Not every Miss USA gets an article in Runner's World

October 10, 2024 6:03 PM

Miss USA, an Army Officer, Has a New Mission: The Chicago Marathon West Point alum and current Stanford University student pursuing a master's in data science, Alma Cooper will compete in Miss Universe next month—but first, she’ll run 26.2 miles to raise money to end gender-based violence.

Sometimes, it's just interesting learning about people with impressive accomplishments who are really, really different from anyone I know

posted by hydropsyche (11 comments total)

I imagine that having to ruck through the hills of the Hudson Valley is good training for road races.
posted by NoxAeternum at 6:30 PM on October 10 [1 favorite]

If she previously ran a half marathon in 1:44, assuming her training is sufficient, then a sub 4 hour marathon is doable. A time like that in the HM usually translates to a full in the 3:30s or 3:40s - you have to account for the fatigue that sets in after 32km / 20 miles. Really, a lot of marathon training comes down to preparing for those last six miles!
posted by fortitude25 at 7:06 PM on October 10 [4 favorites]

Twenty. Two. Years. Old.

West Point Grad.
Stanford University working on Masters
Serving as an officer in US Army
First Afro-Latina contestant to win Miss USA.
Marathon Runner

This woman contains multitudes.
posted by BlueHorse at 7:17 PM on October 10 [16 favorites]

Sorry. I'm a Canadian. I am familiar with "Miss America".

But what is this "Miss USA" thing?
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 7:19 PM on October 10

"Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant."

From 1996 to 2015 it was owned and operated by That Fucking Guy, and then it was sold to the William Morris Group. Who then sold it to a Thai conglomerate of some sort? Not that they're running it much better, apparently.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 8:48 PM on October 10 [5 favorites]

Sometimes, it's just interesting learning about people with impressive accomplishments who are really, really different from anyone I know

And how. Thanks for this, hydropsyche!
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 11:48 PM on October 10 [1 favorite]

Per Wikipedia: The Miss USA pageant was conceived in 1950 when Yolande Betbeze, winner of the Miss America pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit.
posted by tkinvt at 9:47 AM on October 11

wow. she is so much more than a pretty face! I suppose its easy to dismiss pageants and their participants as just that, but she is incredible. (22 year old me, no wait! 56 year old me hangs head in relative lack of accomplishmentness.) best of luck to her in all future endeavors!
posted by supermedusa at 10:28 AM on October 11 [1 favorite]

It's really remarkable to scroll down from the beauty pageant photo to the one of her in her running gear; they hardly look like the same person.
posted by Halloween Jack at 12:01 PM on October 11 [2 favorites]

More teeth for sure.
posted by biffa at 4:56 PM on October 11

Looking at her Miss USA picture and considering her background, I can't help but think of the scene in Wreck-It Ralph 2 where Vanellope runs into the princesses, and Cinderella breaks her glass slipper to get ready for a fight.
posted by NoxAeternum at 5:26 PM on October 11