Name: Dana Bandy 
Age: 59. End of my age group. Finally!
Hometown: Ashland, Oregon
Miles Run Per Week: 50-60 in a good week. 20-30 in a slacker week.
How Many Years Have You Been Running? Ever since I got on that FBI poster. Oh wait, you mean the other kind of running. About 20 years. Forget that first part.
Currently Training For: Short term: Blue Mountain 30k. Long term: 60 year age group racing. I’m on a six month training plan and countdown to feeling young again.
Favorite Race or Run: Hmmm, that’s a tough question because they just keep getting better. For a local race it used to be the Blue Mountain 30k, then it became Eleven Miles to Paradise, now it’s The Rut 50k for sure – that event was EPIC! For out of town, it’s the Leadville 100 – a super fun place to visit, run, and get high in the mountains. Wait. That last part could be misread.
Do You Prefer Running Solo or With Friends? Definitely with friends. It’s sometimes hard for me to get out the door if I’m running solo. Unless beer is involved. Then beer is my friend. Which begs the question – is it ok to record the half mile run to the brewery and back? I think so.
Words of Wisdom: Speed is so relative in regard to the total existential running experience. Sometimes I feel like I’m running so fast it’s as if the trees are standing still.
Anything Else You’d Like to Add: I thought Ashland was a great running town until I moved to Missoula four years ago, and that bar has been raised considerably. Between Runner’s Edge and Run Wild Missoula, it’s an amazing community and every day I’m out there I feel thankful for the running opportunities that exist here. Thank you Missoula!
