I didn’t make the 2020 Olympic Team but here’s what I did do

I had the privilege of running in the largest ever (by far!) and most deeply talented women’s field in the history of USA Olympic Marathon Trials.

I finished in the top 1/4 of that field. After a less than ideal build up leading into it, I was satisfied with my effort.

The long version of my Race Recap:

Once every four years there is a special race that is run to decide who goes on to compete in the marathon at the Olympics. This year Atlanta hosted an enormous field and what that might look like was the source of discussion for months leading up to it.

I could write a book about the days leading up to the race, the dinners, the speakers, the amazing pre-race happy hours and festivities. There was so much love and support from everyone in the city of Atlanta. Thank you for making us feel special and being so organized. Instead of a book though, here a few photos of pre-race things we did. I somehow managed to take very few, but the fun was had.

 

Race day: At 11:53 we were escorted out of the women’s warm-up area to the start line. As we came down the chute I got goosebumps. The streets were lined with thousands of people all there cheering and excited to be part of the competition. It felt enormous. I found my sister Sharon and her husband, Ceja in the warm up area and calmed down a bit after a quick hug.

When the gun went off, I started smack in the middle of almost 500 women crowded in on all sides. It was slow at the very start, then picked up speed with everyone kind of carried along at the same pace whether they wanted to be or not. Only 1/2 mile in I heard someone say she needed to slow down a bit. I think she tried, and as a result she was tripped up and hit the pavement hard. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her get kicked in the face. I wanted to help, but was too far away and knew that if I did I would go down as well and probably cause a ripple effect of clipping others and making them fall. I hoped so hard the back of the pack would see her and she wouldn’t get trampled. (Update: She was forced to drop out at mile 12 with a rolled ankle, black eye, and bruised quad. I know she will bounce back and be okay but I’m so sorry she didn’t get to cap off her training with the race of her dreams.)

That was pretty sobering and I paid attention not so much to pace or effort but just staying in my tiny space and not getting tripped. The first water station was at mile 2. My bottle wasn’t there. I ran past but then saw a girl run back with it. I was carrying extra gels… I should have just used one of those but for some reason my first instinct was to turn back and get my bottle. Nothing major happened, it’s just always a bummer to not get through the fluid station quick and avoid additional 180 degree turns.

As I ran on, I began to pay more attention to pace and realized I was going faster than I had planned. My build up had not been without challenge. I’m not complaining or making excuses- just keeping it honest and laying out the details. I had taken some down time due to low iron levels discovered after blood work. Almost immediately after, I got the flu and had to take 7 solid days off from any running or cross-training. I got back into it slowly, but with only 3 weeks until race day, it was really almost taper time. It was a weird little build back up and then taper back down. I honestly wondered if I could complete the distance.

Regardless, I kept my original goal, I wanted to do my best on race day, whatever that might look like. After chatting with my coach and reassessing fitness and where I was at, we also took into account that Boston was an important race for me. With that in mind, the Olympic Trials became more of a really hard effort and running a smart race, doing my best, but not going to the well. We had talked about the possibility of just running to 18 miles and stepping off course, but I really couldn’t wrap my mind around being happy with that. Every workout, every race for the past 2 1/2 years has been aimed at this one marathon, so anything less than my best on the day was a hard pill to swallow. I felt like I needed to finish what I started. That being said, my plan was to start out at a 6:15 pace (ish) or easy effort.

The effort didn’t feel hard, but as I clocked a 5:48 then 5:56 at miles 2 and 3 I knew I would be in trouble later. The biggest challenge was that 5 miles in I was still surrounded by so many other women that I was afraid to slow for fear of getting tripped up.

I should mention the wind. It gets a paragraph all to itself. It seemed like no matter where we were running, we were almost always going into a headwind. Sometimes it was so strong I swear I saw it lift me up a little when I was in a midair stride.

At this point we were on Peachtree and the street was lined solidly with people. The roar was unreal. I remember smiling and not even being able to help myself. I was running in my dream race. Just being there was such an honor. I was running with the best in the country and part of history in the making. I got chills. I heard someone yell my name and thought: “How can I slow down- this is too exciting!” I tried, but still only got to 6:07. I needed to reign it in but also really wanted to enjoy what was happening around me. As we approached the U-turn the leaders of the men’s field (they had a 12 minute head start) came into view and I felt another jolt of excitement. Three of my friends from Fort Collins were racing and they are all very talented. As I watched them run by I forgot to pay attention to what I was doing and clocked another sub-6 mile. After the men passed we were almost to the turn around and I could see the lead women coming back. There was a large pack and I once again got caught up in seeing who was where and how other ladies were doing. The energy in the air was electric for sure. The course was a loop so when we got back to our starting point we had completed our first 8 miles. We would run that same loop again before starting it for a third time and then taking a turn under the Olympic Rings from 1996 to do an out and back that would lead us back to Centennial Olympic Park to finish.

I saw my 6 year old in the crowd- he was shaking his cowbells as hard as he could and just screaming “Ahhhhhhhh” with 110% intensity. It was all I could do not to laugh.

My sister Monica, and 8 year old flashed by and seeing them was heartwarming.

In total, my mom, three of my sisters, brother in law, and husband made it to the race. I thought I wouldn’t ever be able to pick them out from the crowd but surprisingly I was and it meant so much that they were there.

Right around mile 8 I clipped my right foot on a pothole and felt a sharp little burst of pain. It went away quickly – rush of adrenaline and then the roar of the crowd fixed that as we were passing through the heart of the race where start/finish line was located. (Post- race I would pull off my sock and find that I had split my toenail. I’m glad I didn’t feel it during, but its by far the thing that hurts most today.)

I passed through the 1/2 marathon in 1:17:XX, on pace for a 2:35 finish which I knew wasn’t in my wheelhouse for this course on this day. We rounded through the main 8 mile loop again, then headed out to pass under the Olympic Rings for a final U-turn.

