Issue Contents: |  | Half Marathon Special featuring Iryna Vashchuk, Natalie Morales from NBC Today (photo and feature) and articles Beginners: Make Every Run Fun, 12 Foods You Never Eat (But Should), Beat The Heat, Feet Hurt?, 5 Ways To Tap Into Mental Energy, Wonder Boy: The Strange Tale Of A 4 Year Old Marathoner, Train For The Rock n Roll Half, The Rise Of Skirt Culture: Why Some Women Love The Swish and more!
About the cover model;
Iryna Vashchuk is a distinguished athlete with a notable career in track and field. Born on July 8, 1982, in Ukraine, she displayed her running talents from a young age. She first discovered her potential as a competitive runner at the age of 14, excelling in local meets. By the age of 15, Vashchuk had already achieved significant success, including a first-place finish in a 4x400m relay and a second-place finish in the individual 800m.
Vashchuk's early career included participation in the 1998 World Youth Games in Moscow, where she qualified for the finals. She also attended the Olympic Reserve School in Ukraine, training and competing as part of a team. Throughout her career in Ukraine, she trained twice a day and creatively devised effective workouts, often in the absence of a weight room.
Her international competitions included the Junior World Championships in 2000 and races in Italy in 2001, as well as participation with the Ukrainian National Team in several European countries. Early on, she discovered her proficiency in the 800m race, achieving fourth place in a 1999 meet in Moscow. However, her coach soon identified her talent in the 1500m race, which ultimately became her specialty.
Vashchuk's journey led her to the University of Southern California (USC), where she achieved a personal record time of 4:12 in the 1500m race. However, her career in competitive running was cut short due to a lower back injury.
After retiring from competitive running, Vashchuk remained active in the sport. She served as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s cross country teams at Pepperdine University. Here, she was recognized for her dedication, passion, and ability to make a significant difference in the running programs. Her coaching philosophy emphasized mental stability and physical endurance, and she shared her rich experiences and knowledge with the student-athletes.
Vashchuk's athletic background and international experience brought a unique perspective to Pepperdine's cross country program. Her goal was to help the program achieve recognition at the national level and attract future recruits
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