VIDEO: Youngest Runner Ever Finishes Round the Bay Ultramarathon

In Brief:

•Cadence Garza, 14, became the youngest to complete the 36.8-mile Round the Bay Ultramarathon on December 28.

•Rainy weather and intense physical demands did not deter Garza, who finished the race in under eight hours.

•With aspirations for the Boston Marathon and the US Olympic Team, Garza emphasizes mental toughness and endurance training for aspiring runners.

14-year-old Gloria Cadence Garza made history on December 28 when she became the youngest runner to complete the Round the Bay Ultramarathon. She’s lived up to her unique middle name since she was two and started running for fun.

“My middle name is Cadence because they [my parents] were in the military and were both drill sergeants, so they decided to name me Cadence, and they were also runners, and it just worked out.”

Garza made the 36.8 mile run in just under eight hours in the rainy conditions that covered the Choctawhatchee Bay all morning.

“It was honestly really fun for me, it’s relaxing and it’s just a way for me to express myself and my ability,” Garza said.

Her father, Emilio, served as her support vehicle – running with supplies and encouragement with her for the entire lap around the western portion of the Choctawhatchee Bay that starts on Okaloosa Island, crosses the Mid-Bay Bridge, goes through Niceville, around Eglin Air Force Base and Into Fort Walton Beach for the finish.

Round the Bay Relay organizer Dennis Samac says he was initially very skeptical about letting a 14-year-old run in the race because of the intense wear and tear the distance can put on a body. “It was not something that I encouraged,” Samac said, “Her dad was right behind her on the bike the whole time. They promised they would pull her if there was any issues. So we put it on them and allowed it to happen. And then she did a great job.”

Samac says he has a photo of her at a Round the Bay race when she was just four or five years old. Since she began running, she has run everything from a 5K to half marathons to full seasons with her middle school track team.

Now, she has her sights set on her next goal – running in the Boston Marathon when she turns 18. That will mean more miles and a qualifying time at another marathon beforehand.

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Want to Run Round the Bay? Here’s the Key:

If you have the desire to run the Round the Bay yourself – it’s no cakewalk to prepare for, but it is doable, say both Garza and Samac.

First things first – your mental game needs to be top-notch. “You just need to believe in yourself and have a lot of endurance – keep going and have fun while you are doing it,” Garza says.

Practically, this also means building up your milage to the full run amount. I will just run two or three miles, like in the dark, in the morning during the day,” Garza added, “I will run a long distance, which is about 15 or 10 miles. Not fast, just jogging, just to get the miles in.”

Samac adds that finding a strong cohort to run with and putting in milestone races on the way to the Ultramarathon distances help as well.

“I would suggest 3rd Planet, Wednesday night; they have all kinds of runners,” Samac explained, “you talk a little runner, and that gets you fired up. Then you need to get your 10k and a half at some point, especially in September or October. Get another half in November and then get ready to do this in December.”

Samac also says that joining a local track club like the Northwest Florida Track Club makes keeping track of local races easier and helps one keep up one’s encouragement levels.

Finally, Samac says, don’t be afraid to walk a little. “I’ve done three marathons, and I’ve had to walk in all of them,” he admits, “that kept me from hitting a wall at mile 20 when you are really struggling mentally and physically. A lot of the ultra runners walk at some point. That’s not unusual.”

Also, if you want to run Round the Bay, it usually takes place during the last week of the year. You can keep up to date here:

If you want to follow Cadence and her running journey – you can check out her Facebook page here.