That part was hard. Maybe I was just a little more tired but the hills seemed to last longer. I made sure I was pushing but not too hard to save energy for the never-ending hill from mile 23 1/2 to 25 1/2. I thought about Chicago and the fear of that hard bonk. To compensate I had taken extra gels. My energy was good, but my tummy was getting mad. It felt tender to the touch and I was getting more and more nauseous. I was passing quite a few women, but I was also getting passed by some. For me, it was a weird problem to have, my legs have always been the first to give out, not my gut. I had no idea where I was in the field. My watch had died at mile 20 (I knew this would happen and was fine with it. I wanted to finish feeling strong and not tanked, not looking at a watch is good way to force running by effort.) I didn’t have a time goal, I had said I wanted to out run my bib number (79) and thought I might be right around there. I felt good (it’s all relative) other than my gut. We made the U-turn to head up the final 2 mile hill and I was almost knocked back by the headwind. That part was definitely a little miserable. Uphill for that long is hard enough, but the wind offered a special kind of suffering. The last bit was downhill and I started to let loose and blast it but there were some speed bumps, some potholes, then more speed bumps. I was concerned that my reflexes might not be sharp enough and I would end up eating asphalt.  I was too close to being done for something that silly to happen.

As the finish line approached I saw 2:44:XX. Whoa, I had really slowed down more than I thought. I sped up to duck in under 2:45 and just made with a second to spare.

I waited for the “hands on your knees, dizzy, eyes not working” feeling to hit me, but it never did. I walked to get some water and wondered if I would be able to open the bottle (usually I can’t). I was able to and felt fine so kept walking to our tent. I felt sheer joy for being here. I did what I said I would do, I finished strong but not empty. I ran a time I can be satisfied with given the course, the wind, and the build-up. As I started chatting with other runners about their races it seemed people really exceeded their own expectations or really fell short of what they wanted to accomplish. I was amazed by some of the women who had started out with a seeding in the 300’s and had finished in the double digits. I was sad for the girls who didn’t get to show their fitness when they wanted. Marathons are hard, that’s a given. So many things have to line up right when you want them to. I’m glad I was realistic with myself and where I was at fitness-wise to feel satisfied with my result. I’ve been in those ladies shoes- heartbroken by races where I knew I didn’t show what I was capable of. There’s so much work that goes into a marathon that feeling like that after you cross the finish line is just salt in a painful wound.

I was actually surprised when I found out I had finished in 120th place and that 119 other women had been faster than me. I guess I didn’t beat my bib! I am in awe of how many talented female runners there are right now. In the 2016 trials a 2:44:59 would have been a top 40 finish. I’m excited that the talent runs so deep.

Congratulations to everyone who ran, even those unable to finish. Sharing the streets of Atlanta with you was one of the most special few hours of my life. The top three women- Aliphine Tuliamuk, Molly Seidel, and Sally Kipyego earned a spot on the 2020 Olympic team. The rest of us will go on to chase other goals, known or yet to be discovered. One thing is certain though: American women are showing up like never before.

 

My Decade in Running

My thoughts on running in 2010:

• 6 miles is a long run
• Running 3 times a week is really consistent training
• We got engaged, let’s celebrate by running a marathon!
• Surf City Marathon chewed me up and spit me out. My fiance and I crossed the line in 3:59:59 after stopping many times, walking, and eating pb and j’s.

2011:

• 30 miles per week and one long run of 20 miles is great marathon training.
• Phoenix Marathon saw me in at 3:15 and once again humbled the heck out of me.
• I love running, I want to see what I can do with more training, this has Lit. A. Fire.

Two weeks later:

• I’m pregnant, I’ll never run again (I tried, it didn’t last long. Big baby)
  

2012:

• I may never get a full nights sleep again, forget being able to run
• I can sneak in a couple of miles here and there, this is fun!
• Jogging strollers might be the devil but they also are life-savers.

  

  My sister and our littlest guys when they were still squishy.

2013:

• This is more important for my mental health than my physical health.
• I’m so happy about adding another baby to our family, running is going to have to go on the back burner again.

2014:

• I work full-time, I have a newborn and a toddler-child, what is running?

2015

• This is happening, I want to start training.
• My sister is going to try and qualify for the Olympic Trials, what is this all about?!?
• I run Prairie Fire 1/2 marathon and get 3rd in 1:24:11. My sister nips me at the line and I decide I will train even harder and never let that happen again. 🙂
• I meet up with a high school friend who I ran XC with and she suggests starting a blog to document my training and progress.

  

  2nd and 3rd finish for my sister and I in the half marathon

2016

• Transitioning to working for myself and freeing up loads of time is the best choice I ever made.
• My back/shoulder muscles are SICK from all this stroller pushing!
• Local races are fun, I want to run them all!
• Also, I’m going to try this marathon thing again.

2017

• March- LA Marathon- 2:55:41- and it sucked, and it hurt, and I LOVED it.
• What is a BQ?
• This kind of boundary pushing of physical and mental limitations makes me feel alive
• I might not be the most talented, but I will work the hardest! And luckily for me, smart as well because my husband is coaching me 🙂
• 75 mile weeks are shaping up!
• December- California International Marathon- 2:44:51 my first OTQ – I honestly still get choked up and can feel those finish line thrills. These are the moments we live for.
   
  

  

2018

• I have to make myself and my boys proud, I will train to run the best race of my life in 2020!
• So many local races, my first time competing at USATF nationals- I’m hooked.
• 100 mile weeks are a must- (I only actually hit that one time)
• December- California International Marathon- 2:37:49

2019

• I have all the goals!!
• March- LA Marathon- During this race I injure my hip and finish in 2:41
• Race after race that I have lined up are not going as planned. My hip injury lingers, I try to push through, its a vicious cycle.
• After an easy summer, I get back into training and its better than ever.
• Chicago Marathon- 2:42- I can’t even write about this race, I’m so disappointed. I know there are worse things and that everything is about perspective but I decide that as a human I have a right to feel the way I feel. I would love to redeem myself.
• This year running did not go as planned, but that’s okay! Life is good, my friends and family love me.
  

2020:

TBD! This winter has been a sh*t show and I might be more prepared for the Winter Games than I am for a marathon. But as I wrap this up and get ready to head out the door for my double, I couldn’t be more grateful for all the things running has brought me and the unknown of it all. No matter how many good or bad races there are, this sport brings out an important part of me and I will embrace it all.

 

The Countdown is On… What is Everyone Thinking?

“If you want to be an elite marathoner you have to really torture yourself and live in a very remote place and work incredibly hard, put yourself through a lot of pain and then guess what- you get 2 shots a year to have your greatest success. And if you wake up with a bad stomach that morning, tough darts, man.”- Matt Futterman on “the Morning Shakout with Mario Fraioli.

This made me laugh, it’s kind of psychotic really, especially since I feel like 2019 has been a pretty lousy year for me but at the same time I’ve never trained harder in my life. Also: I’ve never been more motivated.

