Competitor Group, Inc.

Mario Fraioli Is Going Down

by | Dec 14, 2010 |

Last year I won the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon. And when I say “won” it, I don’t mean I was the first woman to cross the finish line. I was the first person to cross the finish line. Behind me were all of the 9,354 other women in the race—and all of the 5,105 men.

People sometimes ask me if I take special satisfaction in beating men in races. The answer is not really. I guess I thought it was kind of cool to outrun most of the boys my age when I did my first few road races in Duluth as a kid. But then I stopped racing boys. In high school, college, and beyond, all of my cross country and track races were female only.

I started competing with males again in 2007 when I started racing half marathons and marathons. And since the elite women have a separate start in a lot of those races, I still don’t have a lot of experience going head to head against men.

I know there are some men out there who can’t stand to lose to a woman. And I have to admit, I do enjoy beating those men specifically! I figure if a guy has a problem with women being faster than him, he deserves what he gets when I leave him in my dust!

Recently I heard through the grapevine that Mario Fraioli at competitor.com wants to beat me at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Half Marathon on January 16. Now, I don’t know if Mario is one of those guys who can’t handle losing to a woman or if he just thinks that trying to beat me is a good goal, but if he wants to beat me, then I want to beat him.

That’s right: You’re going down, Mario Fraioli!

I’m only halfway kidding. The folks at Competitor have told me there will only be a limited number of fast women in Phoenix to compete with. Anytime I race, I like to have at least one other runner close by to push me along to my best possible performance. And if it’s a coed event, I don’t care if that other person is male or female.

Based on what I’ve been told, Mario should be a good match for me. He recently ran 1:11:55 at Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas. He’ll probably be ready to go a little faster in Phoenix, and I hope I can too. It could come down to the wire!

I just hope Mario doesn’t cry if I beat him. I’d hate to make a grown man cry.

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  • http://www.runningdummy.com RunningDummy

    Hahaha, awesome!

  • Jamieofthenorth

    Crush him!

  • http://rundash.blogspot.com/ Dash

    I love it!

  • Cherelle5kids

    Make him cry! ;)

    My kids like to shout, “Mommy runs faster than Daddy!” They’ve been trying to get him to exercise so they are targeting his competitiveness.

  • Kristen

    I would love to see you make a grown man cry. Watch out Mario!

  • Gotta Run

    Did Alberto or someone else hack into your blog? WOW! What a post! That is AWESOME!!!! Love to actually hear that fire inside. Take Mario down, Kara! I’ll be cheering for you! And I’ll see you in Boston. Sooo exicted to hear you are running it. I’ll be only an hour or so behind you. :)

  • http://gone-running.blogspot.com/ Kate

    You are awesome!!! That mindset alone has him beat already!! :)

  • http://www.girlsgottarun.org Patricia E. Ortman

    Kara, When you have a chance, will you please check out our website for the Girls Gotta Run Foundation, Inc. (http://www.girlsgottarun.org)? We are an all volunteer organization and help support impoverished Ethiopian girls training to be professional runners so they can stay in school, avoid too early marriage and childbirth, and improve their life chances. I’ld love to talk with you about ways in which you might be able to support our work. I know you are admired by the young women runners on our Board very much and think that if you are interested in our mission at all, you could be an enormous help to us. And, if it means anything to you, :) , I’m from Northern Wisconsin originally, Ashland, not far from Duluth, with which I am very well acquainted! Thank you, Kara. Please email me at pat@girlsgottarun.org or call me at (202) 244-6354, which is in Washington, D.C., where I’ve lived since I graduated from college in 1971. Pat

  • Anonymous

    Your trash talking has come a long way since the Kara-Shalane video. Tell him he can run and tell THAT (literally!)!

  • mizunoheaven

    As a mom you can do anything!!! go kick some boy butt!

  • Franfri

    If your run faster than 1.12.00 it will be a very good sign. You are in the right way. I hope so. Sorry for my english.

    It´s a bit stupid to hear men who don´t want to be beated by women, but stupid people is everywhere. You will beat him, I´m sure
    Kisses from Spain

  • Megan

    I hope you beat him!! Go Kara! You are an inspiration for all women!

  • Kelly Ash64

    I read from Running Times that Kara is running Boston but nothing on her blog?????????

  • Diaphanasoma

    This is hilarious. Go Kara!!

    Isn’t Fraioli the guy who puts together running.competitor.com (this website)?
    This is even funnier!

  • ann

    There’s a Nike shirt that says, “I hope you like losing”. You should wear one on race day!

  • Andrea

    Go get him Kara!

    I used to get to run in the boy’s races in middle school because the girls were too slow! My five month old son has been so wonderful but getting back into running with working parttime/the rain/baby has been challenging,

    My husband jokes that our baby Emmett will have some steep competition when him and Colt get to high school and compete against eachorher (ha ha) (we’re in Tigard)

    You’re such an inspiration – thank you for sharing your thoughts with us all…again beat that guy in AZ by a mile!

  • http://motherunning.blogspot.com/ Tanya

    GO Kara! I want you to beat Mario, not just because you are a woman, but because you are an amazing runner, regardless of gender, and I love to see you win!

  • aboston

    I know! I totally want a blog update from the source herself!! I’m super excited that I’ll be on the same course with her

  • NBB-YG

    Go Mario, Go!

  • Karjohns

    I love you both, so I hope that you can use each other to accomplish great things!

    Go Mario and Kara!

  • Weerd1

    Kara, not that I am in ANY way competition for you, it would be an honor to have you beat me in a race!

  • seeamyrun

    Kara-

    I love your writing style! I love reading your blog and how you are doing balancing mommy-dom and runnning. I am pregnant with my second and running is a great part of my life that keeps me sane :) Keep doing what you are doing! You’re hard core drive is such an inspiration to myself and mommies everywhere! Can’s wait to hear how you do against Mario!

  • Chris V

    Hi Kara!
    From one of his East Coast friends (and from a training partner to a lot of very fast women over the years)…please crush him and make him weep. While he’s weeping, give him an atomic wedgie!
    Much appreciated. Thanks!

  • http://www.lifethesigleway.blogspot.com Brittani

    I love running faster than boys…its the best :)

  • Dpetty3

    I will be in the minority, like usual:)

    Kara only won Chicago because the men’s field was weak and that was intentional. If there were faster men there, which Chicago didn’t want, she would have been lost behind them and that’s makes for bad publicity/race coverage. It’s all for fun and publicity folks, nothing else.

    Nothing personal Kara, just the facts.

  • Shellyoh

    Kara you are AWESOME!

  • http://www.literallylaughingoutloud.blogspot.org Julie

    According to Runners World magazine, a guy’s getting “chicked” is being passed by a female. I must admit I LOVE the satisfaction of passing guys, especially near the end of a race, who look as if they’re my age.

    Good luck in the upcoming rock n roll half and at Boston, Kara! I will be an hour behind you at Boston but still honored to “chase” you.

    You are awesome! Thanks for inspiring fellow runners in the U.S., male or female.

  • Mikeeee

    I’m a man, I will be running the race on Sunday and I know you will beat me by many minutes. I’m still looking forward to lining up at the start line alongside you at least! I hope you have a great race.

  • meg

    Hope Colt is feeling better and you get to AZ to crush Mario. The best satisfaction I got was beating my personal trainer in the Chicago triathlon. He stopped working with me after that. :)
    Go Kara!