Our 2017 1st Place Duo
Today we are highlighting our First Place Finishers Kirsty Legg and Stewart Harwell! They are twinning not only because of their wins but also because they share the same birthday. Who knew?!
Our Q & A With Kirsty
You won the Manhattan Beach 10k last year and this summer came in 1st for the Village Runner 4th of July 5k and the Manhattan Mile. What do you attribute your success to?
Being competitive and not overthinking it. In college I used to think about running too much and when things weren’t quite going as I wanted in a race, I would freak out. Now I don’t have time to spend time thinking about races, now I turn up, the gun goes off and whatever happens, happens.
I actually trained for the MB10k - my goal was to get back in shape for this race after giving birth to my son, Oliver in February. But, for the 4th of July 5k and the Manhattan Mile I had done very little training. The Mile is a distance I am very familiar with, that was my event in college and post collegiately, so I knew I’d be able to finish fairly high. But the 4th of July 5k, was a total shock.
How did your first year as Head Coach of the Marymount University Cross Country and Track and Field Teams go?
I endured a steep learning curve and definitely found myself overwhelmed in the beginning, but once I’d been with the team for a couple of months I really found my groove. My Track and Field athletes racked up 60+ PR’s from February - April. Marymount is such a great place to be and a wonderful community to be a part of. My student athletes are amazing and my first season as a Mariner will be a tough one to beat.
Congratulations on getting married this summer! Do you and your husband share coaching strategies? (Husband Brian Shapiro coaches at PV High School)
I’d like to say we don’t talk running at home, but that would be a big fat lie. Running and coaching are such a huge, huge part of our lives that we are constantly talking about it; whether it’s our own personal running goals, discussing what workouts we are going to administer or talking racing strategies. There are times when we don’t agree with one another's workouts / strategies, but that’s why it works. If we constantly agreed with each others coaching that would be no fun!
How did you first get into running?
I didn’t start running until my Sophomore year of High School. I really didn’t enjoy running, but my PE teacher watched me run one day and made me try out for the Cross Country team. I was super competitive and Cross Country was the only thing I was good at. Once I actually started to train and see improvement, I was hooked.
How many MB10ks have you participated in?
Last October was my first MB10k, but I definitely see myself returning every year from now on.
What do you most love about the MB10k?
The amazing sense of community.
Our Q & A With Stewart
You won the MB10k last year and have had a string of strong finishes in many South Bay races. What do you attribute your success to?
Staying healthy is a big part of running well. Healthy, plus running consistently. Last year I was building up for a marathon in December so the MB10k fit perfectly into my training plan.
You are a member of the Club Ed running team. How did you become involved with this group?
I learned about Club Ed when I moved to the South Bay in 2014. I found it online and went out to a practice and met a few of the runners. It was great to find local runners to team up with in long runs or track workouts. Club Ed is open to runners of all ability levels. I’ve met some great people through the club.
How did you first get into running?
I got into running in high school thinking it would be a great way to get in shape for soccer. I had a great coach that was pretty inspiring and motivated me to shift my focus to running. I remember my first “long run” around the neighborhood. My mom drove the route in her car while I was running measuring the distance. When I got home I learned the route was 5.2 miles. That seemed like the longest run ever.
Tell us about your running career at U.C. Santa Barbara.
I ran track and cross country at UCSB from 2002-2007. During cross country the common race distance was 8k, and in track my favorite event was the 1,500 meters. Running in college was a great experience, figuring out how to balance a full time school workload with a competitive intercollegiate season. I was one of the few in my engineering graduate class who also competed in sports too. The highlight of my career would have to be scoring at conference in the 1500 m final.
2017 was your first Mb10k, did it live up to your expectations?
Yeah, this was my first year and I had a great time. I’ve wanted to run it the last few years but the timing never worked out.
We Love A Good Story
Do you have an inspirational story about your MB10k race? Did you receive one of our scholarships? Perhaps an intriguing tale about how you got involved in running? Or even something that would blow people's minds (in a good way, of course!) We want to hear from you! To share, send 1-3 paragraphs along with a high-resolution image of yourself to info@mb10k.com. Your story may be featured in our email newsletter or on our social media platforms!
Don't Miss Out On Our Best Registration Deal
Early Registration is going on now through September 24, 2018. Prices will increase on September 25.
PRICING TODAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER 24 AT 11:59 P.M.:
- $30 Youth (14 & under)
- $35 Adults
Register Today
Online registration is available at www.mb10k.com and ends October 1, 2018 at 11:59 p.m.
In-store registration is now open at Village Runner, Manhattan Beach and ends October 5, 2018.
THE MB10K IS A NON-PROFIT EVENT AND THE PROCEEDS ARE DONATED TO COMMUNITY FITNESS-RELATED CAUSES AND SCHOLARSHIPS. THE RACE COMMITTEE ORGANIZERS AND RACE STAFF ARE VOLUNTEERS.
Come celebrate the 41st running of the MB10k and run or walk - October 6, 2018 at 7:30am!
We'll see you at the starting line!
Image Credit: Easy Reader News