5 months until the 2020 Olympic Trials. Break it down though and: I’ll be racing the Chicago Marathon on October 13th.  Factoring in a 2 week break after and considering a 12-16 week training block, that puts me starting seriously training at early November.  I feel like its right around the corner!

I’ve been wondering lately what all the other women are thinking as they build up to this. I was lucky to have run the standard in perhaps one of the earliest races after the qualifying window opened. December 2017 (it seems like ages ago). I remember crossing the finish line and thinking simultaneously: “Nearly 3 years until the Trials, that’s a long time to stay in shape” and “Whew, I’ve got nearly 3 years to get better and really give it my best”. Both thoughts have popped back up over the past 2 years, the first during more negative moments when I’m feeling unsure of myself, and the second when I’m motivated, working hard, and really wanting to perform to the best of my ability on the day.

I’ve heard various things about the sheer number of women competing from: “a rising tide lifts all ships” to “Why so many? Don’t they know there’s zero chance of actually making the Olympics?” I can’t help but wonder how many other women wrestle with that. I feel like I’m the exact demographic of one of the ‘ships’ that has been lifted by others. I’m a mom of two, almost 38, got into running later in life, work a day-job- just like literally almost every other “under the radar” gal who will be toeing the line in Atlanta on Feb 29, 2020. So I figured I wasn’t the only one curious.

So here’s what I’m thinking about these days.

A couple of my favorite race mantras are “Don’t count yourself out” and “It’s not over till it’s over”. This can mean something different for everyone, I’m sure. I know I won’t stop reaching until I feel I’ve tapped into the last drop of potential. Just because I don’t think I’ll be crossing the line in a top 3 spot, doesn’t mean I’m not going to run my own race and gut out my very best effort. For me, that will be closing a chapter (a chapter, not the book!) on a dream that when it started, seemed literally impossible. Along the way, so many other possibilities have opened up, and I’m eternally grateful for them. I know if I give it my best there will be even more.

I’ve learned a lot about enduring the highs and lows. The parallels in life and running have changed me and I’m a better person for it.

 

I’ve been inspired by the dedication I’ve seen in so many athletes but even more so, by the genuine kindness and support everyone gives to each other. The real world is missing out, this is the way life should be lived.

One of the best things that has come with running is being able to show my kiddos the world of athletics. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, I don’t care what they do in life, I just want them to do their best and be nice while doing it. Having the opportunity for them to meet such incredible humans and really immerse them in the culture of dedication and love for something has been invaluable. I know a lot of parents who wake up extremely early to train, or try to make sure their training doesn’t “affect” their families. To each their own, but I’ve involved my family pretty heavily for the past couple of years and I think its been a great lesson for my kids to see the work put into following a dream. Again, drawing on the parallels of life and running, I think these lessons being learned will enable them to succeed in whatever they want to do.

Meeting the legend, Frank Shorter, at Fortitude 10k 2019

“I know what you need and the secret is free, there’s one way to live and that’s furiously. …..so hold your breath, hang on tight, know when to laugh, know when to fight, cause all of life’s big questions are complicated, but the answer is simple: lean forward, paddle hard.” The 14ers

This line from a song my husband wrote has always spoken to me. The deliverance, the tempo, the urgency-  what is the point of life if not to be excited by what you are doing and who you are doing it with? And just like in rafting, when life throws big obstacles at you, the best way to navigate a tough current is by leaning forward and paddling hard. In marathoning the toughest part is always the end. I often play this in my head when trying to summon everything I have to finish what I started and finish it strong. Not every day will be the best day, but its important to me to give it my best effort anyway. So yes, running has been exciting for me. From traveling, races, training, social runs, fundraisers, speaking engagements- I’ve loved it all and I think that’s the most important thing.

I hope I get to hear from other women out there running at the Trials who are just doing their best like me! It can feel a little intimidating to compete against other highly successful pro athletes, but I think the gift has been priceless, and I hope everyone else feels the same.

1/2 Marathon Debut- Reliving the Horsetooth Half with Grant Fischer

Last Sunday was once again a thrill for me as I completed my 5th Horsetooth Half. However, as I thought about a race recap I really wanted to relive it through someone else’s eyes.

I immediately thought of my good friend and runner Grant Fischer who graduated from Colorado State University last May and has been racing competitively with Siemers Dreamers – a Fort Collins based elite running group.

Grant’s list of accomplishments at CSU are long, but to highlight: Grant was a 4x All-American, Mountain West Indoor Conference Champion, and he holds the record for the indoor 5,000m.

Choosing a tough half marathon like this one for a debut was ballsy, but Grant came through with an amazing performance coming up 4th OA. Here is what he had to say about his race experience!

Photo Credit: Justin Reed

Why did you choose the Horsetooth Half as your 1/2 marathon debut?
I was planning on debuting in January at the Houston Half Marathon with my training
partners Jerrell Mock and Andrew Epperson, but I ended up getting really physically burned out from not taking a break after my final collegiate outdoor season. I took a few weeks off and began to look around for races in the spring. The Horsetooth Half was in my time frame and it’s a race that tours Fort Collins. It just seemed to align and felt right. I also knew it had prize money, strong competitors, and a fun atmosphere after the race (shout out the 14ers music and New Belgium!)

What was your training like going into the race?
After those few weeks off around Houston, I started training again in the beginning of
February and did base miles for the entire month. I probably averaged around 80 miles over the 10 week build up for this race but was hitting some 90-95 weeks and 18 mile long runs. The workouts I’ve primarily been doing have been strength based such as hills, tempo runs, and fartleks, however in the final few weeks we started to hit some track work and intervals.

Do you have any pre-race rituals?
I try to avoid getting into habits based on superstition but I do always have a strong cup
of coffee around 90 minutes before the start of a race.

Do you think you are stronger on the uphill or the downhill?
I’ve always thought of myself as a better downhill runner. I do hill workouts pretty
regularly though to work on uphill running and surprised myself with the dam climbing. I felt I handled the dams well but by my legs began to fatigue at Bingham hill where the leaders broke away. I’ll try to hit some bigger mileage coming up to prepare for longer races since I seemed to handle it well during the build up.

What were your expectations?
I wanted to contend for the win but my main focus was to enjoy feeling good for the first
race in awhile and to practice being tough in racing again. I didn’t really have any time goals in mind beyond being under 70 minutes and didn’t worry about pace at all throughout the race.

