The 2012 Fleet Feet Racing Team Athlete of the Year is Kathy Youngren. Kathy was selected for this honor based on votes from the team. Kathy had an amazing year, posting actual or near personal bests in almost every distance from 5k to 50 mile. While running more than two dozen races in 2012, she posted double digit wins and placed among top finishers almost every weekend. She thrives on running ultra distances and in her spare time works at Fleet Feet and volunteers much of her time toward running and coaching. Kathy has been a long term member on the Fleet Feet Racing Team since inception in 2003.
Her most outstanding performance of the season came in March at Delano 50 Miler, where she broke her own record by running 6:56:29 for 50 miles. This time made her once again the fastest woman to ever run that distance in the State of Alabama. Only 4 women have ever ran under 8 hours and Kathy has the two fastest times (7:06:59 last year and the first woman to break 7 hours!). Her 50 mile time is faster than any other woman in the state by 41 minutes, 29 seconds.
Other Notable Performances
- Mercedes Half Marathon - 1:31:28 (21st overall, 3rd age group)
- New Orleans Marathon - 3:17:12 which placed her 162nd of 3657 total, 2nd in her age group and 19th female overall.
- HTC Scholarship 8km Fund Run – 33:59, second female and 11th overall.
- Double Helix Dash – 20:18, second place female
- Cookie Dash 5km – 19:59, top female, 10th overall
- National Cornbread Festival 5km - one of the top female finishers
- Strolling Jim 40 Miler – 6:04:35, top female, 7th overall
- Xterra Oak Mountain Trail Marathon – 3:58:33, overall female winner
- Mountain Mania 15km – 1:09:33. top female, 3rd place overall
- Moon Pie / RC Cola 10-miler - 2nd female overall in 1:08:58.
- Running of the Bulls - 20:18, 2nd place female
- Redstone Arsenal 9.11km Commemorative run – Female winner, 5th overall in 38:10
- Elkmont Lions Club 10km - Overall female winner in 43:06.
- Fleet Feet 15k – State champion, 1:04:49, top female, 13th overall
- Liz Hurley 5k - 2nd overall in 19:04
- Spooktacular 5k – Top female in 19:01
- Sherri Adams Pink Ribbon 5k Run - Kathy had her best 5km ever, lowering her personal record to 18:38 and finishing 2nd overall.
- Huntsville Half marathon – 2nd female overall in 1:29:11
- Dizzy 50K – Three way tie for 1st in 5:14:57
- Rocket City Marathon – 6 hour pacer