Get Inspired!
Meet Our 2025 Marathon Race Advocates!
These awesome individuals are passionate about running, community, and inspiring others. As we gear up for the 2025 marathon, they’ll be sharing their journeys, tips, and motivation to keep you energized every step of the way. Follow their stories for real-life training insights, personal triumphs, and a whole lot of heart. Whether you’re chasing a personal best or just starting out, our Race Advocates are here to cheer you on and show what’s possible when you go after your goals. Let’s do this together!
Meet Lisa Landrum
Lisa Landrum is no stranger to the Asheville Marathon & Half—or to pushing her limits. A Boston Marathon finisher, multi-time qualifier, and ultrarunner, she’s raced distances from 5Ks to 100 miles, even conquering the Grand Canyon’s Rim to Rim to Rim. Her most recent accomplishment? Placing second in her age group at the Javelina Jundred 100K.
As a pacer (and sometimes a racer) of the Asheville Marathon & Half since 2015, Lisa has seen the evolution of community on the streets of Asheville. She and her friend Kay look forward to the race as a part of a girls’ trip weekend each year. What better place to celebrate the culmination of the training they put in?
With her deep running experience and coaching certifications, Lisa is passionate about helping runners of all levels achieve more than they thought possible. As the founder of runCLTrun and Forward Motion, Lisa knows and understand the importance of training with simplicity and purpose. Follow her journey as she shares expert tips, real-life training advice, and the inspiration you need to take your running to the next level.
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Meet Carol Spagnuola!
Carol’s running journey is one of resilience and rebuilding. After training hard for a half marathon last fall, a devastating hurricane shifted her focus from running to leading volunteer efforts with World Central Kitchen. Long days of service left little time or energy for running, but Carol never lost her drive.
Now, she’s back at it—starting fresh, training with purpose, and embracing every challenge the marathon journey brings. For Carol, running is a metaphor for life: “You don’t stop in the middle of a hill—you push to the top.” As a professional photographer and local advocate, you'll enjoy following her journey as she works toward crossing her first-ever marathon finish line!
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Meet Jessika Poppe
For Jessika, running the Asheville Marathon this year is deeply personal. After Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Asheville, including her favorite running routes in the River Arts District, she’s determined to turn her miles into a symbol of hope and restoration.
Though her usual training paths were destroyed, Jessika has adapted, proving that resilience and creativity can keep goals alive. This is skillset she developed while completing the 2,198 mile Appalachian Trail and will use again as she prepares for this race. Follow her journey as she trains with heart and purpose, running not just for herself, but for the place she proudly calls home.