Name: Jan Shirk, a.k.a. "Speed Turtle"
Date of birth: 1-8-57
Place of birth: Staten Island, NY
Current address: Salina, KS
Email address: jan@kwu.edu or billandjan@worldlinc.net
Occupation: Administrative Assistant to University President
Marital status: Married
Children: 3 + 2 = 5
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 143
Personal
Best feature (physical): strength
Worst feature: speed-deficient
Educational background: HR/business
Favorite author: John Grisham
Favorite book: read lots-no favorite
Favorite non-running magazine: "Outside", "Colonial Homes"
Favorite movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Favorite television show: weather channel/Medical shows on Discovery
Favorite music: Rock, but mostly everything except opera
Favorite musical performer: Bruce Springsteen/U2/Barbara Streisand/Celine Dion
Favorite artist: Michaelangelo

Hobbies: working out, reading, watching the news or some ER/trauma show on TV
Collections: Lhasa Apsos!
Make of car you drive: 95 Mustang Convertible
Make of car you would like to drive: LARGE RV to travel with our dogs to ultras
Favorite spectator sport: Football
Favorite game: "let's see how fast I can get to the finish line in one piece"
Favorite vacation destination: anywhere we can find an ultra/trail run sans mosquitos, flies & snakes (OK, that's more fantasy than favorite!)
Favorite time of day: early evening, right after work
Favorite item of clothing you own: running shorts (I realized this when I packed them in my purse and would NOT put in suitcase on plane in case they got lost!)
Most prized possession: wedding ring
Personal philosophy: try to treat others with kindness - be thankful for all I'm blessed with and keep on going...one day at a time; one step at a time
Achievement of which you are most proud: overcoming setbacks in life and becoming a stronger person, acquiring a little wisdom along the way
Favorite subject in school: history
Least-liked subject: math
Least-liked household chore: cleaning ceiling fans
Pets: 4 Lhasa Apso dogs
Pet peeve: unkindness, disrespect and...people who don't turn their blinker off after turning
Favorite nonrunning leisure activity: reading, go to movies or just chilling with Bill and our "herd of fur"
Greatest fear: harm or worse coming to my husband or children
Happiest memory: birth of my daughters/marrying Bill
Secret ambition/fantasy: participate in an Eco Challenge & run trails in Ireland
Personal strengths: my faith, positive attitude and endurance
Personal weaknesses: can be very hard on myself, i.e. my own worst critic, etc.
Running
Years running: about 5
PRs: not fast enough to print yet!
Years running ultras: almost a year
Number of ultras finished: 3
Best ultra performance: Rocky Mountain Trail Marathon (yes, I went farther than 26.2) Best because I finished feeling pretty good-not sick or injured.
Most memorable ultra performance: Lake McMurty 1999 - my first 50K finish
Typical training week: weights 2-3 times week, M-F run 10-12 miles & walk 8-10 miles, Sat & Sun run 12-30 long runs either on one day or both depending how I feel...or go to ultra. Try to bike once/twice week in warm weather and swim once in great while.
Injuries: stone bruise on foot, ITB
Favorite ultra(s): FlatRock
Favorite running shoes: Saucony
Favorite food/drinks during an ultra: lots of water!, choc power gel, fig newtons, ginger snaps, bagels
Favorite handler: NA
Favorite place to run: mountain trails
Favorite type of running surface: trails
Ultrarunning idol(s): too many to list, some are the elite, very fast runners and some are the back of the packers who slog it out for sooo long
Why do you run ultras? it challenges me physically, mentally and re-charges my spirit AND...meeting so many nice people from all over
Short-term goal: Finish Flatrock (get that bell ready, Eric) and my first 50 miler
Long-term goal: Crew for Bill at a 100 and Complete 100 miler myself
Favorite ultra quote(s): "If I can't go faster I'll go longer." Doug Barber

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