I started following the mysterious Running Lonely on twitter last year when we were both training for the 2014 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. His self-deprecating tweets and blog posts intrigued me. Since then, “Running Lonely” has revealed that his name is Marsden, shared a selfie, and introduced us to the adventures of his friend, the solar-powered pig.

When did you begin running and why? I started running in junior high because they made me. However, I kept running because it never ceases to challenge me (which is a polite way of saying running keeps kicking my butt, but I keep running anyway).

What is your weirdest/funniest running moment? Almost all my running moments qualify, but when I dropped my keys at the start of the Houston Symphony 10K the sight of three thousand runners coming at me as I went back and picked up my keys is pretty funny; well it’s funny two decades later. It helps that I was so mortified that I ran away as fast as I could and set a personal best in the 10K that day.

Have you run the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run before? Yes, I ran it in 2014 and I used it as a springboard to my first marathon, first ultra, and by the end of the year, my first 24 hour race.

What is your “why” for running the 2015 the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run? The race is the unofficial start to spring for me and it’s great to go out and run and put winter in the rear view mirror.

What is your goal for the 2015 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run? To knock 5 minutes off my time from last year. I can’t believe I just said that on a blog that people actually read.

Do you have a running mantra? What is it and what does it mean to you? “Please don’t die.” When you get to be my age, you will understand what it means.

If you could use only one word to express what running means to you, what would it be? Complicated.

What is your favorite New Balance running gear? I use the New Balance 624 for cross training, to wear with jeans, and when my boss is out of the office, as dress shoes.

What is a fun/interesting fact you learned about Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals? That for the price of my morning latte, a donation can provide one baby blanket in the NeoNatal and Infant Critical care unit.

Kimberly, @KimberWestrich

Kim has been running off and on for 25 years, but only recently got serious about figuring out how to keep that switch turned on. The secret for her is a broad and supportive running community through Potomac River Running Training Programs, Moms Run This Town, Reston Runners, and followers of her blog, Kim Runs Miles With Smiles. Kim will be coaching the PR Cherry Blossom Training Program at Reston in 2015 and is excited to share her enthusiasm for all things Cherry Blossom, which was her first BIG race in 2014. When she isn’t running, she is tackling the nation’s health care issues in her job as a health care services researcher for a non-profit association.