1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,160 You're listening to episode 186 of the Marathon Running Podcast. 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,520 In this episode, we're going to talk to two ladies that 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,680 qualified for the Olympic Trials at CIM. 4 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,520 This is the Marathon Running podcast by Letty and Ryan from 5 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:24,280 We Got The Runs. Join us in our running community 6 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:27,920 for weekly content that is motivational, educational and 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,960 inspirational and that the Marathon Running podcast take 8 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,040 you from the starting line to the finish line and beyond. 9 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,720 Hey runners, and welcome to episode 186. 10 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:43,320 My name is Letty. I am your host. 11 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:45,840 My name is Ryan. And he's our Co host. 12 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:47,640 Welcome. Thanks for joining us. 13 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:49,760 Yes, thank you for tuning back in. 14 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:53,200 If you're a longtime listener and if you are new, welcome. 15 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,000 We do a podcast every week and normally we talk about training, 16 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:58,760 nutrition, things of that nature. 17 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,360 And every once in a while we have these super inspiring 18 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:03,280 episodes. And guess what, Ryan? 19 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:07,400 Today is an inspiring episode. Yes, I was going to say that, 20 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:08,600 but you took the words out of my mouth. 21 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:10,840 So that's neat. We're talking about the Olympic 22 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,280 qualifiers. Yes, and we're talking about the 23 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,560 last Chance race, which was last weekend CIM, the California 24 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,960 International Marathon happened and it was two days before the 25 00:01:20,960 --> 00:01:22,600 deadline. The deadline for the Olympic 26 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,720 trials to submit your marathon or half marathon time was 27 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,840 December 5th. And so, you know, that was the 28 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,120 last weekend before that. Super exciting because we have 29 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,680 some interesting statistics. So the total number of qualified 30 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,120 runners is 400. Yes, and that's a lot less than 31 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:42,240 in 2020. And that was because they've 32 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,680 changed the qualifying standard so much. 33 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,440 It was 7 minutes for men. I don't remember exactly how 34 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:53,120 much it was for men. So out of those 400, that's 173 35 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,200 women that qualified and 227 men. 36 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:02,160 And now the statistics for CIM. There were 15 qualifying women 37 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:05,280 that ran a qualifying time and 31 men. 38 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,280 I don't know if some of them had already qualified previously and 39 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,560 just ran this marathon for fun. Who knows, maybe they were 40 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:16,200 trying to go for the actual Olympic time standard and not 41 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:20,000 just the Olympic qualifiers, But that's not a lot of runners, 42 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:21,920 which makes it super exciting, right? 43 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,040 Yeah, do you know how many people were added to the list? 44 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,560 No, we don't know that. But I know that some of them 45 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:32,760 were probably also there to meet the Olympic standard, which I 46 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:39,360 know is for men two O 810 and CJ Albertson, for example. 47 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:43,440 I'm imagining he already had a qualifying time and he was 48 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:47,000 probably running for that specific goal. 49 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:51,800 But like I said, I don't know how many men or women went for 50 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,520 that. So let me have the 400 people 51 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,240 that qualify. They have to run in February. 52 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,920 Yes, so the race will take place in Orlando on February 3rd. 53 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,400 And that's when you you talked about that in the past about the 54 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,360 racers wanting to get the earlier time right? 55 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:12,280 Yes, they wanted to change the race to a more normal time. 56 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,880 They were set to start at 12. Now I think they start around 57 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:17,600 10:00. I'll have to check. 58 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:22,360 And even Orlando FL 12:00 could be really hot even and even in 59 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:23,920 February. It just depends. 60 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:25,680 Yeah, it really depends on the day. 61 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:30,280 Yeah, the weather fluctuates a lot and it's not so simple, but 62 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,840 eventually the top three male and female runners will end up 63 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,360 going to the Olympics. But this isn't their only shot. 64 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,040 Yeah, I believe so. I think there are exceptions to 65 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,760 the rule of, you know, not the first three coming. 66 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,480 And I think there's more to it and hopefully I will be able to 67 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:49,000 inform myself in the next couple of weeks so I can give you more 68 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,280 accurate answers to that one, 'cause I know it gets pretty 69 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:53,760 complicated with that. Yeah, I know. 70 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:58,480 In other some other sports, it's like you get the the top people 71 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,800 in your country, but if you're also top in the world, then you 72 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,880 get more positions essentially. So I I don't know. 73 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,200 Yeah. If anyone knows, you can let us 74 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,920 know and that he's gonna do some research, 'cause we don't know 75 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,320 exactly how that works. So who are you interviewing 76 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,959 today? So today I am interviewing Mary 77 00:04:16,959 --> 00:04:26,040 Denholm and Sophie Schenk. Mary ran a 23628 in at CIM and 78 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:30,800 Sophie ran a 23622 at CIM. They were friends in the past 79 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:36,360 and obviously now too and so it was really cool to see how they 80 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:40,040 work together in this race, which I absolutely love seeing. 81 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:44,040 I know that a lot of times people fall into the trap of 82 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:48,560 comparison and they're competing against each other, even though 83 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,280 with something like this, what you're trying to do is qualify 84 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:57,440 and beat that 237 clock time. So I loved hearing how they 85 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:01,400 helped each other by just being there and doing certain things. 86 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:05,760 So yeah, super excited. They're very positive and 87 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,080 uplifting stories and I can't wait to share them right now. 88 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:13,240 Yeah, I really like the idea of in running, how you can just 89 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:17,840 beat a time, which then makes it more of a team effort and you 90 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:20,360 don't have to like you know, you don't. 91 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:22,680 You're not actually directly competing against somebody else. 92 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,480 You're competing against yourself for like the Olympic 93 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,000 trials and things like that. Obviously, if you're like at the 94 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:32,320 top and you're going to win, then it's a little bit 95 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:33,840 different. You are competing with other 96 00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:38,680 people, but for a lot of these people and most runners, you're 97 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,120 kind of just competing with yourself for a certain time. 98 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,320 It doesn't matter if someone else gets the same time. 99 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:46,720 It's encouraging to help them get the same time. 100 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:48,400 It's kind of fun. Exactly. 101 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,840 And yeah, that's exactly what both of them depicture. 102 00:05:51,840 --> 00:05:54,760 They're so uplifting. So you want to hear from them? 103 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,440 Let's get into it. All right, so without any 104 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,840 further ado, here is my conversation with Mary and 105 00:05:59,840 --> 00:06:03,800 Sophie. All right, so I'm here with 106 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,240 Sophie and Mary, 2 ladies. That recently, last weekend 107 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,480 qualified at CIM for the Olympic Trials. 108 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,360 Sophie and Mary, thank you so much for joining me. 109 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:16,000 Yeah. Thank you for having us. 110 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:19,440 So you guys are sitting down. You're not running this week, 111 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,000 I'm assuming. I have so many questions. 112 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,280 And I guess we'll start at the beginning before we talk about 113 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,960 last weekend. Maybe we can start with you, 114 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:29,960 Sophie. Can you tell us a little bit 115 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:34,000 about your background and explain what you do, how long 116 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,160 you've been running, what you do when you're not running, and 117 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:41,280 what other obligations you have besides obviously running? 118 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,720 Yeah, so I actually, I currently live in Albuquerque, NM. 119 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:50,480 I work as an engineer in the defense industry, so I work at 120 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,360 Sandia National Labs. My background is actually in 121 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,240 biomedical engineering and I'm a type one diabetic. 