RANVILLE, Ohio - Road races in West Virginia carry a special meaning with Kitty Consolo.
It's the same state where she won the prestigious Charleston Distance 15 miler in 1977 which launched her sponsorship with Nike shoes.
It's the same state where she finished second in the women's overall division at the Parkersburg Half Marathon while competing in the event during the 1980s and 90s.
After battling through a hip injury and severe asthma, the 53-year-old runner from Granville, Ohio, is in the midst of trying to revive her career and Parkersburg is one of the most important stops along the road to recovery.
"Races in West Virginia know how to do it right," Consolo said. "At the Half Marathon, they have a nice banquet for the awards ceremony at the Smoot Theater. You get to know the runners involved in the races. (Race director) Chip Allman is doing great things."
Consolo's claim to fame occurred at the Revco Cleveland Marathon, which she won twice. By 1982, the Iowa City, Iowa, native was ranked 22nd nationally in the marathon by The Runner magazine.
She also remembers standing near Joan Benoit at the start line of the U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Trials.
More recently, Consolo competed in a Grand Prix 5K series in Ohio and captured the women's overall title in back-to-back years.
But her career has not always been sunshine and rainbows. An asthma attack during a race in 1999 landed her in the hospital, and an allergic reaction to medication nearly cost Consolo her life.
"I kind of walked away from racing," Consolo said. "I had trouble breathing for months."
One year later, she experienced a serious fall that caused severe pain in her hip. Only after visiting a physical therapist this past winter did she find out how much damage had been done.
"My hip joint had been out for 25 years and it kept getting worse and worse," Consolo said. "If I hadn't fallen when I did, I might have needed hip replacement or back surgery."
Consolo owes her personal coach and physical therapist Jon Plush a great deal of gratitude. Because of him, Consolo feels 20 years younger.
"For 20 years, Kitty has been running with improper biomechanics and trying to change that in one year has been very difficult," Plush said. "She's had to relearn how to have fun, how to train and how to compete. She's like a kid again and we're seeing times drop. We're seeing her body respond and her mechanics dramatically change. She is running faster now than she did five-to-10 years ago."
Consolo is allergic to inhalers, and there are certain medications she can and can't have. On a daily basis she uses a nebulizer, which is a device used to administer medication in the form of a mist inhaled into the lungs.
As a way to manage her breathing, part of the training regiment is making sure Consolo stays hydrated. Each water stop along the Half Marathon route will be vital to her completing the race.
Consolo says she would not be doing what she is doing without the assistance of Dr. Michael Waickman, who is an allergist and immunologist in Akron, Ohio.
"My goal this year is to be just be on the starting line and be on that finish line," Consolo said. "I have no idea if I will be competitive. My coach doesn't want me to get too excited."
Consolo is married to Barry Allman and serves as an associate professor in health and sciences at Ohio University in Zanesville. She was recently inducted into the Granville High School's Ace Hall of Achievement based on her success in the field of health and fitness.
Not only does Consolo write an "Ask the Expert" column for Runner's World Magazine, but with the assistance of the Northeast Running Club she has completed a DVD called "Running and Winning the Race of Life."
She is considered a pioneer for women after competing as the sole female on the Wake Forest University's cross country team in 1975.
"I feel like I'm reborn both spiritually and physically," Consolo said. "One advantage to being older is that I appreciate every mile and every step. When I was younger, my only thoughts were getting better and faster.
"My advice to young people is to savor where you are. Be happy in the moment."
Article Photos
Kitty Consolo goes hiking with her best running partner, Lance, near her home in Granville, Ohio. At 53 years of age, Consolo is trying to make a comeback on the running circuit and will compete in the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon on Saturday, Aug. 21.