Stacy Kitchens of Tujunga competed in the recent Avalon 50K 50M that was held on Catalina on Jan. 12.

“I’ve been running my whole life but ran my first marathon just four years ago,” said Kitchens. “At 31 miles, this was my longest run so far and I had to really prepare for it, including training running up hiking trails in the foothills area. It was tough for me, but the island views were stunning, and the weather perfect. I was proud to finish the whole 31 miles!”

Looking ahead, Kitchens’ next planned marathon is on March 24 in the LA Marathon.

When she’s not running or working with her husband David, she heads up the local Church of Scientology Mission of the Foothills in Montrose, where she’s served for over 20 years, specializing in communication and study courses for children as well as life improvement courses for adults.