122 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:01,320 So on the side I do my own diabetes research, volunteer 123 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:04,800 coach, I coach, do soccer and track. 124 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,080 My background is soccer. I still play soccer quite a bit 125 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:12,680 and I love skiing in the winter. I also have a dog, Simcoe, you 126 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:17,800 probably saw her in the camera. So she's kind of my life right 127 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,680 now. And yeah, I like to go out to 128 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,040 breweries, hang out with friends and and have a good time. 129 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:26,320 That's awesome. That's that's quite a lot. 130 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:31,040 So do you work 40 hours a week? I do, yeah. 131 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,960 And it's I I'm lucky that we can be pretty flexible. 132 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,280 So I do get every other Friday off. 133 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,680 But yeah, I I do work 40 hours a week, sometimes more. 134 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:44,840 Wow, that's a lot. So this is something we're going 135 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,600 to hop back into once we talk about your training. 136 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,240 So I want to move on to Mary, Mary, hello. 137 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:53,680 And can you tell us about yourself, where you live, what 138 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,960 you do? And same with Sophie. 139 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,080 What other challenges or obligations you have in the on 140 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:00,040 the daily? Basis. 141 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,760 Sure. I live in Erie, Co, and I've 142 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:09,120 actually lived here for a year. I used to be a trial attorney. 143 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:13,760 I was a lawyer for 10 years, formerly from Maryland, my 144 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:15,760 career. I then switched careers to 145 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,280 marketing, and that kind of took me all over the place. 146 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:19,760 And that's actually How I Met Sophie. 147 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,080 I used to live in San Diego and she did too. 148 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,200 We were on a running team together, their Prado racing 149 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:29,160 team for gosh, I think it was like 2 years or just shy of two 150 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,920 years. And then I my career in 151 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,320 marketing took me to Flagstaff and then it took me to Santa 152 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,159 Barbara. I actually left that career a 153 00:08:37,159 --> 00:08:41,120 little over a year ago and dove into full time run coaching. 154 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:47,080 I work for Lyft, run, perform. And so yeah, that's about me. 155 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,800 I'm also a dog mom as well, My dog Max. 156 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,640 We have that in common. That's awesome and what 157 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:55,400 beautiful places you've lived at. 158 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:56,840 How do you like where you're living now? 159 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,240 I love it. I love trail running and 160 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:03,480 mountain running, and I'm able to do that. 161 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,320 I am also a former skier, Sophie. 162 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,920 We need to like, plan a trip, and you can help me get back 163 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,120 into that. I actually grew up ski racing. 164 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:17,840 I went to College in Vermont and I don't think I've Alpine skied 165 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:22,600 since 2012, actually. All right. 166 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:26,120 So you're both fast and you're telling me a little bit about 167 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,320 your background having trained together in San Diego. 168 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,920 So have you guys always been fast or was that something that 169 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:34,520 just happened over the last few years? 170 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,800 The fastest relative term. My first marathon was a 339 and 171 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:42,920 I was stoked. I like that's back when, you 172 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:48,520 know, the qualifying time for women was 340 for Boston and I 173 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:52,560 was 19 and I was in college and I never, I didn't do another one 174 00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:56,120 until 2015. And you know, from there I've 175 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:01,800 chipped away 303, sub three, chipping away in the two 50s, 176 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,920 chipping away through the two 40s down to now 236. 177 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:11,120 So I, you know, I've, it's been a long journey for me to get 178 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:13,320 where I am. I want to say this was like my 179 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:17,520 15th marathon. So you know, I've been proud of 180 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,240 every, every race I ran. That's amazing. 181 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:24,240 What about you, Sophie? Yeah, so for me, I let's see, I, 182 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:29,040 I played soccer all throughout youth and well, I did multiple 183 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,120 sports. So I I ran track, played soccer, 184 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,720 ski, basketball. I ultimately played soccer in 185 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:36,440 college and I was actually a goalkeeper. 186 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,040 So minimal running. I mean, I always love strength 187 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:43,200 and conditioning, but with managing my diabetes, I just 188 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,400 could not figure out running at all. 189 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:51,280 So then Fast forward a few years in grad school I joined a 190 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,640 running club and actually one of the faculty members that was it 191 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,840 was through my college. He was type one and taught me 192 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:00,360 how to manage diabetes running longer distances. 193 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,880 So I did my first half and then they encouraged me to run a 194 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:05,280 marathon. I thought they were absolutely 195 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:08,240 insane. I actually, my watch died in my 196 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:11,960 first marathon and I just kind of ran with a group and ended up 197 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:16,000 running a 252. So I'm fortunate to just be able 198 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:17,680 to have that experience right away. 199 00:11:17,680 --> 00:11:22,320 And so this was around 2016 and from there I was like, oh, let's 200 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:24,400 try to get faster, Let's qualify for Boston. 201 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,480 And so I thought to get faster, you just pack on all the miles. 202 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:29,280 But I had no background in doing that. 203 00:11:29,560 --> 00:11:33,360 And I ended up injured for like 3 or 4 years straight off and 204 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:36,160 on. I did do another marathon. 205 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:38,560 I did Boston with a stress fracture. 206 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:43,080 It was around the time I moved to San Diego, met Mary and Prada 207 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,520 Racing team and I think joining Prada Racing team. 208 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,320 It was the first time I ever did cross country and realized I 209 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,360 love shorter distances and it's not just endurance running. 210 00:11:52,680 --> 00:11:56,760 So that brought the competitive side back and actually from 211 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,560 there I started kind of jumping in with the marathon crew again 212 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:06,800 and like redoing building up to a marathon and and got the itch 213 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:11,840 again and did CIM in 2019. In 2019, I just missed 214 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:16,840 qualifying, so I was like 2249. I had a pretty bad bonk in 215 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:21,240 there, gave up the marathon a little bit as I moved back to 216 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:25,080 New Mexico and focused on just speed and turned the PR in 217 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:30,120 shorter distances. And I didn't get really the bug 218 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,200 to run another marathon until like January of this year. 219 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,240 So yeah. That's amazing. 220 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:38,320 Let me ask you a couple follow up questions. 221 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:41,680 Just for a lot of us, don't know type one diabetes, that's the 222 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:45,040 one that you're born with. Tell me how you have to or what 223 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:49,120 you have to do during races and stuff or beforehand to manage 224 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,080 it, something that we don't have to do. 225 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,920 Yeah, So, and and I actually was diagnosed in high school, a lot 226 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:57,920 of people are diagnosed when they're born with it. 227 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:00,520 Mine was later. We don't really know what caused 228 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:01,440 it. It could have been like an 229 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:05,040 autoimmune attack on my immune system. 230 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:11,200 So that changed my trajectory in high school quite a bit and now 231 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:14,880 the technology's come like so far I actually think in a way I 232 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,960 I have an insight into my body so I see like my glucose on a 233 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:20,440 daily basis. So I can help it. 234 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,240 I can use that to help me with feeling. 235 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,280 But it's it is such a challenge, especially this year with a lot 236 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,520 of like personal and like work stress. 237 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,680 Just like sitting here, my blood sugar can spike and I have to go 238 00:13:33,680 --> 00:13:36,680 take insulin. And the feeling around training 239 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:38,800 is something I really had to learn. 