Celebrity Runners Announced
Tulsa Run celebrity runners Ginny Creveling (left) and Cary Aspinwall (right) get help setting up their treadmills by trainer Gini McFarland at the Hillcrest Exercise & Lifestyle Program. MICHAEL WYKE / Tulsa World
The Tulsa Run has announced its celebrity runners for 2009: Ginny Creveling, executive director of ONEOK Foundation; and Cary Aspinwall, writer for the Tulsa World's Scene section.
Both women will train with exercise physiologist Gini McFarland at Hillcrest Exercise & Lifestyle Program for the 15k race that starts and finishes in downtown Tulsa on Oct. 31.
Both are running novices; neither has run anything close to 9.3 miles before. This year's run will follow the same course as in 2008, with tours of downtown and midtown Tulsa, finishing in front of the BOK Center.
The race will benefit Life Senior Services and YMCA of Greater Tulsa.
Meet the runners
Ginny Creveling
Ginny Creveling, 62, is the executive director of ONEOK Foundation Inc., where she directs the ONEOK Community Investments Program throughout the company’s business locations in the United States. She is the oldest celebrity runner to train for the Tulsa Run.
Did you have a favorite sport growing up?
I didn’t really do any sports growing up, although I did take ballet lessons.
What type of exercise do you generally prefer?
I don’t exercise that much. A few years ago, I went to the gym Monday through Friday, every day, from 5:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. Then I stopped. But I enjoy walking. I just want not to be out of breath when I walk up my stairs.
What type of exercise do you not enjoy?
The stability ball.
What songs do you listen to on your iPod?
Everything from Elvis to Van Morrison, but my favorite music is country — and my favorite country artists are Willie Nelson and Trisha Yearwood.
Do you have a favorite healthy snack?
Fuji apples. But my other trick is that I eat whatever I want, but I only eat half. The minute I tell myself there’s something I can’t have, I think about it 24/7.
What is your favorite guilty indulgence?
Sonic’s Strawberry Banana Cream Slush.
Who is your favorite athlete or someone you admire?
The mayor was my inspiration (Mayor Kathy Taylor was one of the celebrity runners last year). Once I saw that she did it, I thought “Maybe I could do it.” I think there are a lot of us my age who’ve never run before. But I’ve got these fabulous grandchildren — four of them — and I want them to think I’m still cool enough to have around.
What kind of running shoes do you wear?
Pearl Izumi Infinity. Kathy Hoover helped me pick them out at Runner’s World.
Cary Aspinwall
Cary Aspinwall, 29, writes about health, fitness and pop culture for the Tulsa World’s Scene section. She tests different workouts and exercise equipment each week as the Fitness Guinea Pig and also covers the popculture phenomenon that is “American Idol.” She ran her first 5k race last year.
Did you have a favorite sport growing up?
Horseback riding. I took English-style lessons for a while, riding quarter horses and saddlebreds.
What type of exercise do you generally prefer?
Anything that doesn’t feel like exercise — Zumba, swimming, hiking.
What type of exercise do you not enjoy?
Anything involving tons of squats and lunges.
What songs do you listen to on your iPod when running or working out?
My shuffle is loaded with a pretty weird mix — everything from the Clash to Kelly Clarkson and Kelis. I like fast, loud music to keep me energized when working out.
Do you have a favorite healthy snack?
Popcorn, trail mix, green tea.
What is your favorite guilty indulgence?
Steak and margaritas.
Who is your favorite athlete or someone you admire?
I’m still in awe of Darra Torres from the Beijing Olympics, because she proved age is just a number — and have you seen her abs? But I’m also a big Shannon Miller fan, because we went to the same high school.
What kind of running shoes do you wear?
I had New Balance shoes forever, but my current pair are Adidas Supernova Sequence.
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