Our November Runner Spotlight is on Stacey Clavijo, a kindergarten teacher who began “walking/ running in 2015 around the neighborhood to start a healthier lifestyle and keep up with [husband and ultrarunner] Fabio.” Within a few years, Stacey was running 5ks, 10ks, then half marathons. In October 2024, she completed her first ever full marathon, coming in under her goal time at the Marine Corps finish line! 
Stacey estimates that she ran “about 30” races with Bishop’s Events in 2023. This year, while challenging herself to meet training plan mileage, Stacey has tried to run as many events as possible in-person. She says, “I love getting into my own groove each time I start a race. Sometimes that means finding someone to pace off of or realizing that if I continue pushing myself I’ll set a new PR.” When she can’t make an event in-person, she registers to run as a virtual participant and has completed 300+ total lifetime events. This balance of running both in-person and virtually has helped her to clock many miles each week as she begins to consider a second marathon: “the Shamrock Marathon in March in Virginia Beach.” 
When asked what keeps her coming back to run with Bishop’s Events, Stacey says it’s because of “the relationships I’ve built with all the amazing people that are a part of the Bishop’s Events family, including the wonderful staff!! I also love volunteering at registration and/or handing out medals [and] the supportive and loving atmosphere that everyone gives off! Being a teacher, I always strive to give that sort of environment for my students, so it’s nice to be a part of one myself!” The Bishop’s Events running community gave Stacey “the courage to start doing group fitness a few years ago,” and she now achieves fitness goals across multiple athletic platforms.
With the support of her running friends and family, Stacey continues to step up to conquer new challenges. Her favorite course is “Rock Creek Park because of the hill.” Stacey says: “I love a good challenging hill! Plus, I feel like I’m flying when running down it!” She admits that “As much as I dread running sometimes, I always know I will feel better once I’ve completed a run!”
Meet Stacey at an upcoming event, and bring a dog with you: Stacey says, “I absolutely love dogs! If you bring your dog to race, I will most likely ask if I can pet it!”