FEATURE FRIDAY--CBS 5 News Anchor Catherine Anaya

 Hello everyone! Besides myself, there are so many other runners with unique stories that can help inspire or entertain everyone.

So I thought I'd take the spotlight off myself and use one Friday out of every month to feature a different runner and get some insight into what makes them tick! 

Let's meet my first ever Friday Feature victim... Phoenix's own
CBS 5 News Anchor and 3-time Boston Marathoner Catherine Anaya!




Q. So a little background info. Where are you from and how long have you been with KPHO, CBS 5 News?

A. I'm from Orange County, California...I've been at KPHO for.... 10 oh.. gosh 11 years this month!!

Q. How long have you been running competitively?

A. About 7 years.

Q. You've ran Boston three times...what was your best time/PR in Boston?

A  .3:29:58. 
                                               Q. Any other memorable races or memorable PRs?

A.  3:26:37 for a Full Marathon at the 2007 PF Chang's AZ Rock N Roll.
It was 26 degrees at the start and I was really nervous about it because of the cold! This is the only other place I've ever trained and it ended up beginning just the greatest run.. of course I couldn't feel my legs (laughs)

   My best half-marathon was 1:38:10 at the Runner's Den-Fiesta Bowl back in 2009.
That was huge for me...it was my best year
 because I really started incorporating some interval training into it. and going on a track and working on my speed work. I've never really done that before and so I think that half pr was a result of that... because in a month and a half I shaved off 15 minutes!

Q. During your training for Boston, what did a typical training day/week look like?

A.  I'm pretty old school.  I actually use the Scottsdale running group website.  This is when I was first starting out and I had really never run more than 5 miles when I first started running.
    I followed their intermediate guide for marathon training, which is 16-weeks long.  You basically do M 4-6 miles, Tue-6-8miles,  W-4-6miles. Thur-6-8miles, I'd take Friday off..and my long runs on Saturday. Sunday they always suggest you do something other than running but something cardio wise... so I'd do spinning because that was my prior obsession.
   That was the training schedule I've always followed and even though you could arguably say I'm no longer intermediate with three marathons in Boston, I still always considered myself intermediate and would follow that one. And I never deviated from it.

Q. What kind of diet did you follow while training?

A. Lots of fish... lots of salmon, almonds, lots of greens.  I didn't drink a lot of alcohol. At my peak performance I'd stopped drinking for about 5 months.
    Also, protein shakes because I always weight train twice a week with my trainer because I believe muscle strength needs to come from weights as well.  You can't just run, or else, for a woman anyway... you can become "skinny fat".
    If I was coming up on a race though, I'd alternate b/c I didn't want to do heavy weights the day before. I also like to throw in some "hot yoga" once a week.  Just to increase my flexibility.  And definitely use your foam roller.

Q. Any favorite running gear?

A. My Asics racing flats. Give me the shoe that weighs the least and those are the ones I'll love the most. Actually I started out wearing the MEN's racing flat. And it's just always worked wonders for me. I can't do a heavy shoe...I prefer 6oz or less.

Q. Do you have any guilty pleasures

A. Chocolate!!

Q. What about your *worst* race?

A. I'd say that 2012 was a year of major injuries which is why I'm not running competitively right now. I think I did that to myself b/c even when I wasn't training, I was still running 6 miles a day, almost 7 days a week. I was in training mode non-stop. I never gave myself a break and I think my body just finally said "7 years of this? I'm tired."
                                                                                    
                                                                         Q. What are you doing right now?

A. I'm teaching spin at RPM Spin which is just opening up in North Scottsdale at the Grayhawk Plaza.  (info here).  It's a different kind of spin then you typically find at the gym b/c you're off the saddle and it's really intensive.  Which I LOVED prior to running. And I love teaching.
My mind is still a runners mind, and I get out there and I know I can do what I was doing...
but my body is not... there yet so this is a nice alternative until my injuries fully heal. 
  It's been a real struggle for me to find something that still gives me that "runner's high" that's not running... and spinning is the only thing that does. 

  So now the studio is opening up and it's the way I used to spin and I'm so excited about it.  I'm hoping to get my legs re-trained and get some of that power back.. and some of that confidence back so I can start running competitively again.  I just need to give my body something else to enjoy for a little while. 

Q. Would you say there are some things women have challenges with while running that men do not?

A. I think that men are built for a longer stride.  I feel like it takes me twice as long to get from A to B.   But part of that I think is from just being small.  I think smaller people can still have  an advantage though over the taller runners! 


I also asked Catherine for any advice she has for you runners... check out the VIDEO to see what she had to say!

Thanks for reading and I plan on featuring other athletes on my blog one Friday of every month so be sure to check back!  If you'd like to follow Catherine Anaya check out the links below!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CatherineAnaya

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/catherine.anayanewsanchor

Let me know what you think of my first ever Friday Feature by commenting below! 

Happy Running!