Tanna Frederick hopes to earn qualifying time in Sacramento
Sept. 7, 2012
For immediate release
Tanna Frederick gets involved in a lot of things. The stage and film actress has tried her hand at directing, surfing, collecting jewelry and raising money for good causes.
She’s also a runner on a mission. The 35-year-old Iowa native wants to qualify for the Boston Marathon, a quest that includes a trip to Sacramento for the 30th annual California International Marathon on Dec. 2.
Frederick grew up watching her parents run races. She started running herself in middle school and got serious about the sport during her college days at the University of Iowa.
After three marathons, including a 3:46:46 personal best at the Los Angeles Marathon in 2010, Frederick wants to punch her ticket to Boston.
“It would be a huge accomplishment,” she said. “I’ve tried for it for the last seven years, and it’s a bucket list goal, so there’s no option to not qualify because I’ll keep running until I get the time.
“I love making goals and keeping them. My goal has been Boston … I believe this is the time.”
And Sacramento is the place. The CIM’s fast, slightly downhill course has helped the race earn a reputation as a great place to earn a Boston qualifying mark.
Frederick, who lives in Los Angeles, needs a 3:40:00 effort to qualify.
“It would be very symbolic in my life and give me confidence,” she said.
The CIM is founded by the Sacramento Running Association. More than 8,500 runners and 750 relay teams have registered for this year’s 26.2-mile test from Folsom to the state Capitol.
Frederick is best known for her work in independent films, including a break-out performance in ‘Hollywood Dreams’ (2006). She starred with Noah Wylie in ‘Queen of the Lot’ (2010) and with Judd Nelson in ‘Just 45 Minutes from Broadway’ (2012). She also just completed filming ‘The Farm’ in Iowa.
She’s also performed in several plays on stage, worked as a director, enjoyed surfing, founded the Iowa Film Festival and helped raised money for oceanic conservation through ‘Project Save Our Surf.’
“I have been really fortunate in getting consistent work with leading roles in indie films,” she said. “The most important thing to me is choosing the material I love.
“The main thing is always continue to grow. Just keep learning and growing. I’ve been doing that since I was 9. There’s always something new I learn. There’s always something you learn even maybe about yourself.”
Frederick believes running and acting go hand in hand.
“Running improves my acting in terms of physical stamina, and in terms of knowledge of yourself and believing in yourself,” she said.
“It helps so much. The highs and lows are so extreme.”
Frederick hopes her next big running high comes in Sacramento and takes her to Boston.
“I can’t give up,” she said.
The Sacramento Running Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding ways to encourage people of all ages and abilities to run. The SRA is committed to developing new, quality running events that appeal to a broad variety of runners.
Other SRA events include the Lake Natoma Four Bridges Half Marathon on Oct. 28, The Super Bowl Sunday 10k Run on Feb. 3 and the Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run on April 7.
SRA beneficiaries include the American River Parkway, youth fitness programs, local running venues and aspiring young runners.