My...

...favourite Brooks shoe:
Burn

The Personal Bit

Favourite colour: Pink
Favourite music: Country
Favourite cartoon: PhD Comics: www.phdcomics.com
What you wanted to be when you were growing up: Journalist Funniest thing you’ve ever done: High school prank involving four live chickens running around the courtyard (my Mom even helped!)
Hobbies: Travelling, Running, Writing, Genealogy
What would you have done if you hadn’t been so good at running: Kayaking
Favourite quote: “Adventure is the best souvenir.”
Living with Scoliosis: “I have not always been an athlete. I was born with scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine, and I wore a ‘Milwaukee’ brace that covered my entire for nine years, from age 7 to 16. That was a tough time for me as I couldn’t really be very active because the brace pinched my skin if I moved too quickly. The brace also plastic and so I was often a bit overheated. By 16, the curve had become much worse — my backbone was shaped like a giant letter ‘S’ in x-rays. I was lucky to have a surgery which fused two steel rods to my spine. It took me five years to build up my fitness, but I ran my first marathon one week after graduating from the University of Richmond in 1997. I am always energised by people who have overcome great barriers in order to be able to participate in sports.”
Education: BSc, University of Richmond; MBA, Norwegian School of Economics & Business Administration; PhD, Cranfield School of Management

Siri Terjesen

Name: Siri Terjesen
D.O.B: 29 June 1975
Club/County/Country: 100 Marathon Club, UK; River City Runners, Brisbane; Summit AC, USA  
Occupation: Assistant Professor, Neeley School of Business, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX; Brisbane Graduate School of Business, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; Max Planck Institute of Economics, Jena, Germany; London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
Personal Profile: American-born Siri Terjesen has run over 95 marathons and ultramarathons, including 35 victories in Australia, Belgium, Korea, Norway, Switzerland, the UK and the US. She won the Bronze medal at the 2006 World 50K Trophy Championships in Winschoten, Netherlands. Her national titles include 100 km (UK), 50 km (Australia, England) and 40 mile (Wales) distances.  She has captained English and Australian ultradistance teams, served as President of three running clubs and contributes a regular column in Ultrarunning magazine.  When she is not running, Siri enjoys researching and teaching about entrepreneurship, strategic and international management at universities in the US, Australia and Europe. According to Siri, “Ultrarunning and my entrepreneurship research and teaching are complementary joys in my life pursuit of new challenges in pioneering arenas, international opportunities, and the company of bright, energetic and fun people.” She is currently researching top athletes’ successful and unsuccessful transitions to entrepreneurial careers.
Ambitions/Future aspirations: “I would love to get back on the podium in a major World championships.”

Best Race: “May 2003, AAA of England National 50K Championships, Sutton Park, Birmingham: At the start line, I met Isobel Partridge and we became ‘fast’ friends during the race, in step and in full conversation the whole way.  After three hours and fifty minutes and with the finish line just a few meters away, we held hands and came through together.  I think this may have been one of the only ‘tie’ finishes in a national championship. Isobel and I are still the best of friends-- I was her maid of honour.”

Worst Race: “I really haven’t ever experienced a bad feeling after a race.  I think that’s because my ultimate goal is just to finish, and enjoy the atmosphere, rather than dwell on my time, place or age-graded performance.  Actually, most ultrarunners are nonchalant when it comes to competition—we just focus on having a great day out, and always seem to be smiling in race photos!”

Personal best performances:

  • Marathon: 2:57:31
  • 50 km: 3:35:19 (fastest time for American woman in 2006)
  • 100 km: 8:22:09 (fastest time for an American woman in 2003)
  • Selected Championship/Competitive Achievements:

2007

  • 1st place, Cowtown Marathon, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
  • Tie 1st place, Walhalla Wound-Up 50K, Walhalla, Victoria, Australia
  • 1st place, Bukhansan 50K, South Korea
  • 1st place, Extremeworkout Verbier 60K, Switzerland
  • 1st place, Run From the Ducks 8 Hour, Mineral Wells, Texas, USA
  • 1st place, Towpath Marathon, Akron, Ohio, USA

2006

  • Bronze, World 50K Championships, Winschoten, Holland
  • AA (Australian Athletics) Champion, National 50K, Canberra, ACT
  • 1st place team, Australian Marathon Championships, Gold Coast, QLD (member, Queensland Athletics team)
  • 1st place ladies team, Mooloolaba Triathlon, QLD
  • 1st place, Brisbane Marathon, QLD
  • 1st place (overall), Caboolture 50K, QLD
  • 1st place (overall), Caboolture 6 Hours, QLD
  • 1st place, Tamborine Trek (62K), QLD; new course record
  • 1st place, Mt. Mee 50K, QLD
  • 1st place, Glasshouse 50K, QLD

2005

  • 1st place, Kurrawa to Duranbah 50K, Gold Coast, QLD; new course record
  • Organised Goodenough College Marathon to benefit tsunami survivors
  • Organised Cranfield University Marathon to benefit Cranfield Trust
  • Completed PhD studies and re-ignited active training!

 2004

  • Member, Team USA, 100K World Championships, Winschoten, Netherlands; 25th overall
  • AAA Champion, National 50K, Boddington, England
  • Member, England Team, Anglo-Celtic Plate, Cardiff, Wales
  • Welsh Ultra Champion, Barry 40, Barry, Wales
  • 9th place, IAU 50K European Championships, Palermo, Sicily
  • 1st place, Calvia Marathon, Mallorca, Spain

 2003

  • AAA Champion, 50 km, Sutton Coldfield, England
  • UK Champion, 100 km, Edinburgh, Scotland
  • IAU World 100 km Championships, Taiwan– 18th; 1st place Open Race
  • Member, England team, 1st place, Anglo Celtic Plate, UK
  • Named ‘British Ultrarunner of the Year’ by Ultrarunning.org.uk

Favourite Brooks Trainer & Racing shoe/ Spike: “At races, I am a complete Burn addict—I love the light weight and sleek design. On training runs, you can find me in Cascadias (on trails) and Glycerins (on roads).”