. My mom (occupational therapist), step-dad (carpenter) and dad (letter carrier) all live in Colorado. My sister Alyssa, 25, is a nutritionist finishing up grad school in North Carolina. She'll be a registered dietician when she's done, and I've been trying to lure her out here. My sister Kristen, 22, is pre-law at college in New Jersey. My sisters are both soccer players and runners, too, and we have our mom to thank for getting us into sports. She was running for fun and fitness back before it was such a popular thing for women to do.

Other sports, hobbies, interests, etc.: Who has time for "other" when you train with Rusty Snow? No really, I kid: soccer, hiking, Pilates, skiing (on the rare occasion I get to go), reading, and just hanging out with Ricky and Charlie.

Most Prized Possession: Charlie. (Ricky said I couldn't consider him a possession.)

Favorite Food: Peanut butter and bananas, and Thai food, but not all together.

Favorite Movie: "Dead Poet's Society" (guilty-pleasure favorite: "Newsies")
Favorite Spectator Sport: Soccer

My friends describe me as: Talkative, motivated

My trademark expression is: Tie between: "I have to pee" and "I have to eat"
If money were not a consideration, I would love to: Live the life I'm living now, but sleep more, travel more and own a house here in town.

In the next 5 years, I hope to: Run faster, get married, buy a home and see my family more.

In the next 10 years, I hope to: Run even faster, know what I want to be when I "grow up," and be happy and healthy.

Personal accomplishments: I get to live and run in beautiful Santa Barbara every day! I also grew a lot thanks to my unexpectedly abbreviated journalism career I had the opportunity to learn from some of the last "great newspaper men" when I was night editor for sports at the Santa Barbara News-Press (back before it imploded and all the talent jumped ship) and then weekend page one editor at the Los Angeles Daily News.

Personal fact that will surprise my friends: I played softball for 10 years, seven of them on year-round competitive teams that traveled for tournaments every weekend from April through August. (I was on Horny Toad's team this past fall; I couldn't catch a fly or hit a ball to save my life.)

Favorite Running Shoes: This seems to change with my crazy feet, but right now it's the Mizuno Nirvana.

Favorite Distance and PR (post collegiate): I haven't figured out my favorite distance yet. PRs: 5K 19:59; 10K 42:29; half-marathon 1:34:50; marathon 3:19:36
Best Race and Why: California International Marathon 2008 3:19:36 I'm not a "marathoner," but this was one of those rare days where I felt great, and the miles just flew by. My goal was to have fun and not get injured; I was only shooting for a 3:30. I did everything Rusty said, and I ended up running the second half faster than the first. It was amazing to feel so strong and powerful and happy all the way through the last mile. I had a blast and was thrilled with my time.

Worst Race and Why: I've had plenty of bad races, but I try not to dwell on them. I like training better than racing anyway.

Average Weekly Mileage (past 12 months): 55-60
Favorite Local Race: Chuck's Beach Run It's free, it's on the beach, and it's totally fun and laid back. Plus there's food and prizes.

Most Memorable Running Experience: The start at Cal International. It was cold and really foggy, and the only sound you could hear was thousands of feet hitting the pavement.

Favorite Place to Run: Anywhere in Santa Barbara, especially going down the bike path along Butterfly Beach past the Biltmore, out at Ellwood Mesa, through Hope Ranch or up along Mountain Drive. Second favorite: through Kensington Garden and Hyde Park in London.

Glory Days PR: I hope my "glory days" are yet to come.

Realistic Running Goals for this Year: mile in 5:32; 5K in 19:58; S.B. Half in 1:34

Wildly Optimistic Running Goals for this year: mile in 5:29; 5K in 19:30; S.B. half in 1:32
Lifetime Running Goals: To be able to run healthy and injury-free.

Local Running Heroes & Why: Maggie Mason because she inspires me to be competitive and believe my best running days can be ahead of me. Jill Zachary because she's incredibly smart and practical about running and life and balancing the two. Jenny Mintz, Jana McKee and all the S.B. Running & Racing moms because they do the same training as me -- but while juggling kids. Steve Harding (apparently called "Pretty Boy" in SBAA circles) because he doesn't care about running for miles or time; he just loves to run and appreciates being able to do it. John Brennand because he's a friend to every runner, and he can still kick my butt and carry on a conversation while doing it. And last, but certainly not least, Rusty Snow because he's an inspirational runner and coach.

Personal Training Tips: Eat breakfast, do what your coach says, and have fun.

Why I Run: To enjoy the view, hang out with my friends, stay healthy and fit -- and so I can eat cookies!

I love runners who: Have to stop for lots of pee breaks and who inspire me to push myself.
I don't care for runners who: I like all runners. It's sort of like a fun nerdy club.

Suggestions for local races: I love running our local races. I'd like to see Roses to la Playa go back to the course that started at the Mission and finished at the beach.
Suggestions for SBAA: You all do a great job! I love the website, and the GP and the banquet. Kudos.

My views on: training with a coached group: It's good to have someone push you to improve and even better to have friends out there struggling and suffering with you.

Favorite Quote: "Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it." (Lucy Maud Montgomery)

SBAA Member since: 2004

By Joe Howell and Gene Deering

Kimberly Burnell's Races