365 days in a row 

Jax Mariash
Jax Mariash
May 4, 2011
May 4, 2012

In 2011 Mariash chose to run 365 days in a row to create awareness for cancer research and inspire people to move their bodies to prevent disease. In 2009 cancer had taken the life of her stepfather.

“With the help of a solid running coach (Lee Troop), a solid running team (BTC), supportive friends and loved ones, and an amazing running community, I hope to achieve this mission. The absolute MINIMUM run is 20 minutes per day,” she wrote on her blog, with the goal to:

“With the help of a solid running coach (Lee Troop), a solid running team (BTC), supportive friends and loved ones, and an amazing running community, I hope to achieve this mission. The absolute MINIMUM run is 20 minutes per day,” she wrote on her blog, with the goal to:

  1. Continue to support the 10 folks I initially ran for in 2010 with TEAM LIVESTRONG
  2. Emotionally give back every day to those fighting for their lives, fighting for someone else along bedside, reflecting back at their own fight against cancer, or mourning a loss. If they don’t get a break I don’t.
  3. To inspire folks to reach for optimal health and get out the door and move their bodies. It starts with you and we all can do what we can to control our own health as a means to prevent cancer.
  4. To financially contribute to LIVESTRONG.

She did not think about Lance Armstrong or doping allegations, but rather the 10 people affected by cancer.

Jax’ first attempt was on February 15, 2011, but she had to drop out because of removal of her gall bladder and appendix. She didn’t give up though and on May 4 of the same year she started the journey again and completed it successfully a year later.
… and then she added one extra day because fans asked for it:-)

Jax covered a daily average of 8.43 miles, so 59 miles per week, which resulted in a total of 3070 miles.

Her work required several weeks of travel across the country so she had to be creative to get her miles in. She would run in airports, along roads or up and down the stairs of her hotel to get the job done.

Fun facts of the journey:

  • Total funds raised: $3,572
  • Total attempts: 3
  • First start date: 2-15-2011
  • Last and final start date 5-4-11
  • Set foot on 54 cities, 15 states, 2 countries in the final attempt
  • Shortest run: 20:00 (2.5 miles)
  • Longest run: 2:22.19 (18.5 miles)
  • Closest Call 11:36pm in Broomfield, CO before the Native National Sales Meeting
  • Earliest run: 2:19am in Monterey, CA
  • Biggest setback: removal of my gall bladder and appendix on 4-15-2011 which lead to 2 days off… and a restart.. then a small set back on 5-3-2011 with a final restart on 5-4-11
  • Biggest set back I pushed through and didn’t quit: 2 broken ribs on March 5th from a Back Country ski accident on Bear Claw off Teton Pass
  • Biggest lack of motivation: Day 298 in Dundee, Oregon
  • Runs in PJ’s: 2
  • Hottest day: 98 deg
  • Coldest day: negative 7 degrees with a mass interval session and left with frost all over our faces.
  • Runs on brews as fuel: 3
  • Worst idea: running after CHOWING down on loads of sushi
  • Almost every week involved 2nd runs
  • Min runs per week 7, Max 12
  • Ran in an airplane hanger at day 196 because of a winter coastal storm front that produced sheets of rain and gnarly 20-foot waves and wind on the Oregon Coast
  • Gnarliest run: Leadville / TWIN LAKES where we crossed a river chest high on 2-hour run and thought we were going to die and almost met some bears
  • Fave run: A solo run in Hood River from Main St. to the Totem Pole in Mosier and back by moonlight (through pitch-black tunnels- was very trippy!)
  • Most frequent running partner: Kylee Schuler and close 2nd Mary Miller
  • SUPER FANS and MEGA cheerleaders: Chris Ochs and Lance Koudele
  • Inspiration to do this as my contribution to LIVESTRONG: Lee Troop who has run 1000 days in a row
  • Most liberating run was in Daytona Beach with a majestic sunrise
  • Most hilarious run: Running in Sorrel boots and a GoLite puffy in Teton Village post 2 brews for 42 min where folks thought I gave up on hitch hiking and asked me if I needed a ride home
  • Runs were as low as sea level and as high as 12k+ feet
  • I have seen 2 black bears, and 7 coyotes and a bunch of cows on various runs
  • Most grueling run was Teva Mtn Games 10k spring run off
  • Hardware along the way: 1st at Burn it Up 10k (Banks, OR), 1st VFW Post 1481 Ladies Auxiliary 5k for cancer research (Ogden, UT), 9th Chicago Half Marathon, 3rd Indianapolis Half Marathon, 9th Vail Pass Half Marathon, 2nd Dominion Riverrock Mud Run (Richmond, VA), 2nd TMG mud run (Vail, CO)
  • Favorite Race: Indy half for 20 mph winds, super gnarly hills and puking at the finish.
  • Favorite candy after a run: sour patch watermelons or FRO YO depending on the time of year.
  • Fave crave after a run: Brewsky
  • Weekly mileage low: 23 miles to a high of 95.43
  • Most ridiculous run: Running 25 minutes around Concourse B at DIA hauling a 35lb backpack on a 3 hour layover the day before Thanksgiving from Portland to NYC
  • Random run: 45 min run in the midst of a 10-hour road trip from SLC to Boulder CO
  • Most memorable run was day 182.5 with Kylee where we ran over midnight with mini bottles of champagne in 19 deg and icy roads
  • Early am interval sessions by headlamp with start times prior to 5am: 4+
  • Late-night runs lit by an iPhone flashlight app: 3+
  • Run within waiting for an oil change: 1 (made me feel like a super mom even though I don’t have children haha)
  • Runs by street light without the app or headlamp in fear my lack of motivation may get me before I get out the door: well… a few…
  • Runs with borrowed best friends (aka dogs): 2
  • Runs in sneakers vs legit running kicks: a few…
  • Runs in jeans: a few…
  • Runs that started by getting kicked out of the car to run home so I didn’t miss it after a LONG ski day: a few… (…but SO worth it)

    “This process has made me appreciate running and not take it for granted. It has made me cross through barriers with temperature, time of day, emotional crisis, physical pain, and even what you are wearing. It is all up to you to go out there and go for a run… SO…GO FOR IT!!”

Jax got a LiveStrong tattoo in 2010. “When I look at the tattoo now, I just think of living strong, and it’s more connected to the cancer fight and optimal health than Lance,” Jax said.

“I wanted to show it’s forever,” she said. “Cancer isn’t something that just goes away from people. I wanted to show this is permanent and keep people remembering the fight.”

Photos courtesy of Jax Mariash

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