You’ve run this course for training many times- was there anything you
felt like you weren’t prepared for on race day?
Training in Ft. Collins is about as good as it gets. It feels less congested than Boulder
and has the same great weather, along with access to dirt, hills, flat, or whatever terrain you need for that day. I felt well prepared in my training but knew the last miles would be tough. I think the farther distance of the half marathon lends itself to higher mileage and more developed runners, so I’ll try to build up again in the coming weeks to 100 miles if I can still keep my workout quality and feel recovered.

What is your favorite part of the course?
I never thought I’d say this but I’ll never forget climbing the dams. It was unlike any race
I’ve done to climb such a steep grade and the views were amazing. The spectators also make this a unique event. I especially enjoyed the guy playing the violin right before Bingham Hill and the inflatable dinosaur costumes on the course.

How do you feel about your time/place finish?
I am happy with what I put together on race day and glad I broke 70 minutes. It gave me
some extra motivation to keep training hard and reminded me that I love to race and compete. I definitely hope to win this one in the next few years and will be back for a long time.

Is there anything you would have done differently during the race?
I put in some hard surges to catch the leaders right after the final dam downhill which
might have cost me a bit in the final miles.

Is this your new favorite distance?
It’s one of my favorite races and I’ll be trending towards longer stuff in the future. I don’t
think I nailed training or racing the half marathon distance yet which makes it a little more mysterious to me than a 10k or 5k which I’m pretty comfortable with. I can’t say for sure if I have a favorite, I just know anything below the 3k isn’t it.

What is coming up for you and how can people follow along?
Up next is the Bolder Boulder 10k on May 27th with my training partner Andrew
Epperson. We run under my former college coach Art Siemers and our team is based around him and called the Siemers’ Dreamers. You can follow along with our Instagram
@siemers_dreamers or our twitter page @SiemersDreamers.
I also tentatively plan to run the Portland Track Festival 10,000m in June in hopes of
qualifying for the USATF Outdoor National Championships in July. Lastly, I will target a fast half marathon this fall to qualify for the Olympic Trials marathon and join Jerrell (62:15) and Epperson (63:17 / 2:13:11) in Atlanta in February.

Best of luck to you Grant, and all the Dreamers! I’m really excited about the future of Fort Collins running!

 

USATF Colorado Half Marathon Champ- Becky Hendee

On her way to training for the Eugene Marathon, Becky Hendee used the Platte River Half Marathon on April 14th as a tune-up race and earned herself the title of 2019 USATF Colorado Half Marathon Champion. It couldn’t have gone to a more deserving runner! After a year chock-full of injuries, Becky’s comeback inspires me and makes me want to be a better runner myself.

Becky lives in Longmont, CO and trains out of Boulder, CO with Run Boulder AC. She works full-time for Bobo’s Marketing, is newly married, and is just an amazing human. I’ve enjoyed many long training runs with her and love her pure passion. I wanted to hear about her race experience after being sidelined for awhile, what her goals for Eugene are, and how she is feeling going into it. After trading emails back and forth I thought other runners could benefit from her experiences so, (with permission) I thought I would share!

What is your current goal race?

My spring goal race is the Eugene Marathon in just two weeks where I hope to meet the Olympic trials qualifier standard of sub 2:45. Outside of that, I want to focus on having fun, feeling fit, and be grateful to get to the starting line healthy. My last road marathon buildup ended in a pelvic stress fracture, my first long term injury which definitely rocked my boat! After this, I hope to quickly recover and have a fun summer trail season, racing 50k-100 mile distances.

What were your goals and expectations leading up to Platte River?

My goals heading into the Platte River Half was to have one last marathon tune up leading to Eugene Marathon. My goal was to run the race at my adjusted for altitude marathon pace, practice with my bottles, and feel good about it! I chose the Platte River with the help of my coach, Kathy Butler of Run Boulder Athletic Club because it is flatter and faster for Colorado in closer resemblance to the Eugene course. She also is on the USATF board so she was aware of the opportunity. I definitely had FOMO (fear of missing out) on Horsetooth because many of my Shoes and Brews friends were either running or cheering, and the post-race party with The 14ers! However, I had to keep the larger goal in mind, knowing that Horsetooth is more jarring on the body-those hills are no joke!

I lucked out with the Female win at the Platte River which also just so happened to be Colorado’s USATF Half marathon championship race. This race was not close to my Half marathon personal best, however it may have been overlooked by many racers because it was the same weekend as Horsetooth!

Give me a snapshot in to your marathon buildup!

I have definitely had to find the work/ run/ life balance this year. I work a full-time job, have a wonderful husband, 2 dogs, friends, all while trying to train. I love early mornings and typically train from 6:30-8am before work, and afternoon sessions are 5:30-6:30pm. I average between 70-95 mile weeks

Monday: EZ 60-65 minutes with a few strides within*

Tuesday: Workout day with afternoon double

Wednesday: mid-week long run*

Thursday: EZ hour, afternoon double

Friday: workout day

Saturday: EZ hour*

Sunday: Long run

*Strength alternating between, core, at home exercises, or gym/yoga depending on the day!

This marathon build up has been very successful after having an injury prone 2018 (stress fracture December-March) IT band issues (October- December). I have changed three main things in this buildup which have worked well.

• I have been more consistent about adding strength exercises into my routine a few times a week. It can be as simple as 3 sets of 10 air squats, sumo squats, lunges, bridges, pushups and core exercises. Activating these muscles and reminding them to function properly has been crucial. (I promise it takes a lot less time than it seems!)
• I have been fueling a lot more. In previous years, I would correlate my diet with how much I did that day- WRONG. Whether it is a hard training day or an easy recovery day, it doesn’t matter because it is important to fuel yourself ALL days.
• I have had a few drop mileage weeks to absorb my training. In previous marathon buildups, I would get in the mileage junky mentality and would never let myself have a “drop” week until it was taper time. I now realize that my body needs these weeks to benefit from the hard training weeks.

What is your favorite marathon workout?

One of my favorite workouts this marathon buildup has been 3X15 min at marathon pace during a long run. I tend to enjoy the longer grinds and feel it is a great way to feel confident going into the race. This particular workout is running at marathon pace for 15 minutes at miles 6, 9, and 12 for a total of 20-22 miles.

What is your current pump up song?

“Giant” by Calvin Harris

What is your current mantra/inspiration?

