JUNE RUNNING TAT OF THE MONTH

Andrea Lammers,
21 Years Old
UWLaX Student from Milwaukee, WI

(click to enlarge)

Andrea's unique submission completes the first full year of the Tat-of-the-Month contest in style. It is also the second tattoo to feature the maple leaf, something we Americans need to note as perhaps there truly is something special about that country up north. This is Andrea's 4th tattoo, and perhaps her most meaningful. It serves as a tribute to her late father.

Andrea's father, Andrew, was an "epitome of physical fitness" who ran, biked, and lifted weights on a daily basis. In April 2004 he had a very unexpected heart attack. Experts concluded the primary culprit was genetics- he had a triple bypass in 1995 and the family knew nothing about his family history as he was an orphan from Quebec. Andrea decided her next tattoo would be a tribute to her father, who "influenced me so much in the area of physical fitness."

The week following her father's death, Andrea completed her first half marathon. The following year she crossed the finish line of her first marathon in Madison, and ran it again despite the scorching 96 degree heat this past memorial weekend- the smiling picture above is proof.  She's already registered for Chicago this fall. "I do these marathons in honor of my dad; while he never ran long distance, he ran because he loved it. He competed in the Wisconsin Senior Olympics for two years once he was eligible. He passed away at 51."

Andrea adds to the symbolism of the tattoo. "I got my dad's signature on my back; his initials are the same as mine-A Lammers. I put the Canadian maple leaf there to honor his country and I put the angel wings on there for perseverance. It keeps me going."

Congrats to Andrea on earning a $15 gift certificate to the CRC and to Evolved.

Do you want to be the running tat of the month? Send us a picture at info@columbusrunning.com or stop by the store. Please let us know why, how, and when you got the tattoo...

Tat of the Month Archive
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL TAT CHAMPIONS FROM PAST TO PRESENT