240 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:45,440 I think after my marathon two months before CIM, that's 241 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:48,320 something I took for granted and and didn't pay enough attention 242 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:50,000 to. So I really have to pay 243 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,840 attention to when I'm eating my carbs, but make sure I get 244 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,880 enough carbs during the race while like I'm having an 245 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,720 adrenaline spike and so balancing that with taking 246 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,680 insulin. And even just like rest days 247 00:14:01,680 --> 00:14:05,680 like I have to take more and very much like strategically 248 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:08,360 cycle like when I'm eating carbs and try to pair them with 249 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,280 protein and fat so they like they absorb slower. 250 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,440 Wow, that's involved. What do you use for? 251 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:21,440 Fueling this time around, I used a combination of Yucan and gummy 252 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:25,040 bears. So actually, gummy bears have 253 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,400 some protein in them if you get the Hariboo. 254 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:31,840 Most people don't know that, but even like the 2G of protein and 255 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:37,200 like 15 gummy bears, it slows how fast the carbs go into my 256 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:38,680 system. But you also still get that 257 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:43,080 quick sugar and you can take like a few at once versus a lot 258 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,920 at once. So just like I kind of do like 259 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:48,520 every mile, I'll have some gummy bears. 260 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:50,480 That's crazy. Wow. 261 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:52,600 Question. So if you do use caffeine too, 262 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:55,880 I'm just curious. Yeah, I do. 263 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:58,160 And I I'm like a caffeine fanatic. 264 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,760 I I love coffee, but I have noticed that caffeine can spike 265 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:05,560 your blood sugars as well. So I I love having caffeine 266 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:08,240 during the race, but since I'm usually spiking from an 267 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,440 adrenaline rush, I try to limit how much caffeine I have. 268 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:15,000 That being said, I did have caffeine at like mile 20 on 269 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:17,640 Sunday and I think it helped a lot. 270 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:22,520 They needed it, so yeah. So let me talk to you guys about 271 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:28,040 your training for this marathon. How many weeks of training do 272 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:31,040 your cycles normally include? And then maybe talk to us a 273 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:34,080 little bit about your base mileage, what your highest 274 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,440 mileage was. Workouts just take us down your 275 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,480 Rd. a little bit. I'm laughing because, like, 276 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:43,920 Sophie and I both had like very untraditional training cycles 277 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:48,200 for us. Sophie, do you want to go first? 278 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:53,000 Sure. So let's see. 279 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:59,320 Well, well, like I said, so I ran 1/2 marathon in the middle 280 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,160 of January. It's the Arizona Rock'n'roll 281 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:05,400 marathon or half marathon in January in the middle of ski 282 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,960 season off of like minimal training and minimal mileage 283 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,400 skiing a lot. I did put some tempo runs in 284 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:14,480 there in long runs as I was able to. 285 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:18,280 So I I luckily have a a track club here that I run with Duke's 286 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,080 track club. But a lot of it was alone and 287 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:25,680 and before skiing. But when I ran that race off of 288 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:31,000 like probably 40-50 miles a week and PR by 4 minutes, it was the 289 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,560 first time I ever broke an hour and 20 minutes and a half. 290 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,920 I was like, you know what? I really do love like the 291 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:42,160 competitive competitiveness and I'm going to jump back into 292 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:47,120 training. So I chose to do Carlsbad 5000 293 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:51,360 in San Diego and that was going to be my like B race to build up 294 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,320 to Grandma's. But I started to get this weird 295 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,560 nerve injury again and and I hadn't been injured in years and 296 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,160 I think I realized I was a little burnt out and needed to 297 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:02,680 just like take a step back re evaluate my training. 298 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:08,960 So the non traditional training that Mary was mentioning, I I 299 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,680 switched to just doing a lot of strength based training. 300 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:16,280 So I went to the gym more found a gym here in Albuquerque and a 301 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:20,119 trainer. So it's elevate and have an 302 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:23,160 awesome trainer player who kind of put a plan in place for me to 303 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:26,520 match with the mileage and I think the first block training 304 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,320 for. So I was mentioning I did the 305 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:33,560 McCurdy Micro Marathon. My base mileage is really only 306 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:38,040 like that 55 to 65 range which is pretty manageable for me with 307 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:41,720 a works like heavy work schedule and going to the gym three to 308 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:46,520 four times a week which I think is a lot of why I have managed 309 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:51,640 the injuries over the years and keeps that like speed element 310 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,880 that I love like from my soccer background. 311 00:17:54,840 --> 00:18:00,160 So from there I I did New York. I think we realized I wasn't 312 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,480 able to complete that last 6 miles and it might have just 313 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,360 been not going long enough in my long runs and and trying to nail 314 00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:08,320 my nutrition and my insulin and simulating race day. 315 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:14,000 So we decided to add a little bit more mileage a week. 316 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:17,880 So I actually maxed out at like 82 for CIM, which is the most 317 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:21,040 I've ever done in my life. So I think before that for CIM 318 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:25,240 2019, I'd been at like 70 and I was just on that fine line of 319 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:26,840 injury. But it was pretty cool to see 320 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:31,560 that I was able to do a couple of mileage weeks in the 80s and 321 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,200 stay healthy through it and kind of balance adding in the speed. 322 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,320 But I wasn't trying to go out there and hit 80 miles per week. 323 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:41,480 It was more. We just needed the extra mileage 324 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:43,480 and I was really paying attention to my body and 325 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,400 especially after New York, like if I needed extra rest days to 326 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:51,480 take them. So with that, how many speed 327 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:53,600 workouts did you do with that high mileage? 328 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:58,440 Maybe tell our listeners what the percentage was from easy 329 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:02,360 runs, how slow your easy runs were, and then you know how many 330 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:05,080 speed days or how many miles at speed pace did you do. 331 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,840 Yeah, so I'm a big fan of like Hard Day's Hard and Easy Day's 332 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,680 Easy. So my hard days were anything 333 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:17,840 from like 10 to 15 miles in total and I would try to go on 334 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,480 the track like once a week. If not, I I'm fortunate. 335 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:25,080 I live right next to a bike path here that's actually rolling 336 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:29,960 hills, so similar to CIM and just do tempos and speed there. 337 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:33,160 And I I always shared a couple of my tempos with some speed. 338 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,120 That's one time a week and then I would do a long run with some 339 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,080 like Marathon Pace incorporated in there. 340 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:44,920 Either slightly over marathon pace or under marathon pace, 341 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:50,160 depending on the day. What is marathon pace at 2:37 342 00:19:50,360 --> 00:19:52,440 and faster? 558. 343 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:54,680 So sub six and then your easy runs. 344 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:59,480 What pace is your easy quote UN quote Pace I. 345 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,840 Honestly, go on effort and I feel like Mary's probably the 346 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,520 same. I I sometimes do have to look at 347 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:08,120 a watch to make sure I don't go too fast. 348 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:11,400 I think when I went through those years of being injured, my 349 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,080 easy runs were too fast and it was mainly just 'cause I was 350 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,920 going with a group that was comfortable running that pace 351 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:18,960 for easy and it just wasn't fitting me. 352 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:21,080 And I I also go on the trails here, so. 353 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,440 Somewhere to Mary I live close to trails again and and I'll 354 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:27,000 just go out for an hour on trails and it already keeps the 355 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,080 pace easier because it's hilly and and in the mountains. 356 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,440 I go by heart rate for easy runs. 357 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:38,440 I keep it under 140 and I won't even like in the 1:30's, right? 