Lately, when times get tough or I don’t want to get out the door, I try to remind myself how thankful I am to be able to be healthy, run and move my body in this way. Also, there are some days where I need to remind myself why I do this instead of, for example, go to the Friday night Happy hour. Now that could be a whole blog post in itself, but back to the question:  My last effort I was chanting something as simple as This is for me, Feel free, and Do what you can do in this moment. I also gain inspiration from reading books such as Let your Mind Run by Deena Kastor, or Kara Goucher’s book Strong, where I try to learn from their mental practices and think powerful and fast thoughts. For example; when a challenge occurs to remember to shed positive light on it like I am going to do this to the best of my ability vs. I can’t. Lastly, I find a lot of inspiration from my friends and training partners like AnnMarie! AnnMarie has taught me to never give up on a workout or race because even if you may not be hitting your splits, it builds mental strength- and that matters!  It is so amazing to see your success and learn from the best when it comes to training and run-life balance. I love you lady!

Awwww thanks! Those last few lines made me blush, but I’m going to leave them there because I feel the same way and I know everyone has people like this in their own lives! We should make it a priority to reach out to them more! 

Throwback- 2018 Horsetooth Half post lawn party

The Road to Gold Experience: a 2020 Olympic Trials Preview

This past weekend the Atlanta Track Club put on a test run for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. In the technical meeting the vision of their championship race was explained. Each athlete from first seed to last is going to be offered the same support. The ATC believes that in a championship race all aspects- from on-course fueling, lodging, etc. should all be equal for a fair competition.

It was touching to me how much Atlanta wanted to host this race to further the history of the Olympic legacy of their city. As a host for the 1996 games, Atlanta has shown they have a heart for supporting the athlete. They have the infrastructure to host a Trials, and they are excited to put on the best Trials we have ever seen.

The 2020 race course designed for the marathon will have a 6 mile loop that will be run 3 times and an 8 mile loop run once, with the last .2 miles taking runners through the finish line into Centennial Olympic Park.

On Saturday, we got to run the 8 mile section, taking us along Peachtree road, famous in its own right, then we turned back and ran to the Olympic Rings, left up as a tribute to the ‘96 games. We ended back where we started, not the same finish line as 2020, a choice I was actually glad for. That finish line will be something special and I’m happy it was saved. There were tons of turns to practice on- typical of what the marathon course will be in Tokyo. The layout allows for a spectator friendly course. The loops will help with the fueling situation. This race will offer personal water bottles to every runner that requests it. With that, comes major logistical coordination which I won’t even try to get into. All in all, it will be a fun, challenging marathon and I’m so glad I had a chance to preview it.

One thing all stretches of the course had in common: HILLS. Long hills, short hills, steep hills. I knew I had my work cut out for me before I started, but I was still in for a surprise.

For this race, the men went off first, the women a few minutes later, then there was a citizen’s race to cap off the festivities.

I started the race fairly conservatively and almost immediately got tucked in with a pack of women – the perfect scenario. We cruised along tackling the miles but by 6 in I was losing them on the uphills. On the flats and downhills I fought and yo-yo’d my way back, but the last long hill did me in and I was never able to reel them back in.

I finished 13th in 45:42- and I set a new PR in the 10k on my way to that.

Sidenote 2019 goal: find a flat, fast 10k at sea level so I can squash that time down.

Women’s results:

After the 8 mile race I was able to loop back and run the course again. I heard there was quite a bit of snow back home in Colorado so I wanted to finish my long run in Atlanta in shorts and a tank vs. slipping around on the ice once I got back. I’m so glad I did it- not only did I wrap up my last long run before my upcoming marathon, I got to slow down and really enjoy the course. I noticed so many things I hadn’t been able to pay attention to during the race and really appreciate the layout and history of the route we were being taken on. I got to thank volunteers and cheer on runners in the community who were finishing up the race.

I can’t say how much it meant to me to have Atlanta Track Club invest so much time and preparation into their work. No matter what profession someone is in, it is always glaringly apparent just how much they care and where their passion lies. I am a lover of the sport of running and this particular “perfection of the craft” that ATC has displayed leaves me feeling grateful and happy this project is in the right hands.

I’m more excited than ever to put in some hard work for the next year. I have two marathons to practice on before the Olympic Trials so 2019 will not be a down year by any means. Next up is LA Marathon! It’s almost taper time and after this silly extra icy winter I’m ready for it.

Race Recap- California International Maraton 2018

11/28/2018- Note to myself prior to race:

I will do my best, my very best and no matter what, I won’t be disappointed by the outcome. If I fall short, I will use it as motivation to learn and try again. If I reach my goal, I’ll use it as motivation to do even better next time. The journey has been worth it. The journey has been tough, and fun, and awakening. I am happy knowing I’ve done all the training, never quit a workout, no matter how hard, and stretched out of my comfort zone so many times I’ve created a new one. Thank you running, for choosing me. 

12/2/2018

No one sleeps the night before a big race so NBD that I had a crazy nightmare and no rest. In my nightmare, my mom was staying with me at the hotel and found out I was wearing buns to race in. (They are so comfy, I’ve tried it all, this is just what works for me. Desi Linden once said “26.2 is a long time to run in your underwear” I totally agree. I tried so hard for that very reason to resist them. But they are the best, so I must.) Anyway, my mom was trying to have me wear long tights and the race was about to start and I was missing it all because she had hidden my buns. Nightmares are weird.

After a 3:45am wake-up call I ate breakfast, showered, dressed and was ready to go by 4:30am. At the start line I loved the familiarity of having done this race before and knowing the drill. I haven’t done a lot of races twice because I haven’t been racing that long, but I can understand why people go back to the same ones year after year.

I’ve been feeling really lousy for the past couple of weeks, and the final things my coach/husband said to me was “every race is different, don’t expect it to be easy”. I had been telling myself that as well since last year one of the key standouts of CIM for me was that I rolled for so long without much effort. Read about that HERE. It’s always nice for a reminder though, and it solidified just focusing on what I had ahead of me and not comparing my run to last year.

I had a few goals going into CIM A) sub 2:37 B) PR C)Finish the marathon.

When the gun went off, I fumbled a bit to gain a little elbow room. I had started a tad farther back because I didn’t want to be tempted to go out too fast. Unfortunately it caused me to be a little squashed and I couldn’t see very far in front of me. I was on the white line on the edge of the road and less than a quarter mile in a stepped down hard with the ball of my foot on one of the rumble strips. I should know better, that shouldn’t have happened. Immediately a sharp pain shot through my foot but within a couple of steps was gone.

