2018 Ambassadors
Catherine Basu
I’m just a girl who hated gym class as a kid, but grew up to become a personal trainer and start my own fitness company, Fit Armadillo (find me on IG, Facebook, and Twitter as @FitArmadillo), thanks to running and a dad who made the sport seem beyond rad. While I hope to run many more marathons, Mountains 2 Beach will always hold a special place in my heart and I’m truly honored to be an ambassador! M2B was the 2nd marathon I completed and my comeback race. I ran my 1st marathon in 2010 and registered for two marathons between then and December 31, 2016, when I signed up for the 2017 M2B a few days after moving out to SoCal (shout out to my hubby who found the race and convinced me to try the distance one more time). One of those other marathons was my 1st DNF, the other a DNS thanks to a pesky injury that had me think about giving up on the distance to avoid further heartbreak. When I got to the start line of the M2B race in May of 2017, my only goal was to finish and, hopefully, not get injured trying. I reached both of these goals, but also had a 14 minute PR, almost BQ’d and felt AMAZING. This race made me feel like a real runner again and for that, I’ll be forever grateful! I can’t wait to be back and I already tell any and everyone I know to sign up (and Fit Armadillo has clients all over the world) sooo if you haven’t done so yet, don’t wait. It’s really the best race ever. Follow along by finding me, Fit Armadillo (@FitArmadillo), on social media. I’m happy to answer any of your questions.
Brett Copeland
I began distance running in 2011 while on active duty Air Force and have since completed 7 marathons, 30 half marathons, and numerous races at other distances. I set my current marathon full PR at Mountains 2 Beach in 2016 and second best time in 2015. This course is one of my favorites for training and racing in the area. I’m excited to return as an ambassador for the third straight year and will be running the new half marathon course this time around.
Madison Duong
I didn’t start running until I was an adult but once I started I never looked back. I’ve been running for 23 years and ran my first marathon 12 years ago. I’ve since ran 27 marathons, 36 half marathons and a handful of other distance races. I’ve BQ’d 4 times, all at the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon. I’ve ran the Boston Marathon twice, my first time being the 2013 race, the year of the bombings. Needless to say, that race strengthen my resolve as a runner. I am so thrilled to be an ambassador for one of my most favorite races! I ran the inaugural race and have since ran this race 5 times and it just keeps getting better. Come join me this May and discover why this race will always have my heart!
Michelle Garcia
This is my second year running mountains 2 beach & I’m super stoked as this course is both beautiful & well organized! I am a mother runner who loves to push the pace & challenge myself to the next level! I can’t wait to be back to Ventura county with my fellow runners! Peace, Love and Running.
Alyssa Houtby
I am a 20-something wife, toddler mom, career woman, and RUNNER from Visalia, California. I like to say that running is the glue that holds my crazy life together. The Mountains 2 Beach Marathon will always have a special place in my heart. It was my first ever marathon in 2017 and I credit my love of 26.2 to the amazing experience I had there. Not only did I get my BQ, I beat the qualifying standard by more than 20 minutes. I have since run a sub 3-hour marathon and will be training to achieve another big PR this year at M2B. I am thrilled to be a M2B ambassador and hope to inspire others to chase their goals by sharing my own running journey! Training for any race takes dedication and focus, but most importantly it takes heart. I believe that when you run with your heart, your legs will take you the distance! You can find me on Instagram and Strava at @alyssahoutby. I would love to connect with you!
Victor Hurtado
I’m very excited to be returning as a Mountains 2 Beach ambassador for my second year. I had a blast last year and really enjoyed the race. I ran the full marathon last year and this year I will be checking out the half marathon. This is a great race and very fast course and as a bonus it’s also a Boston Qualifier I have lived in the 805 for over 25 years and really enjoy running. I have ran close to 40 half marathons and 8 marathons all over California. I also do a lot of pacing to help other runners reach their goals. Who’s gonna join me and get that BQ or PR?
Ashlee Mayfield
There’s no marathon like the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon. Well, okay, I haven’t run them all, but I have run a lot, and I love this event more than any other. Mountains 2 Beach was my first marathon. I tackled it with little training (which I don’t recommend) and complete naiveté and still came out with a Boston Qualifier. Over the years, I’ve run 3:36, 3:16, 3:19 and 3:10, so if you’re looking for your first or fastest marathon, this is the one. Last year, my 3:10 was a complete shock, it left me wondering, ‘what else can I do here?’ I’m coming back to find out. What are your hopes and dreams this year? I highly recommend including this marathon in your plans. I looking forward to seeing you out there Memorial Day weekend.
Rafael Ojeda
Blessed to be an ambassador for M2B for 2018. This year, after being a legacy runner of the M2B half marathon, I am making the jump up to the full marathon. Mountains 2 Beach Marathon and Half is my favorite race event. The race is billed as one of the nation’s top BQ races every year. Don’t let that stop you from running this race if a BQ is not on your to do list, as this course is a great one to run. A gradual overall downhill course, lots of water stations, and usually awesome running weather will make your race enjoyable. So come join me and the others in running the 2018 M2B marathon and half. You’ll be glad you did.
Stephanie Ormond
“Greetings from Central California! I’m Stephanie! 2018 will find me running my 4th consecutive Mountains 2 Beach Marathon. This was my very first marathon four years ago and my first Boston Qualifying time! The current course holds my fastest marathon time and some of the most amazing memories! If you have any questions about the course, training, or #allthingsrunning Holla
You can follow my training on IG: see_stephanie_run
See you in May! ?”
Katrina Rojas
I started running 5 years ago when I turned 40. I had given myself the goal to run a half marathon at the age of 40 and since then I fell in love with the running community and haven’t looked back! I may never ‘win’ a race, but I call any chance I get to run a WIN! Getting out on there and running makes me feel grateful that I am capable of running, and I will always be proud of putting one foot in front of the other! I am excited to be able to represent as an ambassador for my first try at running M2B! I love the beach and anytime I can run near the coast is my favorite!
Lori Sharp
The Mountains 2 Beach marathon holds a special place in my heart. I’m so lucky to have such a great race in my own backyard. It was the race that gave me 2 Boston Marathon Bib’s and my marathon personal record. I’m so excited to have this race on my schedule and be an ambassador! I’m also very active in the triathlon world, just finishing my first full Iron man last year. I’ve quickly taken my love for distance racing to the hills and have finished a few 50k’s as well. I’m extremely thankful to live in the racing community that I do. My husband and my friends keep me eager to train and race. I always have some race lined up! I love getting to know and work with other athletes in the community. If my red ponytail isn’t seen on the trail or road, you can find me coaching and training runners at The Vent Human Performance Center. This will be my 3rd year participating in the M2B event and it keeps getting better and better each year.
Kathryn Yost
I ran my first marathon in Chicago in 1996 with a finish time of 5:21. I was thrilled to accomplish such a big goal and was hooked. I kept getting faster and closer to the dream of qualifying for Boston. After multiple marathons races, I succeeded in 2016 when I ran Mountains 2 Beach and happily banged the gong! Everything about M2B is awesome, from the course (scenic and net downhill) to how well its organized. It’s the perfect race to qualify for Boston. Since achieving the Boston dream I’m now onto the next challenge, triathlons! I completed my first ½ Ironman last year and will race Wildflower this year. I love to train with others and lead weekly runs with the Marin Running Club in northern California. I’m so excited to run with everyone this May at M2B marathon! If you see me please introduce yourself and I’ll cheer you on to achieve your goal, may it be your first half marathon or to bang the gong! If you live in northern California, please join me on our weekly runs!