Dana Fenske-Marathon Runner with a Big Goa
Wed, 09/04/2019 - 10:08am
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By Bonnie Kirchman for the Leader-Record
Although Dana Fenske has been running for less than three years, she has already completed 15 marathons. Dana also has an even bigger goal for herself, as she is working toward running a marathon in each of the 50 states.
Dana grew up in Gully and graduated from Clearbrook-Gonvick School. She actually hated running when she started. But in January of 2017, she made the decision to begin running to get in shape. Dana also wanted to set a good example for her kids by being healthy and active.
Dana started out by training for a 10K. Once she hit 6.2 miles, she thought that was pretty easy, so she moved her goal up to a half-marathon. It was only a few weeks after that when she decided to just go all the way and try for a marathon.
“People at the gym would see me running and ask what I was training for, and a marathon just seemed so much cooler than a 10K or a half,” Dana said of her decision to start running marathons.
In May of 2017, less than six months after she started running, Dana ran her first marathon in Fargo, North Dakota.
“I decided at mile 16….NEVER AGAIN!” is how Dana described that experience. But she did go on, many times, even though each race is a challenge.
“That thought goes through my head in almost every race, around mile 16,” Dana continued, “You are so tired at that point and you’ve gone so far, yet you still have 10 miles to go.”
Despite the challenges of the first marathon, it was right after that race that Dana decided to run a marathon in every state. She credits her husband with helping her to come up with the idea. So far, Dana has run in fourteen different states, plus Washington, D.C. The plan to run in every state provides Dana with a goal and keeps her motivated to continue running. An added benefit of her goal is that running races in other states is giving her a good reason to travel and see the country.
Dana regularly runs 5-6 times a week. Most days, she runs around six miles. Once a week she does a longer run of 12-20 miles. In addition to her running schedule, Dana prepares for a race by drinking lots of water and Gatorade in the week before a race. In the last few days before a race, Dana loads up on carbs.
“I tell myself that I didn’t come all this way to quit now,” is how Dana described her thought processes during a race. While running a marathon, Dana keeps herself motivated by reminding herself of all the work that she put into training for the race, as well as the time and money it cost to get there. Listening to music also helps Dana to keep going during her long races.
Dana’s friends and family are very supportive of her desire to run as she continues to challenge herself. Her husband, Wayne, is especially encouraging. Her kids Emma, Ella, Teagen, and Derek are also supportive of Dana’s running goals. Friends and family travel with Dana to different races and cheer her on as she runs. Her aunt, Stacy Halvorson of Gonvick, has run two marathons with Dana, one in Wisconsin and one in New Jersey. And this November, Dana’s 14-year-old son Derek, will do his first marathon in Tucson, Arizona. Besides running with Dana or cheering her on, her family also takes time to see the sights wherever the race is located.
Dana also finds inspiration and support from the other runners she meets during races.
“I’ve met a lot of really awesome people during races. They know exactly how you are feeling because they are feeling it too. Everyone encourages and helps each other get through when they are struggling,” Dana said of her fellow runners.
Up to now, Dana has been focusing on getting in as many races as possible. Now that she has completed races in states within driving distance of her Bemidji home, she is considering a change to this focus. Dana plans to do fewer marathons each year, which might allow her to concentrate more on improving her times during races.
Although running has been part of Dana’s life for a relatively short time, she already has many experiences and memories to share. She summarized her experiences as a runner so far in this way: “When I started out, I couldn’t run a half mile without walking. I’m not a ‘natural runner’, anyone can run. It’s all about putting in the time and not giving up. Realizing that you are going to be tired, your body will hurt, your feet will have blisters, but you just keep going. The feeling you get when you finish is worth it.”