Our next Runner Spotlight comes by way of a few happenchance run-ins with no other than Scott Alexander and though it took Amber Salcedo a few years to finally become an NRC regular, she brings an impressive resume of endurance sports to NRC including swimming in high school (she held a school record that held for over 20 years!) and becoming an Iron-Woman!
Read on to learn more about Amber’s most eventful races including the 2013 Boston Marathon where she heartbreakingly made it within a mile of the finish before being stopped due to the bombing incident and the half-marathon she talked her mother into doing (swearing off any race ever again) that turned into her mom crossing the finish line asking when they could do their next one.
NRC: Where are you from and how did you make your way to the Nolensville area?
Amber: I am originally from Tacoma, Washington and have lived in seven different states including Washington, Oregon, Texas, Indiana, Ohio, California, and of course, Tennessee. I went to school in Indiana and then started with Nissan after graduation. I’ve worked with them for about 20 years now and when they relocated their corporate headquarters to Nashville, I moved with them.
NRC: Thank goodness for Nissan because NRC gained a valuable club member! What do you do there and what do you like about it?
Amber: I am in the Car-Flow department which is essentially Vehicle Operations. My day consists of a lot of spreadsheets and is mostly an internal support role. Nissan has been a great place to grow my career with various roles, responsibilities, and experiences. My current role gives me lots of visibility internally, including regular meetings with our Senior VP.
NRC: Sounds like you thrive under pressure. Speaking of that, tell us about your athletic experience growing up.
Amber: I was definitely not a runner which was apparent after an ill-fated attempt at track early in high school. Swimming became my sport though I had a bit of a rough start; in my first meet, I had two events and I finished last in one and was disqualified in the other. However, I am proud to say my swimming career in high school improved significantly after that first meet and by my senior year, I held four school records, and one of those stood for almost 20 years!
NRC: So when did you finally “become a runner” then? Was there a specific motivation to start?
Amber: I had some high school friends from Indiana come to Nashville to run the Country Music Half Marathon and I enjoyed spectating and cheering for them. After watching them complete the race, I decided I had to do it for myself and I joined Team in Training’s group training program to prepare me for the Country Music Half and raise money for The Leukemia Lymphoma Society in 2007, and the rest is history.
NRC: Sometimes, all it takes to get motivated is seeing runners have a great time! Speaking of a great time, how did you hear about NRC?
Amber: Incidentally, I ran into Scott not once but twice at destination races and as we got to talking, we discovered that we both loved running and both happened to live in Nolensville. I first met Scott in the TSA security line in Boston coming home from the 2013 marathon. That was a crazy experience because as we were waiting in line, FBI agents were interviewing us and asking for any photos runners might have captured on their phones to help them find the bomber(s). Though Scott was a really nice guy, I still wasn’t convinced organized club running was for me. Then, I happened to be in Carmel in 2015 cheering for some friends who were finishing their first full marathon and it was also the year that Jimmy Alexander was completing his first full marathon. While waiting for my friend to finish, I saw the energy and support from NRC as Jimmy came in and that was the kicker for me- I decided I wanted to be a part of a group that had so much fun and cheered like that!
NRC: Let’s go back to Boston 2013 for a minute. Tell me about your experience during that race, which was of course, so eventful in a way none of us could have imagined.
Amber: That was a crazy day! My mom and I ran the race together (I qualified and she ran with a charity bib) and we got all the way through the course with less than a mile to the finish line when we hit a wall of people. It was confusing and terrifying because there were obviously a lot of runners and we weren’t sure what was going on; there were rumors of a bomb, multiple bombs, and of course, a lack of known information. It was heartbreaking to get that close to the finish and not be able to cross the line. I was also fearful upon coming home that I’d be scared to run another big race again so I just ripped the band-aid off and ran the Country Music Full Marathon 10 days later. I also returned to Boston for a fourth time (I finished in 2011 and 2012 as well) in 2014 and I can assure you there was NOT a safer race out there! My mom and I finished and enjoyed our chance at redemption crossing that finish line on Boylston Street.
