Racine Guarini and was born and raised on a large dairy farm in rural South Dakota. She was the baby of five children so you now understand why she had to learn how to run at a very young age (from her siblings that is)! Racine graduated from high school and moved to Fargo, ND for her undergraduate degree in Exercise Science (GO BISON)! This is the time that she truly fell in love with running. She ran her first 5K, 10K, half marathon and full marathon all within a single calendar year, one could say she was hooked! Now running avidly for about 10 years, she cannot imagine not having it in her life. From Fargo, she then moved to Connecticut where she obtained her Doctorate of Physical Therapy and met her loving husband, Anthony Guarini. Racine and Anthony moved to Pensacola a little over two years ago and they have since fallen in love with the community and their jobs, which led them to settling down and buying a house here in town. Both, Racine and her husband are physical therapists within the Sacred Heart Healthcare Community. Being a therapist and caring for others who are injured and/or ill reminds her on a daily basis the importance of how taking care of herself now will help prevent future injuries and/or medical complications; therefore, she has made it a priority to put her health first. Busy days at work and being on her feet all day often leaves her tired and exhausted by the end of the work day; therefore, she has learned to truly enjoy her mornings! Racine and her good friend Kelley wake up around 4:30 AM and meet each other shortly after to run before they head to work. Starting her day off with a good chit-chat with a friend, getting those endorphins flowing, and a fresh cup of coffee is an ideal morning in her eyes.
Read all about Racine’s passion for running…
Why did you start running?
“I really began running when I was a senior in high school going into my freshman year of college, almost 10 years ago. I started running to find some peace and quiet in the day to just “think” without distractions. It was my time to not worry about studying or work and just simply be alone with myself. This quickly became one of my favorite parts of the day. Running Wild has opened up a totally new avenue for me, group runs! I can honestly say I would now much rather go on a run with a friend or a group rather than solo. It truly is amazing how we change as we age. My purpose for running is no longer to seek that alone time, but rather engage with others and build new friendships with those who share a similar interest.”
What is your favorite thing about training with Running Wild?
“My favorite thing about Running Wild is the constant support they provide and their involvement within the community. Cherie and Paul have given back so much to the community by opening their doors (even at the wee hours of the morning) and helping people of all different ages and fitness levels reach their goals through sharing their vast running knowledge”
What is your greatest (most favorite) athletic/running accomplishment to date and why?
“Running the Boston Marathon in 2015 is definitely on the top of my list of running accomplishments. However, I’d have to say one of my favorite memories/accomplishments would be crossing the finish line of my first marathon. I remember that day like it was yesterday! What I was wearing, the kind of shoes I was running in, and my braided hair. I learned so much about myself while training for this marathon and met some incredible people along the way, one of which was Jane Faber Wolff. Jane and I frequently ran into each other at the NDSU Wellness Center while training. Jane had run numerous races when we met and we instantly bonded as she shared some of her running wisdom with me. She knew I was preparing for my first marathon that Spring, the Fargo Marathon. Her kind soul had a sweet surprise for me as I turned one of the corners on the course to find out her house was along the course and seeing a huge sign saying, “Let’s Go Racine!” Her innate kindness and how she made me feel so special on that day are two things I will cherish and never forget!”
TOP 5 Products from Running Wild to help you achieve success?
“Only FIVE? Okay, in NO particular order…”
1) Obviously, the running shoes! It doesn’t matter what you are looking for or how picky you are, I promise you the staff is patient and educated and will most certainly make sure you leave in the proper shoe.
2) My nutrition products, both Nuun (fruit punch) and Clif Shot Bloks energy chews (tropical punch). I really didn’t realize how important my nutrition was while training for a marathon until last summer during the marathon training program, proper nutrition has been a game changer
3) Endurolytes yes, yes, yes! We live in Florida, that’s all.
4) The sports bras! My favorites are definitely Brooks and Handful. Super comfortable, easy to care for, and supportive!
5) The socks! Injinji and Feetures! I struggled a TON with blisters this summer. I quickly learned the importance of running in the correct socks to help prevent moisture build-up and friction. Changing from my normal everyday socks to these two changed my life and helped me get rid of my painful heel blisters.
What is your next athletic goal and how do you plan to reach it?
“My husband and I got married last summer and didn’t have the opportunity to go on a honeymoon, so we decided to take a trip to central Florida this Fall and form it into a little honeymoon centered around a race and of course Disney World! I am currently preparing for the Great Floridian Triathlon where I will be completing two-thirds of a full Ironman (92.6 miles) and my husband will be completing the full Ironman distance. I plan to reach this goal by taking this training one day and staying positive, even on days when it is hard. I frequently remind myself that the mind will give up a thousand times before the body will!”
This Speedy Cheetah is always using her tail to balance her busy schedule and we admire her for that! Remember, you can’t spell Racine without r-a-c-e!
“We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.” – Jesse Owens –