358 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:40,680 Like I won't even look at what pace it is. 359 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:44,760 And some days that's an 8 minute mile, some days that's an 850 360 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:51,640 which is 3 minutes off our goal marathon pace, you know, shake 361 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,200 out run, I'll keep it under 1:30. 362 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,400 And that tends to be like the lower, like being the higher 363 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:00,080 eights. The lower eights for me tend to 364 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:04,840 be like the 130 range. I don't spend a lot of time, 365 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,480 Sophie, you can probably relate to this in like the seven minute 366 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,360 range. It's like either I'm doing like 367 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:15,240 my speed workouts which is sub six or I'm running an 8 minute 368 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:17,680 mile like every now and then there'll be a run in the sevens. 369 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:20,600 But a lot of times that's kind of like that middle. 370 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,800 It's not a Gray area, but it's just, it's quicker end of easy 371 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:28,120 and it's, you know, the easy runs being truly easy or what 372 00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:31,680 allow you to stay injury free and observe the work and get the 373 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:34,520 most out of yourself on your quality session days. 374 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:36,040 I mean, that's where you're going to get fit. 375 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,160 That's where the work actually happens. 376 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:41,640 I love it. I feel like there's so much 377 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:46,480 pressure with everyone sharing Strava and comparing and and all 378 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:49,200 that, that people just end up running too fast because they 379 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:50,800 don't want to look slower. So that makes. 380 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:54,000 Complete sense and. For you, Mary, what did your 381 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,760 training look like? How many weeks were in high 382 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:58,760 mileage? What did high mileage look like 383 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:00,800 for you? And let's hear about your 384 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:06,440 untraditional training. I have yet to have like a 385 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:08,200 perfect training stethical on paper. 386 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:13,680 I've learned to not wait for it. And so September last year I 387 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:17,240 missed just shy of six weeks of, like, all activity. 388 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:20,960 I found out I had a labrum tear, which is not a new injury. 389 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:25,000 It's that my labrum and my hip, I've had what I would describe 390 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:29,360 as hip flares since 2018. They were they would happen like 391 00:22:29,360 --> 00:22:33,480 every year, 18 months, two years, and they'd Take Me Out 392 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,200 for like a week or, you know, a week and a half, something like 393 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,560 that. And it always manifested 394 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:42,520 differently, like, you know, I thought it was my my TfL and my 395 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:45,600 hip or my glute need or my quad or whatever, but I come to find 396 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:49,840 out it's it's my labrum. And so I was supposed to do CIM 397 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:53,360 last year, but I ended up scratching because I needed to 398 00:22:53,360 --> 00:22:56,280 do strength. Like Soapy said, strength work 399 00:22:56,280 --> 00:23:00,720 has been huge for her and keeping her injury free, running 400 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:04,120 her best. I was told you don't you you 401 00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:07,360 won't need surgery if you do the strength thing. 402 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:11,560 I became a strength girl committed to two days a week and 403 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:13,920 then I shifted to three days a week this winter. 404 00:23:14,120 --> 00:23:18,200 And then as I was building in the spring, I've shifted back to 405 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:21,240 two days a week and that's that seems to be my happy medium. 406 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,680 And I do also hit usually a yoga class once a week, like a power 407 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,240 yoga class. It's kind of like a lighter 408 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,200 strength, if you will, but that's kept me. 409 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,040 I haven't had any issues with my hip since I did that. 410 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:39,280 And so last fall was all about rehabbing, getting my body 411 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:41,200 strong again, running low mileage. 412 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,560 And then I started a build for grandmas in January. 413 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:50,600 So that training cycle was very much a comeback training cycle, 414 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:59,960 and I ran 1/2 marathon in April at what I ultimately raced this 415 00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:03,440 marathon this past weekend at. And I knew going into it, it was 416 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:09,160 like my PR was like soft and the fact that I had run it like five 417 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,840 times before and also in a marathon. 418 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:14,520 So I was like, you know, maybe I could squeeze something out, but 419 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:16,840 also maybe not. And I ended up not. 420 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,080 It was my slowest half marathon in five years and I didn't let 421 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:23,280 it get me down because I know you can turn that into your 422 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:26,520 marathon pace even like 6 weeks later, 'cause I was on this like 423 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:29,840 big upswing. And so I went into grandma's 424 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,320 definitely, I would say like on paper, ready for the goal, just 425 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:37,320 based off of like what I was splitting during training, how 426 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:39,840 those efforts felt. You know, I've done this long 427 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:42,080 enough, like I know how marathon case should feel. 428 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:46,800 I know what I need to split. And for me it was not a good 429 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:51,360 weather day. It was 70s, humidity was out, it 430 00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:54,080 was like 100% humidity or something like that in direct 431 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:57,400 sun. And I got to mile 20 and I 432 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:00,960 started throwing up and it was just like the slowest 10K to 433 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,880 finish and I ended up running 3 minutes off. 434 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:10,080 My PR at the time was 240. I ran 243 so I didn't allow it 435 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:13,680 to discourage me because I said I have more opportunities this 436 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:17,520 fall to go after the goal. So took off. 437 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:21,040 I spent the summer actually running a lot of trail and 438 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,920 mountain running. Did actually a lot of vertical 439 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:29,880 gain like for the month of July, I wasn't focused on pace at all. 440 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:33,080 I was running a ton of vert. I mean like I think I hit like 441 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:36,440 20,000 in vert one week. I was just running mountains. 442 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:39,520 Like if you want to talk about some slow miles you can see some 443 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:43,400 slow Strava. I was like running like you know 444 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,960 like 1217 minute miles like up mountains and Telluride. 445 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,240 But it that's what I love and that's what brings me joy. 446 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:54,720 And it also makes me so strong because when I got back from a 447 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:58,600 trip, I took like pretty much three weeks, almost like the 448 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:03,840 whole month of July. I hit Rd. training and I was 449 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:07,640 splitting significantly faster than what I was hitting for my 450 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:11,160 grandma's training. I was targeting Berlin Marathon 451 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,440 and my training in August and into September was just killer. 452 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:19,600 Like my threshold has never been faster and I live at altitude. 453 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:23,080 I'm talking like comparing the sea level, like I was hitting 454 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:26,120 faster at altitude than I ever did at sea level for my 455 00:26:26,120 --> 00:26:29,000 threshold. Same thing for marathon pace. 456 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:33,440 I couldn't wait to race Berlin. Like I knew I was capable of the 457 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:37,280 goal and I could not wait. I got sick 2 weeks before the 458 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:42,040 race and from there like I was just having these like waves of 459 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:44,560 symptoms that reminded me very much of COVID. 460 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:46,120 Like, I was like, I'm very worried. 461 00:26:46,120 --> 00:26:49,280 I have COVID and I kept testing and it was negative and I would 462 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,720 start to feel better. I would run, do a workout, but I 463 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:56,720 just like wasn't feeling myself. And I started to have some hip 464 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:59,720 niggles like popping up, which for me, every time I've had 465 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:02,440 COVID, it goes after my hip because it's inflammatory. 466 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,200 I was feeling well enough to still get on the airplane the 467 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,800 week before the race, go to Berlin. 468 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:11,160 I had a trip planned with my mom. 469 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:14,200 It was not refundable. And I said, you know, maybe it's 470 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,560 some extra rest with the taper, like I'll feel better. 