I tried to make sure I had found a rhythm going that was 5:59 pace. I know running a negative split is popular, but for me, it’s all I can do to just stay steady. I went through the first mile in 5:45 and inwardly scolded myself for going out too fast. It’s literally one of the worst mistakes a runner can make in the marathon so I was super annoyed with myself. I managed to get with it enough to make it through the 5k with a 5:55 average. At this point I was really surprised there weren’t more runners around me. There were men and women passing me or already slowing down, but I didn’t have a group with me. I figured that would change, but over the course of the whole race I was running alone with only a few ladies in my sights for small stretches.

Around mile 6, I saw Ryan for the first time and I felt a wave of happiness at seeing him. He was wearing a Santa hat and was on a rented electric bicycle he had picked up in Downtown Sacramento. He had ridden backwards on the course until he found me and now would start working his way back towards the finish line on side streets and finding spots to stop and cheer.

Mile 7- I started battling some hip tightness. Its too early for that. I haven’t had to deal with this particular issue for over a year. I self-massaged while running, and wondered if I would have to drop out. Usually when my hip starts acting like that, my range of motion suffers until I can’t stride out. I won’t stop running unless something snaps and I literally can’t move, maybe it will work itself out. And luckily by mile 11 it had worked itself out. I was still under goal time, and for the next several miles things went fairly easily. I got to see Ryan on the course again and my friend Jenny and her family just around the half marathon mark. It was so nice to see familiar faces on the course. I was wearing “Kirkpatrick” on my bib but several times I heard “Go AnnMarie!” and got an extra little boost of energy that someone knew me.

Halfway point- on target and feeling good for a few miles.

I wasn’t working the tangents well, my watch reminded me of that whenever the mile indicator would beep and the mile marker sign was still about 100 yards ahead of me. I tried to do a better job. At mile 19, I realized my watch never gave me any feedback. I looked down- it had died. Yuck! I’m not super dependent on my watch but I knew I was going to start struggling soon and wanted to at least have some sort of an idea of what I was up against. Luckily the course marshal for the 2:37 ‘A’ standard group of runners realized it and started shouting out splits, which I hugely appreciated.

Ryan came riding up “Go AnnMarie!” I yelled back “My watch died!” He said “I just got in a bike wreck, but I’m here and you can do this!” I glanced over. He had blood streaming out of his face. Yikes. I was alarmed, but knew he would never want me to stop. If anything, I just needed to make sure I put everything into doing my best and making the effort of my race make up for any sacrifices. Make it worth it.

I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my right foot- exactly where I had landed on the rumble strip. Every step hurt to put my foot down. Rats. At the same time I felt my legs starting to turn into hardened concrete. Too soon, too soon, I still have 5k left!

This was a long struggle. I knew I was slowing down quite a bit, I regretted again having gone out too fast, but I was determined to finish the job. I wasn’t sure how much room for error I had, but I knew I would be pretty close. Don’t give in for even a second. If you do, you’ll never forgive yourself if you miss it. Focus. Speed up. Speed up. Do your best.

I rounded the final corner. I could see the clock 2:37:20. Damn. I had missed it. I kept running as hard as I could, I wasn’t going to do anything less than my best.

It’s okay to take a second and mourn something lost. But then- focus on what has been gained.

Final time 2:37:49. I let myself feel a little sad. I wasn’t going to be mad about it, I wasn’t going to pout, because I had just run a 7+ minute PR. But I did need to take a moment and just mourn a little that I had worked really really hard, cut no corners, and poured myself into training for this race and snagging an A standard- and it didn’t happen. I made my way over to Jenny and fam at the finish line and requested a sweaty hug. Sorry, that probably sucked for everyone but me. Moments later, Ryan was there and we celebrated the success of completing a strong training cycle, staying healthy, fit enough to run a marathon, and end with a huge improvement over last year.

What a weekend- I loved meeting up with the rabbit and nuun crew, and seeing other runners I only get to catch up with at races once or twice a year. (Special shout out to Nick and Mary on your knock-out efforts!) There were some inspiring performances to be celebrated and seeing them firsthand was an incredible experience.

I’m looking forward to a nice rest, refocusing on next year, and setting some new goals. I am so appreciative of all the love and support, it has been overwhelming in the best possible way.

*When the battery in Ryan’s electric bike died, it locked up just as he was cruising over a pile of wet, slippery leaves. The combination of all that caused it to slide and go down. He’s okay and on the mend- mild concussion, and his hand isn’t broken.

 

 

 

Two Gals, Six World Marathon Majors, One Goal

I’m constantly inspired by those around me and rarely do we get to thank those people enough for the impact they play, many times without even knowing it.

Two ladies that have have been a constant source of inspiration, as well as running companions over the past few years, are Lauren Evans and Gelsey Klein. They were both training for different marathons when I met them and are still training for marathons- their goal is to complete the six World Marathon Majors- Boston, New York, Chicago, Tokyo, London, and Berlin. So far they are halfway there with all three of the US World Major Marathons completed.

Lauren is a nurse, wife and mother. We met a few years ago when our babes were still tiny at a mom group workout. My first legit long run of 16 miles (which I felt very overwhelmed by) was done with Lauren and at the time seemed exceedingly far. I admire Lauren’s ability to make time for herself in reaching her goals while juggling life.

Gelsey was a sprinter for the University of Wyoming. She is also a wife and mother of four (she has twins!) and works in the financial aid department for CSU. She currently runs for our local Runners Roost. Gelsey is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to marathoning. She knows all the qualifying times, course layouts, dates, etc. Researching marathon specifics makes me nervous, so if I need to know anything, I just go for a casual run with Gelsey and she will fill me in.

We have chatted about everything during our runs together. This time we sat down, had a glass of wine, and focused on the goal that keeps driving them to train and qualify for races- completing all 6 WMM. (So far, together)

Let’s start at the beginning how did you two meet?

G: A long time ago- it was through a mutual friend at a party in our neighborhood. Lauren was pregnant so it must have been 2013.

When did you start running together?

G: We didn’t start running until awhile later- I knew Lauren as runner but I didn’t really know how much she ran. She was training for a 50k (2016) and that’s when we started training together. We found out we were going to be going to Boston the same year because I had gotten cut from Boston in 2016 so we ended up on the same timeline.

L: I did my last 10 miler with Gelsey (when training for the 50k) and fell in the mud at the start so did the whole run with a muddy booty.

G: Right, she wasn’t frazzled at all, it was funny.

 What made you set the goal to run all the World Majors?

G: I qualified for Boston in 2015 and that was the first time I heard about the World Marathon Majors. It was appealing to me because it was a goal that wasn’t numbers or time driven. At the time running was feeling kind of competitive and this was something I could do that was different and cool without the pressure, it was just fun.

