Team inov-8 2012: Katie Caba

1) Primary sport (s): Trail Running   

2)  Team member since: 2011

3) City/state of residence: Bend, Oregon

4) Occupation: Physician Assistant

5) Goals for 2012:

• USATF Trail Half Marathon Champs (OR): Top 3 Overall; 1^st Masters
• US Mountain Running Champs (NH)
• Transrockies Run (CO): 1^st Mixed Masters; Top 3 Overall Mixed
• USATF Marathon Masters Champs (Twin Cities Marathon): Top 5 Overall; Sub- 2:50
• Run my first Ultra Marathon
• PR in the half marathon and marathon

6) Notable achievements/memories/PR’s in your sport:  

• USATF 2010 Trail Marathon Champs: 1^st overall
• USATF 2011 Trail Half Marathon Champs: 4^th overall, 1^st masters
• Transrockies Run: 1^st mixed masters
• USATF 2011 Masters Marathon Champs/Twin Cities Marathon: 7^th overall (2:54 PR)

7) Favorite inov-8 gear:

• First Love: XTalon 212
• For distance on mt trails: Roclite 268 (perfect shoe for 6 long days running through the Rockies)
• Winter running on ice and through puddles: Terrafly 287 GTX

8) List one thing others may not know about you:  I’ve been threatened at gun point….and didn’t run.

9) Favorite energy drink/food:  All of the above and still experimenting.  I consider timing of intake to be most important.  Gu, stinger, gel, blocks….all go down easy while racing without issues of coming back up.  I cross a finish line and run straight to the food table, or make a protein rich smoothie (peanut/almond butter, chocolate protein powder, vanilla yogurt and banana)  immediately after a hard training run. 

10) Your favorite race/event and why?  Transrockies Run because I not only get to run 120 miles with my husband on gorgeous Rocky Mt trails, but get to hang out with a couple hundred runners for 6 days while someone else does all the cooking.   

11) Advice to other athletes:  Be thankful for the gift, share your passion, show appreciation for friends/family who support you, encourage another athlete or want-to-be athlete,  slow down to “take it all in” (that is if you have a nice lead) and get to know your competition--as they will likely be your next best friend.