If you don't believe flight attendants are always on the run, meet Anette Ronnerman. The 32-year-old AAer gained some notoriety recently when she won her second career Chase Corporate Challenge 3.5-mile race just a few hours after stepping off her regular Stockholm-to-Chicago route.

"It's really not that bad," Ronnerman explained after the race, "but believe me, I will feel the jet lag tonight!" She keeps "Chicago body time" no matter where she is to help keep her in balance during training. "I get to see a lot of layover cities when I'm running and it's great to come out in the fresh air after a long flight. It's too bad to have to sleep during the day when you land in Europe, but that's what works for me."

Anette Ronnerman crosses the finish line in Chicago.

Ronnerman, who was born and raised in Gothenburg, Sweden, first came to the United States in 1987 on a track and cross country scholarship to Point Loma College in San Diego. "I had four good years there," she says modestly.

Actually, "great" is more like it. Ronnerman was named NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) All-American in the 800 meters in 1991, and still holds the Crusaders' school record in that event. The versatile athlete even now is on the school's Top 10 Perfomers list in six events including the high jump and the triple jump. In 1988-89 she won the Crusader Sports Associates Female Athlete Award, which recognizes "exceptional ability and leadership."

After Eight Years, Time Runs By
As soon as she finished school, Ronnerman put in an application with American and was hired in the summer of 1992. "The airline industry has interested me since I was young," she says. "I remember wanting to be a flight attendant with SAS [Scandinavian airlines], but I put those plans on hold and pretty much forgot about them while I was in college."

Then a friend inspired her by getting a job with United, and now, says Ronnerman, "I've just completed my eighth year." The irony of her statement is unintentional, but no wonder Ronnerman believes "Time flies by!"

She started running at the age of 14, and upon moving to California switched from shorter sprint distances to the middle distances. After leaving college, she says she "sort of became a long distance runner on my own, to stay in shape and stay healthy." The strong running community in Chicago eventually drew her into some local 5K and 10K road races.

By 1997, Ronnerman had "graduated" to a marathon training program, and finished second overall among women in the Anchorage marathon with a time of 3:07. While she duplicated that time in the 1998 San Diego Marathon, she says, "Unfortunately, I didn't reach my goal of breaking three hours."

There aren't many goals that have eluded Ronnerman. She won eight different local Chicago road races during the summer of 2000, and in 1999 finished tenth among all women competing in the world's largest half-marathon (13.1 miles) in her hometown of Gothenburg. She also found time to compete in her first five triathlons this summer.

Faster Than Ever ... And No End In Sight
"Competitive running is quite important to me," she admits. "I have been competitive all my life in different kinds of sports and running is no different. I like setting goals and trying to reach them." It's paid off; she says that after eight years of road racing, "I'm faster now than I've ever been. And who says I should stop now?"

She won't. This month in Cancun, Ronnerman will be competing in her seventh World Airline Roadrace, which involves nearly 2000 employees from more than 70 airlines. Last year in Vancouver, she was the second overall finisher among women and won her age group in the 5K by more than a full minute.

"WARR is a great event," says Ronnerman, "and it's growing bigger and bigger every year. It's a great way to travel and meet new people and experience different cultures." (For more information on WARR, contact the AA Running Club at Sabre star record N*AARUNNER.)

It's not just about the competition, though. "The best part about running is that I'm having fun with friends," says Ronnerman. "I also like the disciplined lifestyle running brings me."

"It's important to have something you feel you are good at. And running is that for me."