Born and raised in beautiful Carmel, Calif., beside the blue Pacific (that’s why they call it Carmel by the Sea), Michelle Meyer ran track at Carmel High School, but didn’t go out for the track team when she attended Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. Stanford behind her now (she graduated in 2009 with a degree in Human Biology), she’s back to serious competitive running and is compiling some glittering credentials as a long-distance runner, while simultaneously studying to become a doctor! She’s a second-year medical student at UCSF (University of California at San Francisco). A lithe, slender runner (her mother was a ballet dancer), Michelle finished second overall, behind Tina Kefalas, among women in the Pleasanton Double Road Race™ with an aggregate time of 54:42. Both were under the previous world record. Here is how Michelle, who’s 25 years old, 5’7”, 115 pounds, and has personal bests of 17:21 for the 5K, 35:00 for the 10K, 59:26 for 10 miles, 1:16:53 for the half-marathon, and 2:43:57 for the marathon, described her experience in the Pleasanton Double.

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The Double was definitely an exciting and intriguing race – one that I hope to run again this year in Pleasanton. It felt somewhat like running a high school track meet again, except instead of the 1600m and 3200m double, we ran a 10K and 5K. It was really wonderful to have the gymnasium as a staging area before the race and during the recovery break to store our bags, to stretch, and to stay dry out of the wind and the rain. 

When we headed out to the starting line just before the national anthem, I realized I hadn’t looked at the course map closely and didn’t know which way we would turn after the first 75 meters or so – was it right or left? But we were told at the start that we did indeed turn left.  Several minutes later, the race began.

Michelle Meyer is a very talented runner. It was so exciting to have her at our Double in Pleasanton. She was second female...
Bob Anderson 2/23/13 12:14 pm

Our editor David Prokop is on a roll...he writes an article about a runner and right afterwards the person runs well...like Michelle who won the recent Napa Marathon...
Bob Anderson 3/6/13 9:09 am

Michelle has been running well and has signed up for the San Jose Double Road Race August 24th
Bob Anderson 6/25/13 6:51 pm

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My goal was to run about 5:50-5:55 pace for the 10K to reserve some energy for the 5K.  I knew that Tina Kefalas, who’s from the Bay Area but ran for Greece in the 2012 Olympics in London, was significantly faster than me, and I had no intention of actually trying to stay with her, so I settled comfortably into my own pace and just enjoyed the experience of running the Double.  I was competing as part of a team with Verity Breen and Heather Tanner, my fellow Impala teammates, and I was thrilled about representing the Impalas and competing with these two fabulous ladies, so I just hoped to run well enough to help our team do well.

The first mile passed by quickly, while miles two and three were more difficult due to the wind. The third mile was run directly into the wind, and I was briefly reminded of running CIM (the California International Marathon) three weeks earlier, which had 30-50 mph headwind gusts for the majority of the race. Fortunately, since the Double was a loop course, I knew that this meant mile four would feel easier again, unlike running CIM in which we had to endure the relentless headwind for miles and miles. 

Photos: Michelle finishing the 5k leg (top) finishing 10k leg (left)

The 10K felt like a hard-paced effort, but I wasn’t completely drained of energy after finishing in 36:23, which put me in second. In between the 10- and 5K, I spent time talking with fellow racers and friends, then towards the end of the recovery period went for a short 15-minute jog with Verity and her puppy.  My legs actually felt much better than expected – I had been afraid that they would stiffen up, especially in the cold, but after the short jog and a few strides, they felt ready to go for the 5K.

Perhaps the legs felt a little too ready to go! Because after the first mile of the 5K, which felt surprisingly easy, I realized I was running about 5:20 pace -- the same pace as Tina – which I concluded was definitely too fast for me. I intentionally slowed my pace. Turning into the wind in the second mile further encouraged me to slow down.  Due to the headwind, I focused on just enjoying the experience of running this second leg of the race rather than focusing on the mile splits.  After finishing the 5K in a time of 18:19, again second among the women, only behind Tina, I waited at the finish line to cheer on my teammates, then we headed inside the gym to get warm and to help Verity promote her line of clothing, Thirty Birds. I’d worn my Impala top and shorts for the 10K, but for the 5K I changed into bright neon pink Thirty Birds spandex shorts to help Verity with her brand promotion.

I really enjoyed meeting so many wonderful runners at the Double – everyone had such positive attitudes, despite the less-than-optimal weather conditions. As I said earlier, I hope to have the opportunity to run the race again in Pleasanton, and hopefully the weather will be sunny in 2013!

Photo: Top three women at the Pleasanton Double Dec 23, 2012 - Tina Kefalas, Michelle Meyer, Heather Tanner.

Editor’s Note: Michelle not only was able “to help (her) team do well,” but with her leading the way, the Impala team of Michelle, Heather Tanner and Verity Breen convincingly won the women’s team race in the Pleasanton Double Road Race™ -- with Michelle placing second overall, Heather third and Verity seventh in the women’s division.

 David@doubleroadrace.com