471 00:27:17,360 --> 00:27:22,680 I did not. I got over there and I didn't 472 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:24,120 run. Even every day that was 473 00:27:24,120 --> 00:27:27,800 scheduled, like I missed runs. I'm sleeping like 10 to 12 hours 474 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:32,160 a night and like still tired and like having on and off like cold 475 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:34,280 like symptoms. And I was like something is 476 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:36,400 wrong with me and I don't know what it is. 477 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:41,360 And so in talking to my coach, we shifted the goal from this is 478 00:27:41,360 --> 00:27:44,520 your goal race to let's just use it as a supportive long run. 479 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,560 And then two days before the race, I was feeling worse and I 480 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:50,800 said I don't even think I should do a long run. 481 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,240 I certainly shouldn't do, like, an extra long run like this is 482 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,880 dangerous. I worry about, like my long term 483 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:01,040 health, like no races worth it. And like, obviously I'm not 484 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:05,160 going to race to my potential to like what I've trained to do. 485 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:09,400 So as hard as it was to literally be there and like, 486 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,480 want to just go the distance because, like, I want to do all 487 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,240 the World Marathon Majors, it's like, I'm right here. 488 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:17,840 I want to do this race so I can just get my medal, go home. 489 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:22,880 I decided not to line up at all, and I got home, and a couple 490 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:26,280 days later I got sick again. And I tested positive for COVID. 491 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,000 I could not believe it. It was the most wild three weeks 492 00:28:30,120 --> 00:28:33,400 of, like, not feeling myself, just feeling terrible. 493 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:35,840 But I'm so glad I listened to my intuition. 494 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:40,040 I've seen the fallout from people who train and race 495 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:43,240 through COVID who have serious long term issues, whether that's 496 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,800 bone, heart, lung, it's just not worth it. 497 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:50,640 So very proud that I made that decision. 498 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:56,560 I started back running. It was the first week of October 499 00:28:56,600 --> 00:29:02,320 and I had eight weeks from my negative test to CIM and so we 500 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:06,360 were really careful, Like I ran low mileage for a week, The easy 501 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:09,880 only stepped up the mileage the next week, easy only. 502 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:14,120 My one workout the following week was like 2 hundreds at like 503 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:16,120 threshold pace or something like that. 504 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:20,320 The following week it was 4 hundreds I think at Threshold 505 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:27,480 and then the end was three weeks really hard hitting workouts 3 * 506 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:31,000 a week to just like kind of pull out the fitness that I had on 507 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:34,200 that Berlin training cycle. It was a period of lower 508 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:39,800 mileage, way more quality. I had to take extra rest days 509 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:43,040 and be OK with it because like my just my recovery was lagging. 510 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:45,320 Like after COVID and honestly those. 511 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:49,000 That three-week period was to not only try to pull out that 512 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:52,040 Berlin fitness, but also to make sure that I was confident that I 513 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:54,120 could safely line up and do a marathon. 514 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:57,000 I wouldn't have lined up if I didn't think that I could safely 515 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:00,000 go the distance and put together a race that I was proud of. 516 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:05,680 And so really what my training cycle was was like cumulative 517 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:10,800 fitness and just doing enough to, you know, get it done on 518 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:14,120 race day. And so that's why I'm going out. 519 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:20,640 You know, I I paced it the way I needed to in order to set myself 520 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:22,840 up in the best position to achieve the goal, if that makes 521 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:25,160 sense. It makes complete sense. 522 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:27,800 And I'm sorry about Berlin, but the good news is that you have a 523 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:30,680 obvious time qualifier. You can just sign up for Berlin. 524 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:32,800 You're one of the few that can just do that. 525 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:36,440 So wow. So I guess, I mean, hearing both 526 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:40,360 of you talk, there was no question that you guys both knew 527 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:43,440 you were going to be able to do it. 528 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:44,960 Like, it wasn't kind of a guessing game. 529 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,440 You knew your training was there. 530 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:48,920 So maybe walk us through the race. 531 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:51,360 I'm sure there was a ton of. Anxiety knowing that this was 532 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:55,240 the last chance for the next four years to qualify for this 533 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:58,360 Olympic Trials. So Sophie, let's start with you. 534 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:01,840 How did Race Safe feel? Maybe walk us through some 535 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:06,000 highlights of that day. Yeah, absolutely. 536 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:10,160 So I I really appreciate Mary's story because I think I had some 537 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:15,280 similar feelings before Cam, my New York one, I felt pretty 538 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:17,480 perfect going into. It nailed every workout. 539 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:24,240 I didn't put it together. CIM I I actually, even though I 540 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:26,760 was able to hit like the mileage, there was a couple 541 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,120 workouts in there. I just kind of scrapped in the 542 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:32,880 middle and and I actually was on antibiotics like the two weeks 543 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,720 before because I got an infection on my arm from my 544 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,120 glucose monitor. So, like, nothing was that 545 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:41,440 perfect. And so the confidence actually 546 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:45,560 lining up at CIM, I knew I had done the workouts, but there was 547 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:48,480 still this like edge about me that you know, like it hasn't 548 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:50,640 been perfect the last month. Like there's been these little 549 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,960 things that pop up the holidays. I really wanted to enjoy time 550 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:58,560 with family and I I didn't. I wasn't as strict as I was 551 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:00,840 before New York with kind of like my lifestyle. 552 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:05,280 I really just wanted to enjoy CIM and give myself a chance to 553 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:09,800 qualify, but kind of took that end goal a little bit out of my 554 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,600 mind and and that was a different mentality than New 555 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:15,480 York and I think that's kind of how my race at CIM went. 556 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:22,320 So I think the first half I don't know why I just did not 557 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:27,000 feel good and good is relative. I think I felt good enough to 558 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:31,200 hold the the OTQ pace. So my plan was to stick with the 559 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:35,360 back part of the pack and just be really patient unlike I was 560 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:39,640 at New York. So there I I was kind of like in 561 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:43,160 in the front trying to like race really took the first half of 562 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:45,840 the race for granted and feeling really good where I see I was 563 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:48,280 almost the opposite. I I didn't feel amazing so I 564 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:52,120 held back a bit. I actually had a teammate from 565 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:53,960 Albuquerque and a teammate from San Diego. 566 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:56,840 They they didn't even realize they were running together catch 567 00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:01,600 up to me because they're in the men's general start and and they 568 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:03,400 caught up to me they were chatting and like how are you 569 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:05,960 feeling? And I wasn't even responding and 570 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:07,640 I like just pick it up with us a little bit. 571 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:10,360 I'm like Nope I need to be patient like I'm I learned that 572 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:14,880 lesson so just kind of like was looking down and and just 573 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:18,640 gritting it out for 11:50 miles like focus on your nutrition 574 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:22,000 plan like do everything we planned on maybe it'll turn 575 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:25,520 around and and finally like I actually saw Mary and she was 576 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:27,440 like how are you doing? And I was like, I don't know, my 577 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:29,480 quad hurts. Like, why does my quad hurt? 578 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:32,360 And she's like, shut it up. And so when you told me that I 579 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:35,680 was like, all right, shut it up, like, OK, it's going to be fine. 580 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:38,920 Like that's not the the way that failed in New York. 581 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:42,960 Like I I just having flashbacks. I'm like it could turn around. 582 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:46,640 So I actually lost the pack around like mile 12 or 13. 583 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:49,720 And I was like this is just like, I just think my friend was 584 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:52,440 there watching. And so next time I see him I'm I 585 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:54,280 might have to tell him I'm I'm done. 586 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:58,880 And I don't know what changed. But I think I I surged to catch 587 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:00,520 the pack. I'm like, this is your last 588 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:02,360 chance. Like you have to go for it. 589 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:06,000 Like if your leg falls off, if you if you bonk, you bonk like 590 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,480 whatever. So I surged and I think just 591 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:11,520 like that action of like sprinting ahead and it was on a 592 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:15,159 hill reminding me of like you're strong on hills like that's your 593 00:34:15,159 --> 00:34:17,360 race mentality like just compete. 