L: I got the dream from Gelsey- we started talking about it on a run and I thought it sounded really cool too.

 

Where does your inspiration to run come from?

L: I don’t really watch professional running but for me its people that I know in the community. Other moms juggling life and work, but still make taking care of themselves a priority. I also like it for my on sanity, It’s my time for my own space to breathe, think things through, and it’s a huge part of my social life.

G: My sister was the one who got me started. I ran through junior high, high school, college and I was a sprinter. After college I took 2 years off and didn’t run at all. It was strange because it was such a huge part of my identity. Then my sister told me she was going to do a half marathon and convinced me to do a 10k which seemed super long at the time. So she got me on the distance train. But really, there is inspiration all over from people in the running community.

What is your average normal weekly mileage?

G: During marathon training its 40-50 with about a max of 60. During the off season I like to stay around 20 miles/week

L: I rotate as well. Around Oct./Nov. I take a whole month off, then start back up in Dec with about 25 miles and ramp up in January to start training for a spring marathon. During peak week in a marathon segment I’ll hit about 50miles. (laughs) I’m the laziest marathon runner, I don’t run more than I have to.

Do you have any mantras?

L: I had a rough time at Boston- it was really hot, my music stopped working, and before 10 miles I wasn’t even sure I was going to finish it. My friend Liz had sent me a text “head up, wings out” (Oiselle’s tagline). I started repeating that halfway through and it carried me. Around mile 21, I started thinking “how much can I slow down and still meet my time goal?” The competitive part of me snapped me out of my misery and I kept repeating “Goals are for crushing, not giving up” As in, I wasn’t here to just cruise it in without trying my hardest. I couldn’t use my goal time as an excuse to slow down.

G: I run marathons for fun mostly, because I want to be out there having a good time. However, when I have a time goal I tell myself towards the last few miles of the race “You can work hard for the next 20-ish minutes or you can work hard for another 4 months and redo this.”

L: Oh- one of my favorites is: I can, I will, watch me.

G: I know a Lauren mantra- “Don’t wish for it, work for it.”

 What is the hardest part of marathon training for you?

G: The tempo- I just dread it. The stamina work stresses me out

L: Which is funny because she always kills it.

(I can vouch for that, I’ve run a tempo with Gelsey and yes, she was way under her goal times she wanted to hit.)

L: I get really tired the last month and running isn’t so much fun anymore. I do enjoy the long run, its just the weekly life that makes running difficult. It’s the stress of getting them in. And at that point the runs are so long its hard to fit them in.

G: I say I don’t like the tempo- but it’s the one that in the end gives me the most confidence on race day.

Which marathon is next?

G: We both have our name in for Berlin so we find out between Nov. 30-Dec 2.

L: For me, I’ll try to get into London in 2019 and if I don’t get in, I’ll do it as a charity run next year. Next I’d like to do Tokyo but I’d really like to finish with Berlin. I have German ancestry and my whole family would come and celebrate. Then we could finish, hop on a train to Munich and its Octoberfest. Really though, its hard to get into any of them, we will take them as they come.

After you have completed all 6 Majors, will you keep running marathons?

L: Yes, I would like to run a marathon on each continent.

Would you count the continents you’ve already done Majors on?

L: Yes, you bet. (laughs) I’m seriously the world’s laziest marathoner so you bet I’m going to count them towards it.

G: For me, it depends on when I get into London or Tokyo. It might take 6 or 7 years to get in to. I like marathoning, but it is very time consuming. If I were to finish all 6 in 2019 I’m not sure I would be done, but I could see in 6 or 7 years calling it good if it takes that long to get in.

 Which marathon was your favorite?

G: I think we both have the same favorite.

L: Yes, New York.

G: Boston was really neat and it was my first, but it was a really hot day. I remember hating the last 10 miles and I thought I had trained really well for it but I was just suffering. I want to go back because I want to change that memory. I put pressure on myself to get a certain time because the year before I had been cut so I wanted to prove I deserved to be there.

L: New York was just nice, the weather was perfect, there wasn’t pressure to run a certain time, it was just all supposed to be fun. I literally ran 26.2 miles giving high fives. The crowds were amazing and it was a party.

G: If I could do one marathon every year it would be New York. There were a lot of bands and distinct differences in all the burrows which made the course fun.

L: Boston was fun for me though, I kissed a girl for the first time at the famous Girls of Wellesley corner (unlike Katy Perry, she did not like it). It was hot, but I just decided at mile 13, it was going to be about being out there and taking it all in.

This is a broad question, but for a first-time marathoner give your best beginner tip- What is step one for someone who wants to start running?

L: Get a good pair of shoes and go for a run to figure out what running feels like for your body. Everyone feels miserable when they first start, run until you get past that point.

G: When I first started I used a training plan, it was a Hal Higdon beginner plan. It’s important to have a plan, which there are a ton of. Anyone can do it, but it’s the steps it takes to get there. I think most people hate running because they never get past the warm-up where they feel awful.

L: Yes, that’s exactly what I mean- get past the warm-up. Get to that point, find where that point is in your body and then give it a chance. And I agree about a plan, I’ve always had a coach, he’s a local runner, Walter Hickman, and it helps me so much to not have to think about what do to if I’m sick, what adjustments to make if something comes up, injured, he just tells me and I trust him so much. Every time I’ve set a goal with him, I’ve reached it.

Thank you Lauren and Gelsey for all of your insight and inspiration, miles and smiles!

This seems like a positive note to end on. I really could go on and on because we love talking running and there are so many stories to tell. Thank you for sharing my inspirations with me. I hope the main take- away from this is that anyone can make time for something (anything, it doesn’t have to be running) they love. We should all get the chance in life to feel, as often as possible, the joy of accomplishing something we previously deemed “impossible”.

 

Memories in the rain

NYC Marathon

Lauren with Katherine Switzer

Cal Int. Marathon- One Month Countdown

Superstition maybe- but last year I did a one month countdown/update on my training before CIM and since that turned out the way I wanted I’m going to follow suit again.

I’m feeling pretty positive about this training block- I remember last year being disappointed that I hadn’t hit a 100 mile week and this time around I did it! It was in combination with one of my hardest workouts to date; so even though I capped that week off with a dirty house, bedtimes by 8:00pm, and piles and piles of french toast, I finally ran 100+ miles in a 7 day stretch. I was very grateful to have Coach Ryan home for that week to help me pick up the slack and even bike with me for a couple of my tougher workouts.

