Melody Fairchild going for it again

best of luck to her. she's a long shot, but i wouldn't put it past someone with that kind of talent

I remember catching her on TV running that 9:55i all by herself(I wasn't following running at the time), then seeing her years later in a grocery in Eugene. I guess she was kinfd of the Jordan Hasay of the time.

Never knew her whole story, but it sounds like she has worked some things out. Winning ultras indicates she has the base for a good marathon. Good luck to her!

She's hugely talented, and being an elite female marathoner at her age isn't unprecedented. A top three place at the Trials is, as she said, probably a long shot, especially depending on who moves up to the marathon between now and the 2012, but you can't discount Melody Fairchild, even after all these years. Good luck to her!

With all her talent and experience, why didn't she run faster than 2:44? It doesn't make sense.

I met her at Green Mountain Running Camp back in the late 90's and I had a huge crush on her. She's a sweetheart but she seemed troubled. I think she could run a couple fast races, her marathon PR does seem out of wack with her talent level, especially for the mileage she's done. Good get 'em, Melody!

Sincerely,

Pimply Kid Who Got His Picture Taken With You 12 Years Ago

She was a great talent. My first road race (this was MANY years ago) I got beaten by a woman in the Culver City Marathon (she broke the WR, as it turned out). The next time I got beaten was my Melody Fairchild 15 years later in the Bolder Boulder 10km - she was running in the open, not elite event and ran about 34-flat, if I recall correctly.

This is awesome. I am rooting for her.

I remember running the Vegas Half Marathon back in 2000 and at around mile 11 a guy on a motorcycle with a camera pulles up in front of me. For a minute I thought the guy was filming me, but then I realized that the first woman was right on my heels. It was Melody Fairchild that had just caught me.

I ended up pulling away from her and finished 11 seconds ahead of her. She ran 1:11:38. I didn't know much about her because I was kind of a new runner at the time.

Interesting that there haven't been more Hasay/Fairchild comparisons, considering Fairchild also went to Oregon.

Good luck to her, but the article mentions she still looks like she's 22, and by judging from that picture, I say no she doesn't...she looks like a fit 37 year old. What the hell? Why would the article say she looks like a 22 year old? Does the author assume all non-fat people are young?

Looks like she ran Grandma's in 2007 (3:12) and Cal International in 2003 (2:55). I remember them making hoopla about her when she ran Grandmas and trying to go for the qualifier. It's the same repeated story for every Trials.

Impressive race at 1989 Kinney XC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cizRPSCOYbA

Still has the fastest time ever recorded for a female at the Balboa Park course, 16:39 in 1990.

Melody is an attractive woman. I don't think she looks 22, but looks more fit than most athletic 22 year old women. Personally, I think she looks about 30.

Flagpole, you of all people, shouldn't get worked about what age someone thinks another person is. It's the authors opinion that she looks young. It's YOUR opinion that she looks her age. What the hell? Do you assume that all people 37 look like they are 37? That a 37 year old cannot look like they are 22, 25, or 30?

Beauty before Age wrote:

Melody is an attractive woman. I don't think she looks 22, but looks more fit than most athletic 22 year old women. Personally, I think she looks about 30.

Flagpole, you of all people, shouldn't get worked about what age someone thinks another person is. It's the authors opinion that she looks young. It's YOUR opinion that she looks her age. What the hell? Do you assume that all people 37 look like they are 37? That a 37 year old cannot look like they are 22, 25, or 30?

No, not all 37 year old women look 37. Some look 45. Some look 32, others still might look 28 (I've yet to see one that looked 22 though), and no disrespect intended to Melody Fairchild, but she has the wrinkles of a late 30s woman, and there's nothing wrong with that, because she is late 30s...fit women in their 30s and 40s are the best looking women if you ask me, and she's definitely attractive...just doesn't look 22.

Honestly how could someone look at her and think she's 22?

How come Wejo didn\'t run sub 2:10 with that 28 10k speed? Stuff happens. I think Melody only ran a couple of marathons when at a high fitness level.

marathon maniac wrote:

With all her talent and experience, why didn\'t she run faster than 2:44? It doesn\'t make sense.

Funny to hear the 1990s "back in the day."

Nice gal, very talented athlete. I had the pleasure of meeting her at the Mission Inn run I think it was November 1997, when I was working part time for Elite Racing (now Competitor Group) helping Mike Long with the elite athletes. I wish her all the best with her comeback. It would be nice to see.

Wouldn't mind seeing Sarah Schwald back in it as well :)