http://
heatherle@SpokaneSchools.org
Heather grew up on Whidbey Island, WA, where she graduated from Oak Harbor High School. After being told she was too short for volleyball or basketball, she spent most of her high school athletic career as a varsity tennis player, and then took up XC running her Senior year where she place 14th in the State 4A Chamipionships.
Heather went on to Gonzaga University where she was the captain of the women's cross country and track team from 1992-1995. She placed 4th at the West Coast Conference Cross Country Championships in 1992 and went on to earn All West Coast Conference honors in cross country from 1992-1995. She specialized in the 10,000 meters in track and went on to break the school record in 1993 with a time of 37:20 (it has since been broken) at Husky Stadium. Heather earned a Bachelors and a Masters of Education degree from Gonzaga University. She is currently a Fitness & Health Teacher at Lewis and Clark High School, and also serves as assistant girls cross country coach and assistant girl's tennis coach.
After college Heather transitioned into the marathon. She ran her first marathon in 1995, went on to run her 2nd marathon at Boston in 1996 and has since completed 34 marathons (several of these races were done in a costume). She has ran over a dozen marathons at sub 3 hour and her marathon P.R. is 2:56.55. She took a two year "break" from running, learned how to swim (back stroke at best) and started competing in triathlons. She finished Ironman Coeur d'Alene in 2006 and 2007. Her personal best for Bloomsday is 45:14 (2002) and 37:18 (10k) at the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Ga. She has an 8k P.R. of 29:10 (Nordstrom Beat The Bridge), and 1:22.26 for the half marathon (Coeur d'Alene 2002), she also holds a USATF Masters Title in the 5,000m
Heather continues to race, and is most grateful to be injury free all these years. Her specialty is the marathon, but loves to race all distances. Heather believes running is empowering for everyone and can make you a stronger person in all areas of your life.
