Rogue of the week questions:
What is your favorite distance and why? The full marathon. It’s painful and it’s challenging. However, for me, the feeling that comes from finishing a full marathon is unmatched.
What do you struggle with most in running? Taking that first step of an intimidating workout. Once I begin, I’m in it. But that mental barrier of getting myself started is always tough!
Do you rotate shoes and if so what is in your current rotation? I’ve been running in Mizuno Wave Riders for years. I usually have two pairs in rotation at once.
Do you have a mantra that you use when you are racing/training? I don’t think I do…
Do you ever feel unmotivated to train and if so how do you overcome it? Signing up for a race certainly helps, as does surrounding myself with other runners working toward their own goals. I also find motivation in charting out my training and being able to see the progress I’ve made.
What is the best thing running has given you? Without a doubt, the relationships I have built through running. I’ve met some of my closest friends through running and our shared struggles and accomplishments are unforgettable.
What is your favorite race you have participated in and why? The Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon in 2017 was my second full. The race start was delayed multiple times due to weather, complete with a terrifyingly green sky. We were finally making our way to the start when other runners and race directors started yelling for people to take cover. After thirty minutes huddled in a parking garage, we joined some other runners sheltering in a nearby office building. Unfortunately, the doors locked behind us as we entered, trapping us in the vestibule with about 15 other runners! After we were able to communicate to people outside that we were trapped, a saintly fire fighter materialized from the crowd and somehow managed to unlock the doors so that I could make it to the start line just in time to begin running. During the most challenging part of the race (which included a steep, long uphill), I ran with a pacer who taught me about posture, tangents and how to tackle hills. I had good friends there with me to cheer and support along the way. I finished the race with my first (and very unexpected) BQ, a greater understanding of the science of running… and the wisdom to make sure doors don’t lock behind me.
How did you get started in running? My first dip into running was about 15 years ago when I started running with my coworkers every day after work. I signed up for a marathon relay shortly thereafter and discovered that the camaraderie on the course and the shared accomplishment was energizing and contagious. I slowly increased the distance of my races, completing my first half marathon in 2009. Although I swore I would never run a full marathon, in 2016 I found myself needing a new challenge and convinced a friend to train with me for a full. Now, I enjoy the challenge of training almost as much as I do race day!
What is your favorite running workout? The 20-mile workout I’ve used in my training for the last 4 marathons, which includes both speed work and easier miles. Every training cycle I love and dread it at the same time. This time around I switched up a lot of my weekday runs, but decided to keep this training run because of the way in which it challenges me physically and mentally.
How many marathons have you run? 4
Who is your favorite professional runner? Des Linden
What are the craziest race conditions you have had to endure? Torrential rain coming down so heavily that it was hard to keep my eyes open, and accumulating so quickly that we ran through inches of standing water.
Do you have a goal race you haven’t done yet and why do you want to do it? Edinburgh Marathon. Scotland is my happy place and I would love a good excuse to return!
Do you listen to music while you run and if so, what music gets you pumped up for a race? I usually only use music toward the end of a marathon if I need a boost to keep moving forward. However, I love music to get me pumped up. My go-to songs are St Elmo’s Fire, Africa, and Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us.
