About Edna

Mexican American competitor Edna Jackeline Vazquez Núñez discovered a love for athletics in her hometown of Monterrey in Nuevo León México. In her teens, she developed a love for ultramarathons thanks to her aunt Maria Elena. She is the first Mexican American woman to conquer four of the globe's fiercest desert ultramarathons.

Owner of Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition in Pilsen offering Chicago marathon training, personal training, and fitness coaching. She is a Chicago Running Coach, Ultramarathoner runner, Author of Las Carreras de mi Vida (The Races of My Life) Jueves de Maraton, a Spanish radio host, and has completed the 4 Deserts racing the planet.

Edna has run ultramarathons on all types of terrain in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Antarctica. Edna won the International Latino Book Award in two categories: Best First Spanish Language Book and Best Women's Issues Book with her book Las Carreras de mi Vida.

Behind her determination and philosophy for survival and prosperity there is a story to be told.

She is a stellar example of the Latino community. She’s been swimming, doing gymnastics and performing ballet since the age of 3. While in middle school, a group of military personnel made a visit to her school and offered some advice she never forgot: pursue your goals with discipline and the mindset of never giving up.

Her father, who never finished primary school, and her mother, a university professor, always encouraged her to study hard and to know the world beyond her limits, encouraging her to build strength in a variety of disciplines to succeed.

The lack of money did not matter because there are always opportunities through hard work and diligent study. She went to school on scholarships and most of her races were sponsored in exchange for doing community services. It was in the way that she got funded to cross the Atlantic to run her first big 100k (62 mile) race in Belgium.

Since 1998, Edna has run ultramarathons on all types of terrain in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Antarctica. Edna went from running 6 miles to 13 miles to 26 miles to 50 and beyond to reach 62. Afterwards, she went on to compete in Ironman races before tackling even greater ultramarathon distances.

Welcome to Chicago

Chicago has been Edna’s home since 2005. And while there, at the age of 35, Edna became the first Mexican American to complete the 4 Deserts Race series to become a member of the highly esteemed 4 Deserts Club. The 4 Deserts ultramarathon series is widely recognized as the most prestigious outdoor footrace series in the world. The series consists of the Namib Race (Namibia 2016), the Gobi March (Mongolia 2015), the Atacama Crossing (Chile 2013) and the Last Desert (Antarctica 2016). Each self-supported race traverses 250k (155 miles) over seven days through rough country terrain with only tent lodging and water provided by race officials. Everything else (food, electrolytes, sleeping bag) must be provided by and carried by the runner.

Among the race distances that Edna has finished are multiple 155-mile stage races as well as many 50 mile, 100 mile and 150 mile runs.

Educated for Success

Edna is a USA Boxing Certified Coach and a USA Track and Field Certified Level I Coach specializing in endurance sports. She is an Autism Exercise Specialist certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.

She graduated from The University of Monterrey in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, with a bachelor’s degree in human relations and extended her studies in social psychology at Sevilla University in Spain.

She has an MBA from Robert Morris University specializing in food and the sports industry. In October 2018 she published her Spanish language book entitled The Races of My Life (Las Carreras de mi Vida). It is her autobiography detailing her transition from life in Mexico to Spain and eventually the United States. In it, she talks about her life through running — the ups and downs — using her competitions as metaphors for her diversities. The book narrates the arduous journeys of an ultramarathoner, but also a woman in search of freedom, self-determination and love. It is an inspiring story that can be appreciated by athletes and non-athletes alike.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

 For 10 years Edna worked in food manufacturing, handling administrative, logistical and personnel management duties. She started out her career as an assistant and worked her way up to becoming an operations manager.

In February 2018, she founded her fitness studio, Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition, in the Pilsen neighborhood. Located in the heart of Chicago, Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition is dedicated to building a strong community through physical activity and healthy lifestyle education.

At Vive Healthy, the environment is created by the lively energy of the participants, music, culture, and language, all leading to strengthened human relationships.

Edna is convinced that sport, besides being a tool for physical training or development, is a lifestyle that provides one with the necessary attributes to adapt, grow, socialize and set goals.

Edna believes life is a journey in stages. Sometimes you go fast, sometimes you go slow. It only takes patience and intelligence to lead the way and reach your goals.

Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition

965 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608

Founder & Owner

Vive Healthy is a community focused fitness studio featuring a wide variety of group fitness classes and personal training where individuals are empowered to be the best versions of themselves. We are dedicated to building a strong community through physical activity and healthy lifestyle education while inspiring others to move more and eat healthy.

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The Races of My Life

The Races of My Life (Las Carreras de mi Vida) is Edna’s autobiography detailing her transition from life in Mexico to Spain and eventually the United States. In it, she talks about her life through running — the ups and downs — using her competitions as metaphors for her diversities.

Read More →

TUDN Radio Chicago

Thursdays at 7am

Edna is a radio host of Jueves de Maratón, a radio show on TUDN 1220 every Jueves at 7am.