594 00:34:18,159 --> 00:34:20,080 And I think seeing Mary like, really helps. 595 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:22,639 Like call me. I'm like, yeah, like she knows 596 00:34:22,639 --> 00:34:25,000 this race. She is so experienced. 597 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:26,960 Like, I know her build hasn't been perfect either. 598 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:30,639 But like just match her moves and like react and and race and 599 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:35,040 I like by mile 15 somehow like it was a whole new day and I 600 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:38,800 just felt good and was taking my nutrition. 601 00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:42,120 All of a sudden there wasn't that many girls with us and and 602 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:46,480 it was kind of crazy because I I don't think I realized that time 603 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:51,440 like everyone is just focused and kind of thinking like saying 604 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:55,280 my race day mentality like my my words that keep me going like 605 00:34:55,280 --> 00:35:01,120 just be present enjoy like the little moments and like seeing 606 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:04,560 things on the side like the people cheering all the people 607 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:07,200 that have helped me get there and and just kind of remembering 608 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:11,360 those things in my head. And by I think my old twenty I 609 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:14,040 was like OK you can actually like race this thing like it's a 610 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:20,120 10 Ki try to I guess be a little bit faster than those around you 611 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:24,400 but use their encouragement and encourage them and and smile and 612 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:27,640 just like bring everyone with you And and I think Mary was 613 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:34,520 around that time too. And I think when I was 25 I had 614 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:36,200 started hurting and I'm like, Oh no. 615 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:38,360 Like here we go. Like my foot started cramping 616 00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:43,760 and yeah I think Barry you passed me and you're like you're 617 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:46,240 not giving up now it's it's one mile. 618 00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:50,400 I just get to the finish and I think having the people around 619 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:52,800 it was a pretty incredible experience. 620 00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:57,440 But the the shift in confidence throughout the race was just 621 00:35:57,440 --> 00:36:02,280 crazy to me and and I I really had to like dig deep and and 622 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:05,120 kind of fight for it. But I think it's the first time 623 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:09,280 I've been able to like fight for something and and like just 624 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:13,520 embrace it all and and show that you really can turn the day 625 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:17,240 around, even on a hard day so. I love this. 626 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:21,600 It's so hard for anyone, no matter what pace to run a 627 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,520 negative split and sounds like that's what you did and having 628 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:27,600 this shift in mindset because normally you know when you're 629 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:30,760 training something goes bad and it just kind of tickles off and 630 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:33,120 and goes worse. And then I also love that you 631 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:34,800 and Mary. Will ask me. 632 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:38,760 You guys are able to find each other and run together and 633 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:41,360 that's so heart warming. And then you making these 634 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:44,920 associations with having trained with her in the past and what 635 00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:49,320 she has in knowledge and kind of, you know, stick with that. 636 00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:52,800 So that's really cool. So Mary, let's hear your story 637 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:55,280 about CIM. How did you feel on that day? 638 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:58,960 How did it go for you and what were kind of the challenges that 639 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:02,800 you faced during the race? Sure. 640 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:07,200 So I felt very at peace with the race. 641 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:09,920 I said to myself, it's either happening or it's not. 642 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:16,680 And the Sub 237 is truthfully something that I saw in 2016 and 643 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:20,880 have wanted since then. I felt like I've been working 644 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:24,280 towards it for eight years, truly. 645 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:31,080 And so for me, it's about the time because I was a three O 3 646 00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:35,640 marathoner who dared to dream. And you know, I don't think I 647 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:39,480 knew what that pace was when I when I set that goal for myself, 648 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:41,760 I probably would have talked myself out of it had I known it 649 00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:44,320 was sub six, But I was like 237. I feel like I could do that 650 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:47,560 someday, like very far in the distance, which may sound crazy, 651 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:53,000 but I was going to be just as stoked if I had to wait until 652 00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:58,080 2025 or 2026 or 2028. Like I was going to keep trying 653 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:02,600 for it. And so coming into the race and 654 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:09,000 I found this over the years I would say since end of 2019 I've 655 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:15,320 managed to go into races very relaxed and the more relaxed I 656 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:18,800 am the better I sleep that week, the better I sleep the night 657 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:20,960 before and therefore the better I race. 658 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:24,880 So I had to really like and I always have to work on it. 659 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:27,520 It's a practice but I always have to like really focus on 660 00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:30,720 just trying to stay calm and and reminding myself you do a long 661 00:38:30,720 --> 00:38:34,680 run every weekend, you do a long run workout every weekend, not 662 00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:36,720 every weekend has speed in it, but you know what I mean? 663 00:38:36,720 --> 00:38:40,960 Like we go through these pre race motions basically of like I 664 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:44,360 very much do the same dinner that I'm going to have. 665 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:46,520 You know I have my cooling strategy figured out. 666 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:50,680 So for me it's it's it's grounding to have those routines 667 00:38:50,680 --> 00:38:55,240 and I just tell myself it's a 26.2 mile workout at marathon 668 00:38:55,240 --> 00:38:57,920 pace and we're going to find out what those hundredths are. 669 00:38:58,120 --> 00:39:01,120 So that's how I stay calm going into it. 670 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:08,160 And on race day, it was warm, it was humid, It wasn't like that 671 00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:12,360 30 to 40 crisp day that CIM has been before. 672 00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:14,280 When I raced it, this was my third CIM. 673 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:18,800 And so I said to myself, like you need to be patient and you 674 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:21,920 need to work with others and run within yourself. 675 00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:25,960 Because what I didn't want to do was lose sight of the goal and 676 00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:30,160 run too quickly and lose it. There was that that happened to 677 00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:36,000 a lot of people this weekend. And I was in the Elite start, so 678 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:40,680 I was ahead of the pace. The pace group I was, Sophie was 679 00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:43,520 in that group. The seated group were, or were 680 00:39:43,520 --> 00:39:45,040 you in the Elite? You're seated, right? 681 00:39:46,240 --> 00:39:49,640 Yeah. So when the race started, like, 682 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:51,600 it goes out fast. It always does. 683 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:55,240 I pulled back because the first mile is very downhill. 684 00:39:55,240 --> 00:39:58,000 It's very common to run a quicker, like a quicker end of 685 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:01,640 your marathon range for that. But I made sure to not run like. 686 00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:04,600 Faster than the quicker end of my marathon range. 687 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:08,480 And what I wanted was the pace group to catch me and like pass 688 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:10,640 me and then I would latch on to the back. 689 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:13,360 And that's exactly what I did. I think the pace group caught me 690 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:17,560 around mile 5 and it was large at that point. 691 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:22,640 I mean, gosh, how many women do you think were running in that 692 00:40:22,640 --> 00:40:24,160 group, Sophie? A lot. 693 00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:27,400 I was in the back of it and there was kind of like 2 even. 694 00:40:27,560 --> 00:40:30,600 So there was one that was slightly under pace and then one 695 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:33,720 that was right on pace. And I think they did kind of 696 00:40:33,720 --> 00:40:36,720 merge probably around the time we caught you, but it was big. 697 00:40:37,720 --> 00:40:41,760 100, 100, yeah. And at first I thought the group 698 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:43,640 in front of me was the pace group. 699 00:40:43,640 --> 00:40:45,840 And then I was like seeing the splits come through and I was 700 00:40:45,840 --> 00:40:49,200 like that's like the two fat like and I didn't want to be 701 00:40:49,280 --> 00:40:51,680 there on this day. I was like, if I split those 702 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:53,400 miles like at the end, that's great. 703 00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:55,760 But like that's not where I want to be at first. 704 00:40:56,280 --> 00:40:59,720 So I let the group pass me and then I tried to just like stay 705 00:40:59,720 --> 00:41:04,320 on the back. And that's the first time I've 706 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:06,800 really been in a pack that massive. 