Meredith was born and raised in Pensacola, so she has been here her whole life. Her parents are from Pensacola as well. She is number four of five children: two older brothers, an older sister and a younger brother. Growing up as a family of seven, they mostly took camping trips and went hiking in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama for family trips. Being outdoors so much is how she developed her love for running. Meredith attended Catholic High and went onto Pensacola State College after that. She has worked at Kubicki Draper law firm for the last five years. Started out as office support, and has recently become a legal assistant there. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, including her three nephews and niece, with two more nieces or nephews on the way. In her free time, Meredith enjoys baking. She started making novelty and character cakes for family and friends over the last few years with the hope of starting a business of selling them one day.
Meredith has been a runner on and off for most of her life. She ran in elementary and middle school and participated in track and field for a few years, but was never able to fully participate due to asthma. Over the last few years, she has grown out of her asthma and started running again in May of 2015. Her boyfriend of 4 years, Joe, started running with her in June of 2015, encouraging her and even started running with her since then. They have been each other’s number one supporters from the get-go. Pushing one another and helping one another set new goals. He’s a faster runner than she is, but that just means she always has someone cheering her on at the finish lines. “Couldn’t do it without him!”
Read all about Meredith’s love for running..
Why did you start running?
“I started running again because I wanted to start living a healthier life and find a way to destress. I needed something different other than just trying to go to the gym every so often, and running was the most familiar. I hadn’t run since I was about fourteen, so when I started running again, I began having a lot of pain in my shins. I was running in a pair of cheap tennis shoes that were a size and a half too small. So, I went to Running Wild to get fitted for a proper pair of shoes in July 2015. My love affair with running took off from there.”
How has Running Wild helped you reach your goals?
“How has Running Wild NOT helped me reach my goals? Every goal that I have wanted to achieve, the Running Wild community has helped me every step of the way. Beginning with the My First 5k Class in 2015, the Running Wild coaches, staff and community there were nothing but encouraging from the start. I went to the 15k distance after 5k and completed the Double Bridge Run in 2016. Then, I went onto tackle the half marathon in 2016 at the Pensacola Marathon. From there, I went to do the marathon distance. I trained for all of these distances with Running Wild. I remember going to Running Wild one Saturday morning to run with My First 5k Class in 2015, and there was a route for seven miles on the board for the half marathon class. I thought to myself, “Oh man! That’s so far! I don’t think I’d ever want to run that far.” Now, as some of the runners there say, “I drank the kool-aid,” and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon. “
What was your favorite thing about training with Running Wild?
“My favorite thing about training with Running Wild has been the amazing running community I’ve found and the lasting friendships I’ve made. Before going to Running Wild, I was a solo runner. I didn’t want to run with others because I was worried about finding someone to run my exact pace. I never knew that I was missing out on when I ran alone. Now, I love running and having fun with friends rather than having the perfect pace and going at it alone.”
What is your greatest (most favorite) athletic/running accomplishment to date and why?
“My greatest running accomplishment was back in November 2017 when I completed my first marathon at the Pensacola Marathon. I joined the w Running Wild Marathon Training Program, and I had the best experience training with them. Because of their dedication to the runners, I was able to accomplish my goal of finishing the race at a 4:45:00 finish time. I never thought I’d be a long distance runner, but now I look forward to running the longer miles.”
TOP 5 Products from Running Wild to help you achieve success?
1) Running Shoes! I’ve been wearing Sauconys for the last two years and I love them! They’re the best fit for me.
2) SOCKS! The Injinji toe socks have a LIFE SAVER for my feet with regards to blisters. I don’t think I’ll ever wear any other socks again… yes, they’re that good!
3) Shorts – Oiselle running shorts are my favorite- the flyout style & light weight material are great for warmer Florida weather.
4) Body Glide. No matter the distance or time of the year, I always put on body glide before every run. Without it, I chafe, and that is never a fun feeling.
5) Nutrition. Endurolytes, chews, gels, bars, and Nuun all help me fuel my long runs before, during, and after. My favorite brand is Honey Stinger.
What is your next athletic goal and how do you plan to reach it?
“My ultimate goal is to run a marathon all of the 50 states and DC. I have two states under my belt so far. Joe and I were just selected to run the Marine Corps Marathon in late October in Washington DC. I plan to recruit help from the Running Wild community to help me out, especially on the Saturday long runs. Running 16-20 miles alone is never a fun feat.”
