Mambwe is originally from Zambia and Christian is from Germany. They met almost six years ago when Christian was assigned to the area as a helicopter pilot in the German military. After two years of long distance, Christian moved to Pensacola and they just recently got married! We are so HAPPY for them! They both work full-time and usually run with the RW 6@6 group on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The two also run with RW for long run Saturdays. On Monday nights they train with the PRA group and Coach Caleb Carmichael at UWF. Running has become such an integral part their of lives.
“We absolutely love the running community!”
Q&A:
Why did you start running?
M: I have always played various sports, but in high school, my running was limited to 100m and 200m events (the shorter the better!). In 2011, one of my friends asked me to train for a half marathon with her and that’s what got it all started. My friend and I both trained for our first marathon the following year and we were completely clueless about running! It was the most challenging thing I had ever done and I overcome with emotion as I crossed the finish line.
C: I have always played soccer and tennis, and ran occasionally during my years in the military; but it wasn’t until I met Mambwe that I got into long distance running. I was inspired by her marathon, and I knew I had to train for one as well. We ran our first marathon together in 2016, followed by New York City Marathon that same year.
How has Running Wild helped you reach your goals?
Running Wild has been instrumental in achieving our running goals. We have learned so much from Paul Epstein and the other coaches and pacers at Running wild. We have also participated in the half marathon and marathon training groups, and the knowledge gained and friendships made are truly invaluable.
What was your favorite thing about training with Running Wild?
The friendships we have made and knowledge gained. Paul and the rest of the RW team are such a wealth of knowledge.
What is your greatest (most favorite) athletic/running accomplishment to date and why?
C: Running the Pensacola Marathon one week after the NYC Marathon. For the record, Christian does not recommend this, but he was curious about what his body was capable of and ended up succeeding. It was a great accomplishment.
M: Running the New York City Marathon was such an incredible experience. The finish line chute in Central Park is lined with flags from all over the world and it was an amazing experience to be surrounded by people from all across the world who were bound together by the joy of running.
Top 5 most important products from Running Wild to help you achieve success?
- Injinji socks
- Trigger Point Kit
- Huma gel
- Altra One shoes
- Hammer electrolytes
What is your next athletic goal and how do you plan to reach it?
We would both like to qualify for the Boston Marathon. We plan to train with the RW groups and participate in a qualifying race in the near future.
