Member Spotlight: Ashley Wamsley

Where are you from? What brought you to Missoula?

 I was born and raised in Missoula and I love it here, so I am sure I will never leave!

When did you start running and why?

I began running when I was young and really started to get the competitive feeling once I reached high school.  I ran track with my older brother and my motivation was to always try and beat him, especially in hurdles.  Throughout high school and college, running was a vital part of my life, but after college it kind of slowed down.  I got back into running a few years ago when I decided to run my first half marathon.  The training made me realize just how much I had missed it and I will continue to run because it is a fun social event that I enjoy taking part in. 

Roads, Trails, or both?

I will run both, but I am pretty accident prone so I prefer roads over trails the majority of the time.  I don’t think my body was made for hills, however, I do love the Spartan races! 

What is your favorite local race?

My favorite local race is the Missoula Half Marathon. The atmosphere is amazing the whole weekend and it is so great to see the community come out and support the runners.

Are you currently training for anything?

I like to run as many of the Run Wild races I can and right now I am working towards running the Missoula Marathon which would be my first marathon. 

Do you have a pre-race meal, and/or ritual?

I don’t really have a pre-race meal or ritual.  I tend to have a hard time eating anything before a race, but I do like to have a few Cliff energy chews on hand!

How about a post-race indulgence?  

Definitely having a post-race beer with my favorite running partner, Melissa.   She is the best and makes it fun!

If you could pick one place anywhere in the world to run, where would it be and why?  

I would probably pick Norway, specifically the Midnight Sun Run.  Norway is breathtakingly beautiful and is full of history and culture.  The Midnight Sun Run would give me a glimpse of the ancient history and allow me to experience the summer phenomena of 24 hours of sunlight.  I think it would be an amazing and unforgettable experience!