707 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:12,160 And at times I found it like kind of peaceful because I just 708 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:16,840 could kind of turn my brain off work, let the group do its 709 00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:18,880 thing. But then it would be very 710 00:41:18,880 --> 00:41:24,360 chaotic when there would be like a water noon aid station or a 711 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:26,560 bottle pickup. I mean, people are like leaving 712 00:41:26,560 --> 00:41:28,880 and everything. So really having to stay 713 00:41:28,880 --> 00:41:32,360 vigilant and calm and then kind of like get back into place. 714 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:37,560 Because I did have bottles and I still would slow and pick up 715 00:41:38,080 --> 00:41:42,560 like a noon and a water cup very frequently because I'm very 716 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:46,160 susceptible to heat and humidity, like derailing me. 717 00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:49,480 I know that about myself. And so I knew I needed to take 718 00:41:49,480 --> 00:41:52,400 in like as much as possible so that I wouldn't crash and bonk 719 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:54,760 at the end. And so there were times when I 720 00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:58,120 was running with the group that the pack would actually leave me 721 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:00,440 and then I would have to like catch them. 722 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:03,960 And so my miles weren't like, as smooth as I wanted them to be. 723 00:42:03,960 --> 00:42:05,760 And it's it's true. It's not the most efficient way 724 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:08,440 to run. But like I needed to do that to 725 00:42:08,440 --> 00:42:12,720 be able to take in enough. And Sophie and I were near each 726 00:42:12,720 --> 00:42:14,680 other. I would say most of the race I 727 00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:17,880 kept like, we kept like kind of just like circling around like 728 00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:21,520 coming back together, running side by side, exchanging words 729 00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:23,560 like how you doing, like how you feeling. 730 00:42:23,560 --> 00:42:25,800 And I remember I, she asked me how I was doing. 731 00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:29,080 And I was like, I mean, I feel OK, but I know that could change 732 00:42:29,080 --> 00:42:31,760 at any minute. And that's honestly how the day 733 00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:36,760 felt Like it felt challenging. Like I would put, like, the 734 00:42:36,760 --> 00:42:40,280 right amount of challenging the whole time where it's like, it's 735 00:42:40,280 --> 00:42:42,520 hard, but I'm doing it. And it's like, yeah, it's 736 00:42:42,520 --> 00:42:43,920 marathon pace. It's a race effort. 737 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:46,480 It's not supposed to be easy. Like, it's not supposed to feel 738 00:42:46,480 --> 00:42:48,280 like you're just doing a long run with friends. 739 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:52,680 Like it's supposed to be like you're like not going up against 740 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:58,000 that, but not redlining yet. So I kept waiting for like that 741 00:42:58,000 --> 00:43:01,440 mile to come where it just all of a sudden like you can't do it 742 00:43:01,440 --> 00:43:03,520 anymore. And thankfully it didn't happen 743 00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:07,560 this race, but it started to happen for me at mile 22. 744 00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:11,240 I split like a 602 and I was like, I had that like negative 745 00:43:11,240 --> 00:43:13,440 thought come through that was like, and that's when you lost 746 00:43:13,440 --> 00:43:17,280 the race because I was like, I don't know if like I can get 747 00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:20,680 back down like, but I did. I found that next gear, which 748 00:43:21,040 --> 00:43:24,880 was awesome, but the group did really fracture. 749 00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:29,520 I would say around like 1920. It was like all of a sudden 750 00:43:30,320 --> 00:43:32,120 there was no one around me and I didn't like. 751 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:34,560 I just kind of looked around and I was like, wait, where did 752 00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:38,640 everyone go? And Sophie had pulled ahead. 753 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:45,480 At that point I I was very focused on just like maintaining 754 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:49,040 because I was. I didn't want to push it. 755 00:43:49,560 --> 00:43:52,840 And like, just a couple seconds per mile can cause you to then 756 00:43:53,120 --> 00:43:55,880 take a big step back. And so for me, I was like, 757 00:43:56,240 --> 00:43:59,040 you're on it, just maintain here. 758 00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:02,880 And then there was a guy cheering for us and he was 759 00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:04,480 cheering. He was saying my name and I was 760 00:44:04,480 --> 00:44:07,520 like cheer for. So she was right like ahead of 761 00:44:07,520 --> 00:44:10,320 me. And then I had like passed her 762 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:12,560 and I could feel that she was fading. 763 00:44:12,800 --> 00:44:15,560 And I was like, come on Sophie, like, let's get this done. 764 00:44:15,560 --> 00:44:17,120 And I remember I was like slapping my side. 765 00:44:17,120 --> 00:44:19,480 I was like, come run next to me. Like, come run next to me. 766 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:24,560 And like, I'm trying. I don't know how either of us, 767 00:44:24,640 --> 00:44:26,720 like, could even speak at that point. 768 00:44:26,720 --> 00:44:30,160 But like, it was like short little words and sentences, but 769 00:44:30,160 --> 00:44:34,280 like we were. And I just remember, like, I 770 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:38,200 know my first mile and my last mile were my fastest. 771 00:44:38,920 --> 00:44:44,320 And, you know, I've, I've never had that next gear to be able to 772 00:44:44,320 --> 00:44:47,200 close strong like that. Like when all those negative 773 00:44:47,200 --> 00:44:50,400 demons are in your head telling you, you know, oh, you'd be 774 00:44:50,400 --> 00:44:53,720 happy with like just APR, which is true. 775 00:44:53,720 --> 00:44:57,400 Like, I would have been happy if I had run, you know, a 237 or a 776 00:44:57,400 --> 00:45:00,240 238 or a 239, 'cause that still would have been APR. 777 00:45:00,240 --> 00:45:02,800 But like, I really wanted this goal. 778 00:45:02,960 --> 00:45:05,840 And it's crazy how your brain can start to try and talk you 779 00:45:05,840 --> 00:45:08,200 out of these things and you're settling and you're bargaining 780 00:45:08,200 --> 00:45:09,720 because it's just, it's so uncomfortable. 781 00:45:09,720 --> 00:45:12,120 You've been running for like 2 1/2 hours. 782 00:45:12,120 --> 00:45:15,400 You're ready to be done. But I found that next level, 783 00:45:15,400 --> 00:45:18,520 which was awesome. And I truly know it was part in 784 00:45:18,520 --> 00:45:22,240 part because, you know, like Sophie said, it was comforting 785 00:45:22,240 --> 00:45:24,200 to know I was there. It was comforting for me to have 786 00:45:24,200 --> 00:45:28,440 her there, to be like stay with Sophie or like, you know, try to 787 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:31,120 help pull Sophie along. Because we each had moments 788 00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:33,280 where we were feeling stronger than the other. 789 00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:36,040 And you know, of course you know you got to run your own race, 790 00:45:36,040 --> 00:45:38,840 but if you can do it with someone else, it makes it feel 791 00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:42,880 not easy but like I'll say not as hard, right? 792 00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:47,080 It's something to focus on. It's a person that you know and 793 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:49,400 turning that corner and seeing the clock. 794 00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:51,960 I mean you can see it on all of our faces. 795 00:45:51,960 --> 00:45:55,760 We are just like cheesing, like you're so happy. 796 00:45:55,760 --> 00:46:00,000 It's like like knowing that you did it and like all the work 797 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:03,360 that's gone into this. And I know for me it's like it's 798 00:46:03,360 --> 00:46:06,480 been an 8 year journey and I'm so proud of it and it's it's not 799 00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:08,800 been easy. It's certainly has taken me 800 00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:12,600 years to get where I am and it's taken each goal. 801 00:46:12,600 --> 00:46:17,800 I noticed this breaking 3 breaking, you know, 245, now 802 00:46:17,840 --> 00:46:20,400 237. It's taken me several attempts, 803 00:46:20,640 --> 00:46:24,200 like 3-3 attempts actually for being specific. 804 00:46:24,440 --> 00:46:29,520 So three is my number noted for the future, but you know, it 805 00:46:29,520 --> 00:46:31,840 just makes me all the more grateful for it that it just 806 00:46:32,440 --> 00:46:35,400 challenges me and makes me question everything you know 807 00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:37,680 with the journey of like is this worth it? 808 00:46:37,680 --> 00:46:42,160 Like picking myself up off the pavement after a bad race or or 809 00:46:42,160 --> 00:46:46,920 whatever, and continuing to just pursue it and then having it 810 00:46:46,920 --> 00:46:50,400 ultimately happen is just such a joyful thing. 811 00:46:51,640 --> 00:46:53,280 Oh my God, there's so much in this. 812 00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:56,720 And I mean the camaraderie between the two of you is 813 00:46:56,720 --> 00:46:58,960 amazing. And then having this goal. 814 00:46:58,960 --> 00:47:02,600 So what did it feel like crossing that finish line? 815 00:47:02,600 --> 00:47:04,920 I had chills when I saw your videos, and I've seen other 816 00:47:04,920 --> 00:47:09,000 videos of people crossing the finish line either right at the 817 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:12,880 right time or just a few seconds after, And that stuff makes me 818 00:47:12,880 --> 00:47:14,760 cry. I'm just like, my gosh, this is 819 00:47:14,760 --> 00:47:19,000 so powerful. So tell me the happy stories. 820 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:21,520 Like, what did it feel like when you crossed the finish line? 821 00:47:21,800 --> 00:47:22,960 What was the first thing you did? 822 00:47:22,960 --> 00:47:24,800 Obviously, I know you guys hugged, probably. 823 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:26,960 And yeah, tell me all about that. 824 00:47:30,280 --> 00:47:37,920 I'm I'm yeah like I I still like get chills I it was a little bit 825 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:41,040 of a a shock to me I think and and I didn't even know what to 826 00:47:41,040 --> 00:47:44,840 do it was something I'd worked for for a while right. 827 00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:49,080 And like you've seen the lows and and I I think for me it was 828 00:47:49,080 --> 00:47:53,920 like, OK, like I did it and like hugging Mary. 829 00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:56,440 I was like like it was just the sense of relief. 830 00:47:56,440 --> 00:48:00,040 Like it it was it's kind of hard to describe. 831 00:48:01,560 --> 00:48:04,000 I think I had a lot of challenges going into it like 832 00:48:04,080 --> 00:48:08,240 the my blood sugars and it just all kind of like went away. 833 00:48:08,280 --> 00:48:14,000 Right. And so I think I the first thing 834 00:48:14,000 --> 00:48:17,320 I did well, like I hugged Mary and I was like, all right, I 835 00:48:17,320 --> 00:48:22,640 want to find my phone and like, call my family and and whatnot. 836 00:48:22,640 --> 00:48:24,920 But I, like, was kind of in the state of delirium. 837 00:48:24,920 --> 00:48:26,560 I couldn't find, like, my insulin. 838 00:48:26,560 --> 00:48:29,440 So actually it was with the, like, lactating Mother's 839 00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:31,800 station. And I was just like, in a moment 840 00:48:31,800 --> 00:48:38,320 of like, chaos and silence and just like I was proud of myself 841 00:48:38,320 --> 00:48:43,400 for like, getting it done. It was the weirdest, like quiet, 842 00:48:43,720 --> 00:48:45,920 calm. I think that I'd had all day and 843 00:48:45,920 --> 00:48:50,600 and just like, yeah, it. I'm curious what Mary has to say 844 00:48:51,000 --> 00:48:54,680 because I hadn't had that feeling before, like missing it 845 00:48:54,680 --> 00:49:01,120 in 2019 and and having to refocus and and like Mary said, 846 00:49:01,120 --> 00:49:04,560 you have bad races leading up to it and and those kind of seem to 847 00:49:04,560 --> 00:49:08,240 just go away. But they really are what I think 848 00:49:08,560 --> 00:49:12,120 brings power to the good moments, right? 