Marlinda Francisco: Ultra Trail Runner, Her Running Journey to Finishing Her First 100km

Women's Running Stories

Marlinda Francisco has run many distances on road and trail. In this episode, she shares how she first got into running and how it has become such a big part of her life. Marlinda also shares how she first started out running on the roads but then discovered her love of trail running. She now runs ultras, and she shares how just this past October at the Javelina Jundred in Arizona, she finished her longest distance yet, 100 kilometers (62 miles).

Marlinda is a native woman, Navajo and Tohono O’odham. Running is embedded in these cultures, and Marlinda runs both to challenge and strengthen herself and to represent and carry on the long tradition of running in her family and communities. In addition to running many events every year, Marlinda is a very active part of the running community. She works behind the scenes at many events and she is part of the leadership team for the non-profit advocacy organization Native Women Run.

Marlinda's mantra is "run with your heart, pray with your feet." Hear the whole story on the podcast of how she arrived to this place in running and in life.

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Mentioned in this Episode

Live conversation with Native Women Run at the 2024 Chicago Marathon Expo: womensrunningstories.com/live-event-native-women-run-team-at-the-2024-chicago-marathon-expo

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Music Credits

Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh

Coma-Media, via Pixabay

RomanBelov, via Pixabay

penguinmusic, via Pixabay

SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay

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