Quite the marathon to start a career with...

I work with Linda and I've never met anyone more dedicated. She's been running a lot this winter, and although it may not be the best training for a subartic marathon, she shows a lot of dedication. She loves to travel and loves to run, so why not let her combine those two passions. She also recently began working with an Asian-American girl who is diabetic and has severe emotional and family problems. Linda will show her that there is more to life, especially if choose her to run in your North Pole Marathon.

I'd think she would be fun to watch running :)

I've known Linda for ten years, since we started college. The great thing about Linda is that anything she does, she does with the greater good in mind. She has pursued all kinds of altruistic ventures, including working to get an advanced degree in public health and involvement in politics as a means to change the world for the better. She has the highest standards of anyone I know, and she's fun to be with to boot. If I had to be stuck running around in the North Pole, I would want it to be with Linda.

Linda and I go way back to the good ole days of high school. It was freakin' cold in Maryland but not like it'd be in the North Pole. What can I say about this woman? Determine. Unstoppable. Crazy. Can you get her the heck out of San Francisco for a stint because I'm getting tired of her harassing me to go run with her!

Linda would totally rock the North Pole with sass and style. And I think she'd totally be a kick-ass runner and have a great time. It would be sad to have her gone, but just be sure to send her back and no one will get hurt.

1.She can be the QUEEN of ICE.
2.She would give the polar bears a run for their money.

3.And she would make us all damn proud!!!!!!!

4. I could now say I have a friend actually crazier than myself and this would be great for my self-esteem. So you must pick her becasue we are good friends and friends do anything to help out their friends... Especially crazy things like run at the north pole!!!! I am jealous. Now I want to run. See she inspired someone already and she hasn't even run the race yet.

I don't know who this "linda from san francisco" is, but having read all the profiles, hers seems the most interesting. She seems very motivated, articulate, and has a good sense of humor. Reading her application and testimonials it is clear to me that it would make sense to select her to run in the marathon- if she is in fact a real person (which I would not know since I have never met her).

Linda has shiny black hair that will make an awesome contrast on the stark North Pole if she can keep it from freezing.

;)

I've known Linda since high school and we've been great friends even though I think we've only both lived in the same geographic area for 2 of those 12 yrs. She's always been inspirational and adventurous and fearless. She's also a fantastic and creative cook (who else could come up with a picnic of vegan and vegetarian foods that are all served in handheld portions? stuffed tomatoes, stuffed peaches, yummmm. Take that, Top Chefs!)

I think this would be such an incredible adventure for her, and for me, too because I feel like when she writes I live vicariously through her

I think Linda should go the North Pole and run, because this maybe the catalyst event in her life that will lead her down her path to self-discovery. To the undisputable fact that she is powerful beyond all means of measure, and in that capable of anything. Hopefully, she will be selected and I will have the chance to say goodbye to my friend, and hello to someone new!

Choose Linda because she is very passionate about doing this. Last year, she ran the Bay to Breakers on the hilltops of SF on a rainy weather weekend when most people would rather sleep in. Yes, I know North Pole will have more challenging weather conditions than any SF weather, but she can do it. She'd make everyone proud and inspire all of us regular people to run :). Go Linda!

I don't know Linda, but there is no doubt she is real. She hasn't devoted her life to adventure races, ultra marathons, or arctic exploration-- and neither have most of us. Sending Linda to the North Pole would be a triumph for athletes everywhere who train daily for fun, fitness, and mental clarity. Linda's run would be affirmation for those athletes out there who are dedicated to their sport, but strive maintain a healthy balance in their lives. Sure, there are better runners. Sure, there are more experienced adventure racers. But is there any one who would be a better inspiration to the average woman waking to the 5:30am drone of their alarm clock to log a 4 mile loop before a long day at work? In Linda, many can see themselves. Send her northward!

I can vouch for the fact that Linda can and will keep on kayaking despite nasty, nasty sunburn. I mean really nasty. And will keep on kayaking under a burny, burny tropical summer sun. It was really burny. I am certain that she would keep on running despite freezy, freezy North Pole weather. And that she would do it not only for self-actualization, but also to help inspire others to achieve what at first seems impossible.

I think Linda would do a kick ass job at both running a North Pole marathon and being an ambassador for the cause of North Pole marathoning.

Chose Linda.

Linda rocks!! She's super motivated, determined, and inspirational to women and girls everywhere! We can't go against the wise-words of her mom!

Go LINDA!!! Send her to the northpole!

I've known Linda her whole life and here are some little known, but interesting facts:

1. She is real.
2. She once interviewed Scott Bakula of "Quantum Leap" fame for a school tv program, displaying media savvy at the tender age of 14.
3. Her perception of reality is noticeably different than the average person (I don't like to use the word *crazy*, but...)
4. She is the Queen of all Drama Queens (see #3).
5. Her nickname growing up was "meatball" - Is this why she is a veggie today? Hmmmm...

Don't know that our mother meant her children to marathon in the North Pole (see #3), but if someone is stubborn enough to pull it off, I guess it'd be Linda.

Good luck, majesty!

As her roommate, I can vouch for Linda - she trains and trains and trains....and she even spends her spare time volunteering to encourage young girls to run. Now if that's not deserving, I dont know what is!

