The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Woman to run in support of clean water cause
Former Mentor resident seeks to raise $26,000 for Uganda project
It’s been 10 years since Mentor native Katie Spotz’s historic solo-row across the Atlantic, but time hasn’t slowed her down one bit.
In fact, she’s become an ultra-runner in recent years, finishing her fastest marathon in under 3.5 hours in 2018.
Her passion for clean drinking water projects remains steadfast as well, and she will combine the two for her latest endurance challenge. She plans to run 10 marathons in 10 days across Ohio in August to raise funds and awareness for safe drinking water.
Her goal is $100 a mile, or $26,000 total, for the 260mile trek to fund a water project being undertaken in Uganda by Cleveland-based not-for-profit Drink Local, Drink Tap.
“Thanks to our partner, Axel Johnson Inc., every dollar donated will be matched dollar-for-dollar,” said Spotz, now a U.S. Coast Guard officer stationed in Maine.
The project will help ease the burden of obtaining clean water for 3,000 students in Eastern Africa.
Her run will begin at the Ohio River in Cincinnati and culminate at the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland.
“Stay tuned on joining me during the last day of the run on Sept. 10 to Edgewater Park in downtown Cleveland,” she said.
To prepare for this challenge, she is focusing on base miles for now, increasing her mileage weekly, with recovery weeks built in every three weeks.
“Once I build a base of about 50 miles a week, I’ll start adding more intensity in terms of tempo and interval runs,” she said. “Most of my longer runs are on the weekends, and, thankfully, the Coast Guard supports fitness and wellness, enabling me to keep up with my training during the weeks.
“Aside from running, I incorporate body weight exercise to help minimize muscle imbalances, foam rolling and yoga to aid in recovery and prevent injury.”
She intends to run at an “aerobic” pace for four or five hours each of the 10 days. She will be staying overnight with friends or at hotels.
“I’ve camped along the way during other adventures, like cycling across America, running across the Mojave or swimming the Allegheny River, but sleep will be my main way to recover without rest days, so camping will have to wait for other adventures,” she said.
Her campaign for clean water began with the Atlantic voyage — at age 22, she was the youngest ever to make the solo row — and continued with cycling, swimming and now running.
In 2015, she released a book about her rowing adventure, for which she was
named one of “Glamour” magazine’s Women of the Year. She also has been featured on the CBS Morning Show, World News with Diane Sawyer, the New York Times and more. As of Feb. 3, Spotz already had raised more than $9,800 of the $26,000 goal.