Rose Austin, 62
Retired

I've been running for...

8 years.

I started running because...

I enjoy it.  I have run and worked out my entire life, off and on. When I met Glenn Greenberg I joined the Rockford Road Runners and started racing and running marathons.

If I could no longer run I...

Guess I would have to walk.  If I couldn't walk, I would find another method of exercise.

My favorite run is...

Around the lake in Cherry Valley.  If I'm running distance, I love to run out in Poplar Grove.  Too bad there are no beaches to run here.

My favorite thing to do after a hard workout is...

To stretch.  I'm not real crazy about the charlie horses.  Once I have them out of the way, I sit down and have a banana or an orange and a glass of water.

I like to run with...

Glenn Greenberg.  He keeps me motivated.

An obstacle or challenge I've overcome with my running is...

Going legally blind.  When I started running I had full vision.  Within 2 months they diagnosed me legally blind.  But being blind hasn't stopped me.

When I'm not running I like to...

Spend time with family and friends. I also like to fish, play golf and travel.

I am inspired by...

The people I run with.  When I was running a 10K in New Zealand, January 1st, 2000, the lady I was running next to said she was going to walk so I asked her if anyone was in front of me. She said yes, so I ran up to them. I asked again if anyone was in front, they spoke no English. I just continued running until I ran into more runners and they helped me finish the race.  Runners are good people.

The local runner I most admire is...

Glenn Greenberg,  He is like the energizer bunny.  He keeps going and going and going.

To push myself on a run I...

Tell myself..."I have to finish, I have to finish."

My greatest running accomplishment was when I...

Finished running in Australia.  Australia made continent #7.

My next goal is...

To run in New York.

My advice to oher runners is...

You don't have to win to be a winner!

I plan to run until...

I can physically run NO MORE!

Reference letter from Glenn Greenberg:

Rose has been running for eight years.  She started running when she had 20/20 vision. Without warning her optic nerves detached from her eyes leaving her legally blind with no medical correction available.  She didn't let her being blind stop her from running and joining the Rockford Road Runners. She has competed in races since 1999.  She isn't fast but finishes all races she enters, including running the half marathon on all 7 continents (China Wall, Australia- Gold Coast, Europe-Germany, Africa-Kenya, Chile, Antarctica and North America-Nashville, Tennessee).  She has run a few full marathons and several other races throughout the world.  She has run several races during this year within Rockford Road Runners and received many awards, including Rockford Road Runners age circuit award five times since year 2000.  When her partner, Glenn Greenberg doesn't run with her, she always finds a partner to run with.  Rose also is the first legally blind women to have run the half marathon on all seven continents.  She finished seven circuit races last year including The State Street Mile with a broken foot.  She has volunteered for and helped at many races.  Rose is good motivation for members of Rockford Road Runners.