Elementary school counselor running marathons around the country
posted on September 20, 2012
Amanda Carlow knows a thing or two about fitness.
Carlow, the guidance counselor for Red Cloud’s K-8 grades and a native of Pine Ridge, has developed a passion for running. In August, she completed the Leading Ladies’ Marathon – an all-women’s 26-mile run – in nearby Spearfish, SD. More recently, however, her passion is taking her to some far-flung places.
Earlier this month, Carlow traveled to the subarctic north. There, she ran the Klondike Road Relay, which is a 112-mile relay from Skagway, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory in Canada. The race was supposed to be a ten-person relay, but due to some injuries and a couple of runners not getting passports in time, Carlow’s team ran it with only five team members, meaning that some of them ran multiple legs.
Carlow’s designated stretch was comprised of 16 miles through mountains, and she had to start at 3:30am. This meant that it was pitch black while she was running, although she had a support car that stayed behind her along the way to help give some light. She finished her leg in Carcross, Yukon just before dawn (pictured above). Out of 144 teams, Carlow’s was the only squad that didn't have 10 runners. Despite that, it was, in her words, “an awesome experience”.
Carlow was also recently invited to join the team, “One Spirit”; a team of five of that will be running the New York City marathon in early November. The members will all run it individually, and the money they raise will go to benefit a youth shelter in the reservation community of Allen.
The group’s “journey” to the marathon is being documented by a film crew from Road Runners magazine. Their stated intention is to show that “Lakota youth are MORE than negative statistics.” More on their story can be found HERE.
Before she travels to NYC, Carlow will run one more event in preparation: the Crazy Horse Half Marathon in the Black Hills. Red Cloud School wishes Carlow, and all of team One Spirit, safe and successful running!
