We are excited to introduce you to our 2013 ZOOMA Texas Ambassadors. This is a select group of ladies who are influential both online and in their personal running communities. They will be helping us keep our runners informed, inspired and motivated. These ladies all have different running backgrounds, but they share a passion for empowering women through running.

Lindsay, a nutrition/fitness consultant in Austin, describes herself as the sherpa wife to a pro triathlete. She’s a wine loving, kombucha addict that is just plain passionate about GLUTEN FREE cooking. She’s the owner/creator of Healthy Bites, a company dedicated to offering healthy snacks and fueling options for people of all dietary needs. You can follow her travel and fitness adventures at Cotter Crunch.com and on Twitter at @LCCotter.

After being overweight for her entire life Erika Sears decided to stop coasting and start running. She has been maintaining her 120 pound weight loss for almost three years, and has run three marathons. Erika is proof that anyone can become a runner! She is actively involved in wellness initiatives in her community, and is passionate about helping others succeed in this area. Erika loves to run with her two daughters, and does lots of running after her toddler son who she adopted from Korea this summer. Erika raced ZOOMA Texas in 2009 as her very first half marathon, and was a 2011 and 2012 ZOOMA Ambassador. She blogs about running and life over at Fit Girl and you can find her on Facebook HERE. 

Jennifer Fisher has been running since her mid-twenties and can’t imagine the sport not being part of her life. She has had some amazing experiences thanks to running including racing the original Athens marathon, carrying the torch through Austin for the XIX Winter Olympics, finally getting to the start (and finish) line of the Boston Marathon, and recently participating in the Hood to Coast Relay with an all-blogger-all-female team sponsored by Nuun. She aspires to serve as a role model to other women of all ages and abilities, but especially those 40 years and over like her. Through her blog, The Fit Fork, she hopes her readers will be inspired to take a “healthy bite out of life” by whipping up one of her recipes, incorporating a new workout move into a routine or gaining some useful nugget of health information that will change a body and mind for the better. Find her on Twitter at @TheFitFork.

Melissa Carlson is a distance runner from Austin with a running shoe addiction and a love for a great bottle of wine. As a former smoker and party girl, she never imagined herself running anywhere except to a happy hour. In 2010 she registered for a half marathon as a way to quit smoking. When she crossed the finish line that fall, she knew it wouldn’t be her last. Roughly 30 races later, she is still head over heels in love with the sport. 13.1 miles is her favorite distance and is looking forward to racing it at ZOOMA Texas in March. Her blog, Melissa Runs, chronicles her passion for fitness and wine: it’s all about balance! Check her out on Twitter @Melissalicia512.

Missy Stevens is an un-athletic athlete. Her greatest skill may be ending up on the injured list, but that hasn’t stopped her from training as a swimmer, runner, and triathlete. Missy has a passion for training (and for injury prevention!). Her day jobs include wife, mother to two boys, and part-time writer. In the day-to-day chaos, Missy finds that nothing clears her head or lifts her spirits like a good workout – and some laughs – with friends. She has completed numerous 5K and 10K races, one marathon, one triathlon, and has two half marathons and a few triathlons on her 2013 calendar. She blogs at Wonderfriend.com and you can follow her on Twitter at @Missy_Stevens.

Leigh Ann Torres is a freelance writer and blogger living in Austin, TX. As a mother of 4 year old identical twins and a two year old, all girls, she writes about the good, the bad, and the ridiculous of life with twins plus one at Genie in a Blog. Leigh Ann grew up playing soccer, softball, and volleyball, and most recently took on her biggest challenge to date  by completing the Austin Tough Mudder course and living to tell the tale. Follow Leigh Ann on Twitter at @latorres.

 Caroline is a graduate student, foodie, and beginner runner.  Her blog, After Dinner Dance, showcases her love of cooking delicious and nutritious meals that make veggies taste good, as well as her journey to stay healthy and fit through running, yoga, and keeping up with her red toy poodle, Teddy.  She ran her first 5k last spring in New Hampshire and is ready to take on the challenge of running a half-marathon in her home state of Texas. Caroline knows that running doesn’t always come easy, but she believes that the feeling of accomplishment after each run makes all the effort worth it. Follow her journey at afterdinnerdance.com, and find some delicious recipes while you’re there! 

Rachael is the blogger behind Happy Healthy Runner where she tries to spread her passion for healthy living, fitness, plenty of running, the cute boy that she married and always a good glass of wine or a craft beer. Rachael is a writer by day and a runner by night, and ran her first marathon in January 2012 at the Houston marathon, where she officially caught the marathon bug. She strives to find a healthy balance between nutritious foods and a bit of indulgence, and loves to connect with other people who are passionate about fitness or are interested in getting started.

Ashley is the PR Account Manager at Bounce Marketing and Events and a freelance writer/editor who resides in Austin, Texas.While in college, Ashley interned for a literary agency and two publications, one of which was Competitor, where her career in fitness writing came to fruition.  After graduation, she moved to Austin, where her previous opportunity to work with the editorial staff eventually led to a year as Texas Regional Editor of Competitor.  Ashley has also been a fitness contributor for Austin Woman Magazine and has contributed an article to The Austin Times. Wanting to practice what she preaches, her fitness writing led to an accidental running career, and Ashley completed her first half marathon in April 2011.  She is currently training for her first full marathon. Follow Ashley’s training on her blog HERE and check her out on Twitter @Aaericks.

Lisa started running a few years ago due to a challenge from friends. She never thought she would continue to run because she only ran to her car when it was raining or to prevent her children from running out into the street. She never willingly ran and she certainly didn’t choose it as her form of exercise. Oh heck no.  But Lisa took her friends up on that challenge three years ago and here she is- still running! Lisa loves to laugh, eat, socialize and snuggle with her three kids. She also love chips, salsa and margaritas.  She can bust a mean move at Zumba. She absolutely adores the women she has met through ZOOMA- this is her third year to participate. Lisa has a personal family blog – Growing Up Mo- but she also spends quite a bit of time writing for The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans, an online weight loss and healthy living community. She heads up *Runners Corner* over there and also shares her insight and humor on a variety of topics.