….and My Story Runs On….
Why are you limiting yourself? These are the words that struck Ila Brandli one day and turned her into a marathon maniac. She heard these words at 62 years old and hasn’t looked back since. Today, at the amazing age of 70, she has completed 150 marathons/ultras (8 of them are Ultras)! This number keeps changing as I write this blog…I can’t even keep up with her! She’s completed a marathon in each state twice! In February of 2015 she completed 8 marathons on 7 continents in 11 days in a row! (was supposed to be 7 but Antartica was fogged in)
When we started the interview, I asked her about the number of marathons she completed. She said “Hold on, let me look at my spreadsheets. “ She pulls out her iPhone and has 3 different spreadsheets:
- to track her half marathons in different states
- to track her full marathons in different states
- to track her upcoming events.
I love this lady!
I met Ila at a free ChiRunning clinic I had at REI in Tempe several years ago. Then she reappeared at Running For Brews Tempe (I’m the Organizer). I summarized the answers from the interview I had with her about a month ago.
Why did you start running?
First time she started running, she was challenged by her boss around the age of 42. She couldn’t walk a mile without a side ache. She never did any exercise through most of my adult life. Second time around, she did it to look and feel better.
When did you start running?
First time: she was challenged by her boss to do her first half marathon (13.1 miles) in November of 1998. She did two 5ks, a 10K and a 12K before that half so she knew what to expect. Her boss did the half marathon too but she beat him. Her knees starting hurting her and she quit running for awhile. In 2000, she completed multiple 5Ks, 10K and a 1 half marathon. By this time, she had found out about orthotics which helped her knee issue…so no more knee pain.
In 2007 she signed up for Team in Training and did first marathon in Anchorage, AK. She dedicated it to her dad and swore she would never do one again (because it hurt, she was sore, and had injuries including IT band issues).
A friend from Seattle called and wanted to do a marathon with her daughter before she got pregnant. She called Ila because she wanted an “experienced” marathoner. She survived that one at the age of 62.
2013 was turning the point to “craziness”. A lady had a jacket that said Titanium 100 miles and asked Ila: “Why are you limiting yourself?” She looked at her schedule and did 35 marathons that year! She completed several series including 5 in 5 days.
Her problem is that if there is a challenge out there, she’ll take it.
How did ChiRunning help you?
She took the ChiRunning workshop in 2013 with Mark Wallis (he was my mentor when I became an instructor!) and told her she was doing everything wrong. She’s been practicing ever since. ChiRunning keeps her from getting injured and allows her the additional stamina to do what she does.
What are some of your major accomplishments?
She’s completed 100 half marathons (4 more states and she will have completed 2 in every state. This may have changed since the interview..as I said, I can’t keep up!).
She’s completed 152 marathons (I have to keep checking her record on the Marathon Maniac page because this number is literally changing daily!). She completed a marathon in each state twice and 11 out of the country. Her 100th was in Antartica (was supposed to be the Phoenix Marathon). The one in Chili was 98 and Antartica was supposed to be 99. She did a 2nd one in Chili to make it 99 so Antartica was 100 and Phoenix was 101.
In February of 2015, she tackled 8 marathons, on 7 continents in 11 days. (knew she could do this already because she had in the US). But the stress is very different, you are flying overnight, then running, then flying overnight again fly at night, etc.
She completed 8 ultra marathons (an ultra is more than a 26.2 marathon). 212 miles in 4.5 days at Across The Years. ATY was training for the 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days. She had injured her toe in mid December 2 weeks before ATY. She didn’t go to the doctor because she knew they would put her in a boot (I don’t recommend this!) Her goal was 300 miles but she knew she couldn’t do 50 miles a day with the foot injury and didn’t want to jeopardize the 7 continents marathon tour! She “settled” for 212 miles which is her longest to date back to back. She was very proud of this because in 4.5 days she had accomplished 7 marathons within that time with less than desired sleep. She purposely went over 7 hours to prove you can do it and don’t have to be elite athlete to complete marathons and ultras.
What is your favorite race?
The most emotional was the Baton Memorial Death March because of WW Vets and the units running together.
Antartica has to have a special spot because of the trouble getting there and camping overnight….and it’s Antartica!
What are your obstacles?
She’s currently dealing with some shoulder issues due to a fall in May. She has issues with heat and doesn’t perspire. She has to be careful with her feet but doesn’t need the orthotics as much due to ChiRunning and her favorite shoes, Altras. (mine too!)
What’s your advice for anyone wanting to start running?
“Find enjoyment in it! It’s about the accomplishment. You do it because you enjoy it. You don’t need to love it because there is a love/hate relationship with running. There are things you can control and things you can’t and you work on what you can—
How do you plan out your races?
It depends on what her goal is—looks at different websites, will contact race directors to check cutoff times, looks at race results and to make sure there are slower people. She gets excited when she can do two back to back, she tries to double up when she can to save on travel expenses.
What do you think about when you’re running?
Majority of the time she is working on her form and relaxing. She finds a target: could be a time or a person that she wants to shoot for. She is constantly looking at the scenery. When she is doing loops like ATY she uses them as speed intervals. Sometimes she is with people. She loves meeting unique people who have different stories (met youngest gal who did all 7 continents in Antartica. )
What is your nutrition like?
She uses Tailwind but can’t take it full strength. A cold beer at the end is always a good thing! She uses Arnica when flying/driving for swelling.
What do you do in your spare time?
She volunteers for Aravaipa and different races, at the Mesa Art Center, and does taxes for AARP during the tax season. She has raised money for some of her events: she was a Solemate for Girls On The Run when she did ATY and 7 continents. She is heading to St. George and raising money for GOTR again.
What is your next big goal?
By January 2017, she is planning to have completed 40 marathons and 40 half marathons in 2016.
So are you really to old to run and achieve goals? Not according to Ila…or me! I mean I can’t even keep up with her, I just checked her Marathon Maniacs page and as of today (9/22/16) she is at #152!
Here are a few great quotes from AZcentral.com (2014):
She took up running marathons at 62 and recently ran seven full marathons in seven days. Why? “Because I can,” she said with a sly smile, adding, “Sometimes I win the age group because I’m the only one out there.” AZcentral.com
Ironically, this was her original plan when she was interviewed by AZCentral.com on 3/2/2015:
“I plan to run marathons in my 60s, and I won’t be 70 until December,” she said. “I’ll run half marathons in my 70s, 10Ks in my 80s, 5Ks in my 90s and after that, I’ll run in anything they’ll let me into with a walker.”
For some strange reason, I don’t think she’s giving up marathons at 70!
If you’d like to support her: you can make a donation to her fundraising page or come to Running for Brews on Tuesday, 9/27/16 as we host a 50/50 raffle for her.
Found this on her facebook page…”only” 50?? LOL
You will also find Ila dressed in various themes when running. I think Wonder Woman is very appropriate for her!
8 marathons on 7 continents in 11 days (Antartica got fogged in)
We got to hang out while volunteering at Javelina Jundred last year on the night shift!
When she is not out of state running a half or full marathon on Tuesday nights, she is at Running for Brews!
From My Running Story to Yours….
(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)