Female Athlete
Sculpter
Para Olympic Runner

In the summer of 2008, Luanne unknowingly took the first steps to a new career.  She decided to run a women's race for her 47th birthday.  Luanne has a hereditary eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa.  So, the first thing necessary for the race would be a guide.  She sought out local race director Rich Castro.  He sent out an e-mail to local runners, and one woman replied, Deb Conley.  Together they ran an 8K with avg. 8.5 min. miles.

Luanne thought nothing of it.  She had not been running regularly for the last 7 months.  Deb however was impressed.  She called Luanne and invited her to a local 'all comers' track meet in Boulder.  Luanne agreed.  And the fun began.  The track was a place Luanne could run more freely.  Lanes and smooth track.  She began to train regularly, and ran a Rocky Mt. Masters event in late August of 2008.  Then went to New York in early October to race in the USATF Disabled Cross Country Nationals.  She took first in the blind/visually impaired division and 2nd place female by one second.

In the spring of 2008 Luanne hired coach Rick Rojas of Boulder and began her training for USATF Masters Outdoor Nationals.  Luanne had two 6th place finishes and on second at the event.  It was the first event that a blind runner with a guide had ever entered the Masters able-bodied competition.

Luanne is continuing training and setting her sites on indoor Masters Nationals in Boston 2010.

“During my training for the Outdoor Nationals, I was feeling a fatigue coming on that I couldn't get a handle on.  At the Nationals I was under nourished, dehydrated, and as a result I underperformed.  Upon return, I still couldn't seem to get myself back up.  I wondered if I had diabetes or thyroid problems.

I started seeking sports drinks and was sent to Max Muscle Sports Nutrition in Boulder by a local athlete.  Talking to the nutritionist at the counter, I was given a drink and within 15 minutes I was feeling better.  I was coming out of a low glycemic level that had left me exhausted and somewhat catatonic.  I was so impressed I cam back and purchased the products.  Since then, Max Muscle has worked with me on my nutrition & recovery and I’m feeling great.  I have been running races local and out of state.  I am placing in the top three positions for women overall regardless of age.  I know that at 48 I could not be improving and being competitive in a field of women so much younger than myself without the help of the nutrition analysis and products of Max Muscle Sports Nutrition of Boulder!”              

Luanne Burke,
Boulder CO.