Camille Herron

Camille Herron

Camille Herron talking with sportscaster, Bob Barry Jr., after her 3rd OKC Memorial Marathon win (2015).
Personal information
Born	December 25, 1981 USA
Residence	Warr Acres, OK
Height	5 ft 9.5 in (1.765 m)
Weight	118 lb (54 kg)
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Track and Field
Event(s)	Marathon and Ultras
Coached by	Conor Holt
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	Marathon : 2:37:14 50K: 3:20:59 50 Miles: 5:38:41 100K: 7:08:35
Medal record Women’s athletics Competitor for the  United States World Championships IAU 100 km World Championships 100k IAU 50 km World Championship 50k

Camille Herron (born December 25, 1981) is an American long-distance runner from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She is a three-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, 20-time marathon winner, Guinness World Record holder for racing in a Superhero costume,^[1] and currently aiming to become the first woman to win a marathon in all 50 US States.^[2] She won the 2015 USATF 100K National Championship at Mad City in 7:26:24, her debut at the distance.^[3] She also became the first 3-time winner of the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.^[4] She won the 2015 IAU 100K World Championships with a personal best 7:08:35.^[5] In October 2015 she set a new "World Road Best" for 50 Miles at the Fall 50/US 50 Mile Road Championship running a time of 5:38:41.^[6] In December 2015, she won the 1st IAU 50K World Championship in Doha, Qatar in a time of 3:20:59. ^[7]

Early life

Camille was born in Norman, Oklahoma to Dr. Jack and Susan Herron and graduated from Westmoore High School in Oklahoma City in 2000. She was a 3-time Track State Champion at Duncan High School and 3-time All-Stater in Cross Country.^[8] She went on to run for a year at the University of Tulsa, but injuries ultimately ended her collegiate career. She got back into competitive running as a road racer in her fifth year of college guided by her now husband and former elite distance runner and current Oklahoma City University Head Cross Country/Track Coach, Conor Holt.

Running career

She debuted at the Eugene Marathon in 2007 with a time of 2:48:36. Within two and half years, she had reduced her personal best time to 2:38:23 at the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon.^[9] Among her career highlights, Camille competed for the 2011 US Pan American Team in Guadalajara, Mexico, finishing as the top American in 9th place.^[10] Two weeks later, she finished as the 3rd American at the 2011 New York City Marathon in 2:40:06.^[11] She proceeded to get her personal best down to 2:37:14 at the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials.^[12]

Making her domestic ultra debut at the 2015 Mad City 100K/US Championship, she ran the fastest 100K on American soil,^[13] the third fastest performance ever by an American,^[14] and broke Ann Trason's 26-year-old 100K National Championship Record.^[15][16] On September 12, 2015, she won the IAU World Championship 100k in Winschoten, setting a personal record of 7:08:35, the fourth-fastest time ever recorded at that distance by a woman.^[5] Facing a strong headwind and rain, she bested the 50 Mile World Record held by Ann Trason (5:40:18), by winning the Fall 50/US 50 Mile Road Championship in a time of 5:38:41.^[17] She finished off 2015 by winning her second World title at the 1st IAU 50K World Championship in Doha, Qatar- running in the heat and wind, she ran 3:20:59 to capture the gold by over 7 minutes.^[18]

Inspired by Bill Rodgers and other prolific racers/marathoners of the past,^[19] Camille has built a career out of racing marathons frequently, competing in up to seven marathons in a 12-month period. For the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials, she qualified seven times. After winning her first marathon at the 2010 Dallas White Rock Marathon,^[20] (now called the Dallas Marathon) she began collecting marathon wins around the country. She is one of the fastest Marathon Maniacs and 50-State pursuers.^[21]

She is currently sponsored by Marathonguide.com^[22] and Allegiance Credit Union. Most recently she signed a joint-partnership with Ethan Veneklasen of He(a)rd Sports Marketing and Hawi Keflezighi of HAWI Management.^[23]

Among her memberships and service, she currently serves as the Oklahoma USATF AAC athlete, Secretary for the USATF Women's Long Distance Running Executive Committee, member #6488 of the Marathon Maniacs,^[24] and a member of the OKC Landrunners. She also served as a USOC Athlete Services Coordinator for the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.

Personal life

After graduating from The University of Tulsa in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science cum laude, she continued to pursue her Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Science at Oregon State University. Studying bone and exercise, she completed her master's thesis on enhancing bone recovery through whole body vibration training.^[25] She gained skills in the specialized technique of bone histomorphometry.^[26]

After moving to West Lafayette, Indiana, she worked as a Research Assistant for 2 years at Purdue University in Dr. Connie Weaver's Bone and Calcium Lab, while pursuing her athletic goals. In 2009, she decided to become a full-time athlete.

In 2014, she returned to the lab as a Research Assistant, joining Dr. Mary Beth Humphrey's Osteoimmunology Lab at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center.^[27]

References

1. "Fastest marathon in superhero costume (female)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
2. "Camille Herron Chases Marathon Wins in All 50 States". Runner's World & Running Times. 3 April 2014.
3. "Mad City 100K USATF Championship". Runrace.net. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
4. "2015 Memorial Marathon". Oklahoma City National Memorial. Oklahoma City National Memorial. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
5. Minshull, Phil (12 September 2015). "Buud finally gets the gold at the IAU 100KM World Championships.". iaaf.org. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
6. "The Fall 50 Online Race Results". Retrieved 30 October 2015.
7. "USA'S MIGLIOZZI AND HERRON TAKE GOLD AT THE IAU 50KM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS" (December 4, 2015). IAAF. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
8. "Herron keeps on running". The Duncan Banner. December 27, 2010.
9. "USATF - Events - 2009 USA Women's Marathon Championship". usatf.org.
10. "USA Track & Field - Team USA opens competition At Pan American Games". usatf.org.
11. "New York Running Community Organization - New York Road Runners". NYRR.
12. "USATF - Events - 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon". usatf.org.
13. "All-Time Performances- 100 km Road". Association of Road Race Statisticians. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
14. "All-Time Performances- 100 km Road". Association of Road Race Statisticians. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
15. "USA 100 km Champions". USATF. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
16. "Herron sets new record at USATF 100 km Championships". USATF. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
17. "This Week in Running: October 26, 2015". IRunFar.com. October 26, 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
18. "USA'S MIGLIOZZI AND HERRON TAKE GOLD AT THE IAU 50KM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS" (December 4, 2015). IAAF. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
19. "A Brief Chat With Camille Herron". Runner's World & Running Times. 11 October 2011.
20. "Dallas White Rock marathon: Oklahoman Camille Herron wins women's: 'Biggest miracle in the world'". dallasnews.com.
21. "50sub4 Marathon Club Membership Roster" (PDF).
22. "Dallas White Rock marathon: Oklahoman Camille Herron wins women's: 'Biggest miracle in the world'". Dallas News. December 5, 2010.
23. "He(a)rd Sports Marketing and HAWI Management Partner to Represent World 100K Champion." (October 27, 2015). SNews. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
24. "Marathon Maniacs".
25. Herron, Jacquelyn (July 26, 2007). "The Effects of Whole Body Vibration on Bone Recovery Following Hindlimb Unloading of Adult Female Rats" (PDF).
26. "Bone Histomorphometry 101" (PDF). Washington University-St. Louis. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
27. "Long-Distance Vision: Camille Herron is Driven to Excel in Marathons and Research". OU Medicine. Retrieved 17 February 2015.

External links

• Official website