Many readers will know of whom I speak when I describe the mysterious lady often spotted running through town. The tall, slender figure would materialize from the hill above and glide by seemingly without effort, only to disappear. On my daily bike ride with a group of neighbors we would often cross paths with the “lady who runs” as she traced her path through La Conner. One day I asked if she ran competitively. She answered that she was still developing as a runner and was a member of the Bellingham Distance Project, a postcollegiate women’s and men’s competitive training and racing team base...