rrk2I’m in the car, stuck in rush hour traffic, with the soothing voices of NPR’s Morning Edition calming my nerves. They’re talking about the new class of MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grants.

I turn up the dial. These grants are a big deal, recognizing exceptional creativity and facilitating future great work across all fields, including arts and sciences. The prize comes with a $625,000 stipend paid out over five years and there are no strings attached to the money. The Foundation wants the grantees to have cash-on-hand to do whatever they need to do to keep being awesome.

Right now Jason Beaubien is telling me about a bioengineer who is saving lives in Africa. Her name is Dr. Rebecca Richards-Kortum, and she’s sharing a story about how her students created a centrifuge using a salad spinner.

But then she says something that really blows my mind: “The Hanson’s Method is kicking my butt right now.” Of course! This amazing woman is also a runner, and one who is training for the Marine Corps Marathon this weekend. It’ll be her fourth full marathon, having just started running five years ago. Although I hated to put another thing on her calendar, I had to talk to this woman and share her story with you.

P.S. She’s also a mother of six.

Read more >>> (SaltyRunning.com)