Linda is a crazy dynamo of energy and ideas. Sending her to the North Pole would elevate her creativity almost out of this world. By the time she reaches the finish line she'll have composed 8 short stories, 2 operettas, 7 original clarinet scores, a new national anthem, 2 Korean soap operas and 23 whodunnit crime novels. With this much to offer our sad, war-torn world (in much need of inspiration), how could you not send THE Linda Leu to the North Pole? Who knows, maybe she'll even colonize it so that some of us can hide there during the rest of W's misguided term!

I am inspired by Linda's spirit to even think that it would be a fun idea to run in sub zero weather. She is an amazing, amazing person. A deliciously intelligent writer. She puts herself in situations that other would say, "No Way!!" because Linda has no fear. Well, maybe she has a little fear but she is battling that fear and maybe that is better than having no fear. I think Linda should be part of this marathon because then I can introduce her as, " This is my friend Linda. Isn't she hot? She is one of the best writers I know. Wait until her book comes out. And what an amazing cook she is! Oh! Linda is my friend that ran the North Pole Marathon! Can you believe it?"

Linda may not have run a marathon before but she ran a 21k this week-end. Is she sore? Maybe, but that won't stop her. She is not a quitter. She will continue to train and run with her goal of the North Pole Marathon in mind. Fear? I guess one could be fearful of the cold and the toll it could take on the physical self during a marathon. The Linda I know thinks this is one of the elements that makes the NP Marathon a challenge - and one worth facing.

Since I can't go, and I used to be an avid runner, I am one of those thousands of women Linda will be representing as she strides along the beautiful white landscape.

Linda already bought her subzero designer jumpsuit for trip to the North Pole. She looks quite silly jogging around the Bay area in the thing. People stop, stare and say "What the heck is that woman in a puffy North Pole outfit doing." Please let Linda and her down-lined 35-pound special suit go to the place where they belong, the contest that they belong in, the North Pole Marathon. Otherwise she'll just be a crazy Californian jogging around in a weird outfit. Good luck Linda!

I think a lot of the people that are reading this are thinking "If they pick Linda, what are the chances of her staying alive for the entire marathon". The chances are pretty slim, but we need to forget about that for now. What we really need to do is ask if we want the same old marathon type person looking for a free ride and another notch on the old belt, or if we want someone, like Linda, who is generally excited about getting an opportunity to travel to the great frozen tundra to run a marathon? I am pulling for Linda and I’m not alone. Let Linda be our Pheidippides, and bring us the news of the defeat of her opponents, against all odds. Only lets hope she doesn’t collapse and die like her Grecian counterpart.

Linda is a great person for this run since she's dedicated and passionate about things whether it's food, politics, or just caring about people. I hope she gets this "once in a lifetime opportunity" to run in the Arctic.

Linda is fantastic! I appreciate her as a roommate and a person. Her energy is infectious and inspiring. I have seen her do awesome things in her life and continue to help others. She honestly cares about what she can do in the world. Linda amazes me at how she pushes herself to do marathons and take care of herself and explore the world. As one of the more genuine people I know, Linda deserves a shot at this mammoth marathon and will serve as the every-man's woman in sharing her experience with the rest of the world.

Send Linda to North Pole! She truly deserves to be in this marathon...She is such an amazing, intelligent, and energetic young woman who would definitley represent the people of the Bay Area:)

yeah, uh huh, like, what everyone else is saying, you know....
i'll start by saying Linda is a powerhouse, a force, her passion for life(excuse the sappy expression) is very apparent, and one of the things which impresses me most about her is her drive to point out people's strengths, what she sees/appreciates about them; she gladly toots other people's horns for them("hey, these are the things that make you great, doncha know? be proud..!"), and that is very empowering... she also knows her way around a kitchen(she could also be the head marathon chef, making wholesome meals full o' energy) and is a kick-ass writer... by sharing with us her experience in this marathon, she will no doubt empower and inspire... who cares that she knows a thing or two about running- the marathon would be all the better with Linda in it, and if you only pick people who've run marathons, what a snoozefest that would be...

As Linda's subordinate, please let me be her substitute by sending her to this "subarctic" you speak of!!
Also, being her intern....her footsteps would much harder for me to follow if they tracked past these darn automatic doors!

ok, ok, if that doesn't convince you,
let me just say that no one deserves to be on TOP OF THE WORLD as much as lovely Linda. :)

I was Linda's roommate in New York after she had spent more than 5 years basking in the California sun and after I had spent a lifetime wearing flip flops during the winters of Los Angeles. Needless to say, we were wussy! We had never experienced such cold weather walking in the slush and ice of NYC to our overpriced grad school classes. I can't say I acquired any tolerance for the cold, BUT Linda can now run at 5am in the morning when it's 30 degrees outside. No matter when you call her she’s scheduling her next run or battling her ipod shoe device. She is amazing at anything she puts her mind to and great at planning! This girl saves the world from social inequalities by day, finds time to mentor court appointed troubled kids, cooks like she should be on Top Chef, and is meticulous about sending only handmade holiday and birthday cards. No one but her has time for all that PLUS time to plan her next running route. She’s inspired me over and over to run more, cook more, learn more! Linda- you’re Bad-Ass!

What an amazing accomplishment if this were your first marathon! Good luck!

Linda is definitely the right person for your contest. She is outgoing and will reverberate her experience to a lot of people, which in turn will inspire them to run as well. It is basically a win-win situation. Pick Linda!