Here is a snapshot of October runs:

 

I’d love to be a mileage hog- I think it suits me, but once again, there just isn’t enough time in the day. I’m grateful for what I’ve been able to do!

Strength Training: I’ve been trying to squeeze potential out of myself in every area possible. I’ve always resisted strength training and find it incredibly boring, but have been doing small group workouts at Lifted, a gym near my house. It keeps me on track to get some kind of strengthening challenge in at least once a week and then anything I do on my own is an added bonus. WAY more fun with friends!

Favorite workout: Remember Yasso 800’s? It’s a marathon time indicator workout and not completely accurate but I’m going to pretend it is. 🙂 Read about it HERE
There are tons of factors at play when it comes time to run the actual marathon but since this workout turned out the way I wanted, I’m going to use it as a confidence builder! Last year doing this workout I ran 2:44’s for 10 800’s and felt gassed at the end. My marathon time goal last year was 2:44 which is what I hit. I did this same workout a couple of weeks ago and averaged 2:35’s and felt tired, but strong at the end. So goals!

Goals: I crossed the finish line last year with so many happy emotions to have qualified for the Olympic Trials with a ‘B’ standard, but also a thrilling sense of challenge that now I wanted the ‘A’ standard. I’ve been training hard all year for that sub 2:37.

Coming up: I have a pretty grueling weekend- my Sunday long run will be a 1 hour 37 min run followed by 1 hour at race pace. I’m not nearly as nervous for it this time around.

Thank you for being a part of my journey!

California International Marathon, U.S. Marathon Championships 2017

 

Couch to 26.2 in One Day- Chicago Marathon Race Recap/Interview with Rachel Pastor

From couch to 26.2 miles in ONE DAY. This is a training plan we could all get on board with right?

When I heard that my non-runner friend, Rachel Pastor was going to run the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 7th AND only decided she was going to do this the night before the event, I was floored. I had to know everything she was thinking; before, during and after. I was SO intrigued. Would she even finish? Would she end up with a crazy injury?

Backing it up just a little…

Chicago Marathon 2018 was special to me for a lot of reasons- I didn’t run it, but my good friends, Lauren, Gelsey, and Colleen were. My friend Rachel was going along to cheer and experience the event. Unfortunately Colleen was injured and the night before the race Rachel agreed to take her place.

Maybe you have met someone who decided 24 hours before that they were going to run 26.2 miles the next day- I had not. And in this case Rachel is a non-runner who in the past month has jogged 3 miles total. She is an avid fitness enthusiast- personal trainer, cross-fit, weights, cycling, but zero running.

I finally had the chance to sit down with Rachel and ask some of my burning questions:

Q and A:

Do you often find yourself in new and challenging situations? (laughs) Yes, AnnMarie- I thrive in them.

Last time and distance you ran? Two weeks before Labor Day. I thought I might run the Fortitude (local Fort Collins race) so I ran 3 miles. I ended up deciding not to run it so that is the last time I ran. I usually don’t run at all.

Why did Colleen want you to run in her place? She was injured and although she really wanted to run it and had trained for it, she could not. I didn’t want to be rude or step on anyone’s toes but when my friend Lauren encouraged me to take her place she (Colleen) said “Yes, it would give this whole thing purpose.” (Colleen was running for a charity) After she said that everyone was like “Do it, do it, do it!”

Did you have any mantras? Yes. My friend Sydney had texted me and said that if I finished I would be in the top 2%, because only 2% of people have ever finished marathons. So I knew all I had to do was finish.

What was the advice from the seasoned runners you were with? Were they on board? They were the ones that encouraged me to do it. They basically said you have no big commitment to this- if you decide to drop out, you can just call an Uber. You can take as long as you need. They recommended the walk/run method.

What made you want to do it? I saw the challenge in it. There was something irking me inside to do it and I don’t know if it was that I wanted the challenge or if it was something that was pushing me towards something that I felt like I was meant to do.

How long were you sore after? I’m still sore. I do have some issues. I have a cramp in my glute that I can’t get rid of. My knees are sore. I don’t think I did any long-term damage though.

How did you feel during the race? The hardest part was being in so much pain and realizing how much farther I had to go. At mile 9 I started to really hurt but was able to run to the half. After that it was walk/run, walk/run and still pushing through pain.

What was the hardest part of the race? The last 5 miles I was just crying because I was in so much pain. Even when I was trying to walk with the walking pacers I couldn’t keep up so I knew it was going to be a really long time. People have asked “Did you cry when you crossed the finish line?” and I’ve said “No, because I was crying the entire 5 miles before, I had nothing left to cry”. My feet felt like they were going to spontaneously combust. I didn’t want to take off my shoes because I was scared of what was going on in there.

What kinds of things did you think about during the marathon? I was really into this podcast with Joe Rogan interviewing David Goggins. He runs these ultra marathons with his feet just torn up and will tape them up and run these crazy runs in so much pain. He talks about some of his finishes and how hard they were- even being hospitalized after. It was completely mental strength that allowed him to finish. So I was just thinking about that- “Even if I crawl through the finish line I will make it. I will make it.”

Did you get a runner’s high? I don’t know what a runner’s high feels like but I’m assuming its the feeling like after a really good cycling class, like an endorphin rush, right?
Yes. So. Um, no. I couldn’t even talk. My mouth literally would not move. I was in so much pain and so depleted I couldn’t speak.

How did you get from the finish line to the hotel room? My friend Lauren, literally helped me down the stairs (STAIRS at the finish line??), sat me down and called an Uber. She wrapped me up tight because I couldn’t stop shivering. She had waited for me for hours after completing her marathon that she trained for to take care of me.

What was the reaction from the running community? Most runners weren’t as wowed by it. More people that have reached out and said “wow, that was incredible” were people who were not runners.

I often hear people say the marathon is life changing. Have you noticed that? How has this run changed you? For me it wasn’t during the marathon and I don’t know if I’m still processing some stuff from it. I’ve been extremely emotional ever since I finished it. Something happened, I just haven’t quite figured out what it is yet, but something shifted. I didn’t plan on this but I feel like I proved to myself that I had a strength I didn’t know I had, mentally.

Finish time: 6:47

I’m proud of you, Rachel. It was crazy yes, I wouldn’t recommend this embarkment on the marathon, but damn it, I admire your spirit. When you are all in, you are ALL IN.

Do things that make you feel alive. Do things that are hard. You will learn so much about yourself and feel a kind of joy in life that can’t be found by staying in your comfort zone.

If you want to connect with Rachel visit her at: http://generation-healthy.com/