NRC: Wow, I am so impressed with your resilience and determination to not let that event keep you from continuing to race! What are some of your other favorite races or accomplishments?
Amber: I’ve completed 16 full marathons and countless half marathons. I’d say some of my favorites are my first BQ (Boston Qualifier) marathon which was the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach; it’s a great race- it’s flat and finishes in a nice warm tent with Irish stew and beer. I’ve completed the Boston Marathon a total of 3 times (4 if you count coming within a mile of the finish in 2013) and I’ve also completed an Ironman- Panama City in 2012.
NRC: An Ironman?! You are amazing!
Amber: The Ironman is a grueling training process but I had a great group to train with, including my now-husband Patrick. That said, I don’t think another is on the horizon any time soon; the time to train coupled with the lack of a pool nearby makes it challenging and I am not a fan of cycling- I haven’t ridden my bike since I finished the race!
NRC: Let’s talk more about NRC. What is one of your favorite memories with the club?
Amber: It’s most recent but I really enjoyed the St. Jude Race in Memphis; I did the half and I got to know a lot of our club members so much more during the Saturday training runs and the celebratory dinner afterward. I always enjoy a good party post-race! (You and me both!)
NRC: Who in NRC has been motivating as you’ve logged more miles with us?
Amber: Without a doubt, Wendy Mucci! Wendy is so incredibly inclusive and when I told her I wanted to improve my speed after the Memphis race, she invited me out to run with her the very next week. Wendy pushes me to keep going even when I may not want to but in such a kind, supportive way!
NRC: Wendy is a club favorite motivator for sure! Tell us about how you deal with injuries or training setbacks you’ve had in your running journey.
Amber: I’ve been relatively lucky when it comes to running injuries; sure, I’ve had minor plantar fasciitis and some shin splints when I first started running but no major issues. The toughest for me are the mental setbacks as they’re harder and less obvious on how to resolve; I mentally struggled with training for my first BQ (Boston Qualifier) attempt and I found having accountability through my training friends helped keep me going.
NRC: Let’s hope your NRC friends can keep you uplifted during your next training cycle! When and where is your next race?
Amber: I am planning to do the Sandy Claus Full Marathon in December in Ponte Vedra, Florida. This will be my first full marathon since 2016 and my first since having my kids.
NRC: Wow! That is going to be an amazing race and accomplishment for you. Speaking of kids, tell us about your family.
Amber: I’ve been married to my husband Patrick for almost 10 years and we met through some mutual friends while I was training for the IronMan. We have two young kids; our son is 5 and our daughter is almost 3. My mom, Sharon, also runs with NRC and she has the best “how did you start running” story. I recruited her to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon with me in 2008; she was not a fan of the training process during the winter in Indiana and said she would “never do another half again.” As she was crossing the finish line in Orlando, she yelled to me asking when we were going to do another half and the rest is history- she has since completed about 30 half marathons and three full marathons!
NRC: That is such a great story and we’ll be adding Sharon to our list of future Runner Spotlights! Last question before the lightning round… if there were no limitations, what race would you love to run?
Amber: NYC Marathon and Big Sur
NRC: Those both sound like amazing destination marathons as does your Ponte Vedra race later this year. We cannot wait to train with you this summer and we look forward to cheering for you in December! Congratulations and we are so glad Scott finally convinced you to join the NRC family!
Speed Round:
NRC: Favorite mid run fuel?
Amber: Blackberry Gu
NRC: What’s something you’ve accomplished that surprised even you?
Amber: I was part of an All-Women Ultra Ragnar Tennessee team and we finished in 1st place!
NRC: Most scenic or unique run?
Amber: Lakeshore Drive in Chicago but I like running anywhere I travel
NRC: Any hobbies?
Amber: Reading/Listening to audiobooks