Ambassadors
Inspiring You Along the Way
2021 MILWAUKEE LAKEFRONT MARATHON AMBASSADORS
The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon Ambassadors are here to inspire you with their stories, share their training journey, enthuse you with their energy and answer questions that you may have. We are excited to have this opportunity to have their support and hope you will benefit from their experiences, too!
Learn how they got into running, their favorite places to run, what advice they would give to their fellow runners and more.
Arun Sarkar
How long have you been running?
9+ years
What got you into running?
Every January 16, I start something new outside my comfort zone and something I don’t want to do. I keep trying that thing for a few weeks. In 2012, I thought of giving running a shot. That January 16, I ran on the lakefront, out of breath, tired, and didn’t enjoy it. I kept on trying. I ran my first half marathon that March after 10 weeks of running. It is hard to explain how happy I was to be able to finish a race. And I’ve never looked back. I’ve run over 75 marathons and ultras in the last nine years.
Where is your favorite place to go for a long run?
For road runs I usually stick to the Milwaukee lakefront and the Oak Leaf Trail. For trail runs, I like the river trail, since it’s in my backyard, but I absolutely love Kettle Moraine and Lapham Peak for some serious training.
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
Start easy. Build a proper base first. During training, keep the easy runs really easy and push the hard ones. And also work on the mental aspect.
What is your running mantra?
Breathe in, breathe out. Be like water and be in a flow. During races, I think of the quotation by Prefontaine, “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice a gift.”
Jenn Collins
How long have you been running?
Almost 11 years.
What got you into running?
I read Ultramarathon Man and started Couch to 5K because my son was a baby at the time, and I wanted to get fit enough to play with him as he grew up.
Where is your favorite place to go for a long run?
The Scuppernong Trails! #LiveLongScuppernong
What is one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
Comparison is the thief of joy. Running is just me versus me. It doesn’t matter who can run faster than I do. All that matters is that I’m training hard AND having fun. Unless you are the fastest person in the world, there will always be someone faster than you.
What is your running mantra?
I don’t really have a single mantra. I do have a lot of positive affirmations that I give myself through any run – it’s what keeps me going.
Jodi & Scott Kasten
How long have you been running?
13 years
What got you into running?
Jodi got started in college and Scott got started to keep up with Jodi once they got engaged. Here’s a hint…she was WAY faster.
Where is your favorite place to go for a long run?
Hands down…the Lakefront.
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
Run your easy miles easy and your hard miles hard.
What is your running mantra?
Finish strong!
Follow Jodi & Scott: INSTAGRAM
Lucia Cronin
How long have you been running?
30+ years
What got you into running?
My older sister was and is my inspiration. She became a runner before I did, and she’s still at it. My amazing marathoner niece, Emily, inspired me to try another marathon in 2016 after a 31 year hiatus.
Where is your favorite place to go for a long run?
Lake Drive – Seeing other runners and enjoying the architecture of the homes, the beautiful gardens in the spring and summer, the smell of fallen leaves in the autumn, and the crunch of snow under my feet in the winter gives a nice cadence to my runs and to life.
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
Get your miles in, every day.
What is your running mantra?
I can do this!
Follow Lucia: INSTAGRAM
Mary Bolich
How long have you been running?
44 years
What got you into running?
I ran cross country and track at Wautoma High School and was a four-year member of both sports at UW-Oshkosh. After college, I continued training and racing and never stopped.
Where is your favorite place to go for a long run?
If I had a choice, I’d run the rolling hills of the quiet, scenic country roads in central Wisconsin. In Milwaukee, I love heading north on the streets from my place in Halyard Park to Lake Drive and coming back on the Oak Leaf Trail.
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
If you want to go extra-hard on hard days and races, go extra-easy on easy days. Rest and recovery are so crucial to healthy running (mind and body).
What’s your running mantra?
When I’m racing and hit a rough patch, I repeat “I feel good. I feel strong” in rhythm with my steps.
Paige Douglass
How long have you been running?
8 years
What got you into running?
I was a tennis player all throughout high school and when I got to college and stopped playing tennis, I wanted to stay active, so I decided to start running. My first race was a marathon, so I jumped right in and have never looked back!
Where is your favorite place to go for a long run?
I love out and back on a bike path (any bike path!) or scenic runs around the world to explore – my favorites have been in Cape Town, SA and Edinburgh, Scotland, where I lived for two years!
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
Let go of the numbers when you’re feeling stressed. And a big one – weighing less does not equate to faster running – you need to fuel your body properly and be STRONG to run the distance. And…you are more than just a runner!
What is your running mantra?
Run happy!
Roy Pirrung
How long have you been running?
41 years
What got you into running?
Removing F.A.T. – making better food choices, drinking alcohol responsibly, and cessation of tobacco. I am now a national champion and record holder, member of USATF’s Masters Hall of Fame and the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame, but remain connected to the local running community through involvement as a race director and volunteer.
I have completed the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon 30 times.
Where is your favorite place to go for a long run?
River Wildlife Preserve in Kohler, WI
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
Explore races in other places as often as you can.
What is your running mantra?
Never give up.