849 00:49:12,120 --> 00:49:14,800 You have to go through those challenges and those flows. 850 00:49:15,960 --> 00:49:17,440 Yeah, Mary, let's hear from you what was. 851 00:49:17,560 --> 00:49:21,400 Our hug was finish line. Yeah, I was just gonna say our 852 00:49:21,400 --> 00:49:23,440 hug was epic. Like we like dove for each 853 00:49:23,520 --> 00:49:27,240 other. Well, no. 854 00:49:27,480 --> 00:49:30,240 Who else is gonna make it? And like I, there was the one 855 00:49:30,240 --> 00:49:31,480 girl. And I was, yeah, I. 856 00:49:33,840 --> 00:49:36,280 Was just gonna say we didn't know the woman who ran like it 857 00:49:36,280 --> 00:49:41,000 showed like 23703, but like her chip time was like 237 flat. 858 00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:42,760 So they did accept her for the trials. 859 00:49:42,760 --> 00:49:49,320 But, I mean, we were the last three to make it You, Sophie, 860 00:49:49,320 --> 00:49:50,800 me. And then I think her name was 861 00:49:50,800 --> 00:49:53,000 Jessica. Heather, Heather. 862 00:49:53,200 --> 00:49:54,440 There was a Jessica too, I think. 863 00:49:54,680 --> 00:49:59,600 But it's like, I don't remember we all had Marathon Brain if we 864 00:49:59,600 --> 00:50:01,800 met on course. I probably don't remember if I 865 00:50:01,800 --> 00:50:04,040 knew you from advance. I remember your name. 866 00:50:05,160 --> 00:50:08,760 But yeah, I mean, we were the last ones to to do it. 867 00:50:08,760 --> 00:50:12,200 And we turned around waiting to see if there because like in 868 00:50:12,600 --> 00:50:17,960 2019 there was a large group that came in right at 244, 869 00:50:17,960 --> 00:50:20,960 something like 50, right, because that's where the pace 870 00:50:20,960 --> 00:50:25,800 pack came in, our pace that the OTQ pace pack had completely 871 00:50:25,800 --> 00:50:29,800 fragmented way earlier like mile 19 or 20. 872 00:50:29,800 --> 00:50:32,400 So the fact that there were three of us that finished right 873 00:50:32,400 --> 00:50:38,560 around each other at the like 236 high, 20 low, 32nd range was 874 00:50:38,600 --> 00:50:44,120 like that was out was the group. So that's all who was left from 875 00:50:44,120 --> 00:50:48,560 it. It was there was a lot of like 876 00:50:49,080 --> 00:50:54,080 massive carnage out there. And so yeah, I mean it was just 877 00:50:54,080 --> 00:50:56,880 very joyful, like just very happy. 878 00:50:56,880 --> 00:50:59,440 And one of my best friends was there. 879 00:50:59,440 --> 00:51:01,680 She's a Co coach with me at Lift Run Perform. 880 00:51:01,680 --> 00:51:04,760 Her name is Steph Flippen. She was there at the finish and 881 00:51:04,760 --> 00:51:07,320 I, like, ran into her arms and just seeing. 882 00:51:07,400 --> 00:51:10,800 She was crying for me and like just having, you know, one of 883 00:51:10,800 --> 00:51:14,600 your closest friends there to to share that joy and that moment 884 00:51:14,600 --> 00:51:16,640 with something that I'll always cherish. 885 00:51:17,200 --> 00:51:20,640 And then I didn't really get to personally process it, 'cause I 886 00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:22,280 had to immediately go into coach mode. 887 00:51:22,840 --> 00:51:26,440 I had Steph and I coached a group together. 888 00:51:26,440 --> 00:51:31,840 We had five. I'm sorry, we had five or six. 889 00:51:31,840 --> 00:51:35,240 I can't even remember like finishing like very soon after. 890 00:51:35,240 --> 00:51:41,560 And then I had five, one-on-one athletes that I coached who were 891 00:51:41,560 --> 00:51:45,280 finishing in the three hour range like 3 to 3:50. 892 00:51:45,280 --> 00:51:51,160 So I immediately went over to be at the finish for them and so it 893 00:51:51,160 --> 00:51:54,040 was really special to share a race with with all those 894 00:51:54,080 --> 00:51:57,840 athletes and just be there for them at the finish as well. 895 00:51:58,120 --> 00:52:00,800 Yeah, absolutely. And Coach, put down her, you 896 00:52:00,800 --> 00:52:04,520 know, credibility, obviously, qualifying for the Olympic 897 00:52:04,520 --> 00:52:06,120 trials, that's absolutely mating. 898 00:52:06,120 --> 00:52:10,080 Congratulations to both of you. And now let's talk about the 899 00:52:10,480 --> 00:52:12,520 trials. How are you both approaching 900 00:52:12,520 --> 00:52:14,440 them? Are you approaching them as a 901 00:52:14,440 --> 00:52:17,240 victory lap or are you going for it? 902 00:52:17,240 --> 00:52:20,320 What's the plan for each of you? And let's start with you, Mary. 903 00:52:20,560 --> 00:52:26,840 Yeah, it's meant to be a competitive race and I plan to 904 00:52:26,840 --> 00:52:30,160 go into it the same way I did the last trials. 905 00:52:30,160 --> 00:52:36,240 This is my second Olympic trials and I want to, I want to 906 00:52:36,240 --> 00:52:38,320 compete. I want to see where I can rank. 907 00:52:38,640 --> 00:52:41,640 I don't allow the fact that, you know, this was a back-to-back 908 00:52:41,640 --> 00:52:47,920 marathon cycle to make me go into it with any type of, like, 909 00:52:48,640 --> 00:52:52,040 handicap, if you will, 'cause this is exactly what happened to 910 00:52:52,040 --> 00:52:55,960 me last time. I did several back-to-back 911 00:52:55,960 --> 00:53:00,040 marathons in 2019 to qualify and then race trials. 912 00:53:00,040 --> 00:53:02,680 I actually did more of them and it turned out I was like 913 00:53:02,680 --> 00:53:08,120 collecting them. Coincidentally I ended up doing 914 00:53:08,680 --> 00:53:12,960 5 in 14 months, which is a lot 'cause. 915 00:53:12,960 --> 00:53:18,160 It was CIM 2018 Grandma's in June, Twin Cities. 916 00:53:18,160 --> 00:53:21,800 I missed by 13 seconds. CIMI nailed it and then I raced 917 00:53:21,800 --> 00:53:26,840 trials. It was a lot, but what I will 918 00:53:26,840 --> 00:53:30,760 say is I had 12 weeks between CIM and trials last time. 919 00:53:31,240 --> 00:53:34,360 This time I we have what are we at eight. 920 00:53:34,920 --> 00:53:40,160 I think it's eight. So this time I had three 921 00:53:40,160 --> 00:53:43,440 training cycles but two races because I didn't get to do 922 00:53:43,440 --> 00:53:47,160 Berlin. So it's grandma's should have 923 00:53:47,160 --> 00:53:49,000 done Berlin but couldn't. I had the whole training cycle 924 00:53:49,000 --> 00:53:54,240 but I didn't get broken down with a race CIM and trials and 925 00:53:54,240 --> 00:53:58,080 it's really just like a you thread the needle to like you're 926 00:53:58,080 --> 00:54:01,200 like really just like it's a maintaining fitness situation 927 00:54:01,200 --> 00:54:04,800 with balancing recovery. So it's like you get up a few 928 00:54:04,800 --> 00:54:07,080 key quality sessions tape or do it again. 929 00:54:07,840 --> 00:54:13,720 So you know, when I raced Trials last time, I didn't have like a 930 00:54:13,720 --> 00:54:17,840 number goal in my mind of where I wanted to rank because it was 931 00:54:17,840 --> 00:54:23,280 about place, not time. Trials was a very windy day. 932 00:54:23,280 --> 00:54:26,360 It was also a very hilly course. It had 1400 feet of gain. 933 00:54:26,360 --> 00:54:31,040 Last time I actually did PR by a minute, but I didn't go into it 934 00:54:31,040 --> 00:54:34,640 trying to PRI went into it trying to just improve my rank. 935 00:54:34,640 --> 00:54:37,560 And I would say that my goal would be similar for this one. 936 00:54:38,160 --> 00:54:42,400 Like, I don't expect to necessarily PR because it's 937 00:54:42,600 --> 00:54:45,280 Florida, it's going to be hot, it's going to be humid. 938 00:54:45,520 --> 00:54:49,800 So I just want to run a smart race and, you know, execute the 939 00:54:49,800 --> 00:54:52,920 best race that I can and if that ends up leading to a time, 940 00:54:53,080 --> 00:54:55,080 great. If I end up running off my time, 941 00:54:55,840 --> 00:55:00,400 that's not unexpected. So I would say that's how I plan 942 00:55:00,400 --> 00:55:02,440 to approach it. I love it. 943 00:55:02,560 --> 00:55:05,160 I love that you said it's, you know, meant to be competitive 944 00:55:05,240 --> 00:55:06,160 and that you're going to do that. 945 00:55:06,160 --> 00:55:10,240 It's How about you Sophie? How are you approaching the 946 00:55:10,240 --> 00:55:14,680 trials? I I honestly similar to Mary. 947 00:55:14,680 --> 00:55:18,080 I I think I want to compete and like take a bit of a risk. 948 00:55:18,080 --> 00:55:23,280 I mean building up to disqualifying I think was tough 949 00:55:23,760 --> 00:55:27,960 and a lot of learning and and having to like work with like my 950 00:55:27,960 --> 00:55:30,960 support group. So I I do work with a non profit 951 00:55:30,960 --> 00:55:33,640 and and they support me for my diabetes it's diabetes sports 952 00:55:33,640 --> 00:55:36,640 project and just learning from like other type ones to manage 953 00:55:36,640 --> 00:55:38,800 my blood sugars. It just I'm putting the training 954 00:55:38,800 --> 00:55:40,400 together and seeing what it takes. 955 00:55:40,840 --> 00:55:44,680 So just getting that qualifier was tough in itself but I think 956 00:55:44,680 --> 00:55:49,600 I took away the element of being able to like fully just race and 957 00:55:49,600 --> 00:55:52,720 like take a risk and and be a little bit more aggressive in 958 00:55:52,720 --> 00:55:56,200 that goal and and just compete and try to move up similar to 959 00:55:56,200 --> 00:56:00,080 what Barry said and taking away the time element of it. 960 00:56:01,280 --> 00:56:06,000 I tend to really enjoy like not having to look at a watch right 961 00:56:06,000 --> 00:56:10,440 and and so I think that's my intention for trials is just get 962 00:56:11,160 --> 00:56:15,200 so recover and then nail a few key workouts and and just like 963 00:56:15,200 --> 00:56:19,200 get after it and and focus on that race mentality and see what 964 00:56:19,200 --> 00:56:23,280 I can do and and I agree I'm I'm kind of with Mary like yeah it's 965 00:56:23,280 --> 00:56:26,840 it's really close turn around but for me I I think shorter 966 00:56:26,840 --> 00:56:30,360 training blocks is sometimes better you don't over train I'd 967 00:56:30,360 --> 00:56:35,560 rather be healthy and focus on the things I can control than 968 00:56:35,560 --> 00:56:39,200 maybe slightly over trained. I love it. 969 00:56:39,200 --> 00:56:40,920 I love it. And we'll be there. 970 00:56:41,120 --> 00:56:42,840 Hopefully we'll get to meet you ladies. 971 00:56:42,840 --> 00:56:45,840 If not, we'll be on the sidelines screaming for you one 972 00:56:45,840 --> 00:56:48,520 of the many. So thank you so much for joining 973 00:56:48,520 --> 00:56:51,560 me for this podcast. It was a real treat to talk to 974 00:56:51,560 --> 00:56:54,720 you and hear about some insights and what goes on when you're 975 00:56:54,720 --> 00:56:56,840 running that pace and how you approach the races. 976 00:56:56,840 --> 00:56:59,160 That was super insightful. So thank you so much. 977 00:57:00,040 --> 00:57:02,120 Thank you. Yeah, our pleasure. 978 00:57:02,120 --> 00:57:08,480 Thanks for having us. Thank you Mary and Sophie so 979 00:57:08,480 --> 00:57:11,200 much for speaking with me. I cannot wait to hopefully meet 980 00:57:11,200 --> 00:57:12,880 you in person at the Olympic Trials. 981 00:57:13,160 --> 00:57:16,880 I wish you a wonderful training cycle and that everything goes 982 00:57:16,880 --> 00:57:20,480 well and that you guys can go out aggressively and see what 983 00:57:20,480 --> 00:57:22,320 you can do as you challenge yourself. 984 00:57:22,720 --> 00:57:25,680 And thank you so much for giving us your time and talking to us. 985 00:57:26,160 --> 00:57:28,760 Yes. So stay tuned for next week. 986 00:57:29,120 --> 00:57:31,120 I was going to make an announcement of what is going to 987 00:57:31,120 --> 00:57:33,480 happen next week, but I don't have that information yet. 988 00:57:33,920 --> 00:57:38,040 I have a billion episodes that I'm currently editing because we 989 00:57:38,040 --> 00:57:39,920 are going out of time towards the end of the year. 990 00:57:40,280 --> 00:57:42,640 But stay tuned. It'll be something exciting, I'm 991 00:57:42,640 --> 00:57:44,480 sure. We encourage everyone to give us 992 00:57:44,480 --> 00:57:47,000 feedback to let us know how we're doing. 993 00:57:47,080 --> 00:57:50,400 Let us know what you wanna hear. We're trying to make it as good 994 00:57:50,400 --> 00:57:53,280 as possible for you guys. Yes, and I forgot to say, if you 995 00:57:53,280 --> 00:57:56,640 guys want to see a video of the two ladies finishing this 996 00:57:56,640 --> 00:58:00,000 marathon almost together, then follow us on Instagram. 997 00:58:00,120 --> 00:58:03,080 We are at running podcasts and of course we will link their 998 00:58:03,080 --> 00:58:05,120 Instagrams also in our show notes. 999 00:58:05,480 --> 00:58:08,080 And with that? Have a good weekend. 1000 00:58:13,520 --> 00:58:16,040 Thanks for tuning in. For more information Ant 1001 00:58:16,040 --> 00:58:17,960 Marathon running news, please head to 1002 00:58:17,960 --> 00:58:23,320 www.marathonrunningpodcast.com and we'll be back next week.