Dari’s story of running a BQ after having recovered from cancer for the fourth time is deeply inspiring.  Read more about her story here.  Thanks for sharing this with us, Dari, I hope to see you on the roads next time I am on Cape Cod!

Name: Dari (Chilidogbeagle on RA)

Sex:  F

Age (at the time of first BQ): 48

Height: 5’6″

Weight (at the time of first BQ): 129

At which marathon did you get your first BQ? What was your finishing time? Tell us a little about the race.  

Marine Corps Marathon 2011 – 3:54:48.  Registered for this race to cheer my self up and set a goal while completing radiation with my fourth time with late stage III metastatic cancer.  Ran it 8 months later.  Cried for a good portion out of gratitude.  I had also served in the Navy in DC back in the 80’s so the race had special significance on a different level, too.

How long had you been running when you ran your first BQ? Did you run in college or high school?

2 years

What was your approximate lifetime mileage at the time of your first BQ?

3000 miles

How many miles did you run in the year before your first BQ?

Approx 1500 miles

Approximately how many races did you run in that year?  

4 (2 1/2 marathons and a couple 5ks)

Did you follow a canned program? If so, which one? If not, can you give us an idea of what your training philosophy was?  

Shoot for 40-50 miles a week.  Modified Intermediate Higdon Plan

Did you run with a running club or utilize a coach?  

I’m a member of the Cape Cod Athletic Club and weekly hill workouts with them as well as the bulk of my long runs.

Did cross training play a role in your training? If so, how?  

Rode my bike about 40 miles a week and mowed 10 lawns a week

Did speed work play a role or specific workouts play a role in your training? If so, how?

Hill workouts and long runs done on the only hilly stretch here on the Cape helped a lot.

Any other thoughts you would like to share with those of working towards a BQ?

I’m lucky to be here and I know it everyday whether I show it or not.  I think it makes me feel like I have more to prove to myself and sometimes others.