1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,200 You're listening to episode 169 of the Marathon Running Podcast. 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,240 In this episode, we're going to talk about running a marathon as 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:17,200 the back of the Packer. This is the Marathon Running 4 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,800 podcast by Letty and Ryan from We Got The Runs. 5 00:00:20,190 --> 00:00:23,070 Join us in our running community for weekly content that is 6 00:00:23,070 --> 00:00:26,190 motivational, educational and inspirational. 7 00:00:26,350 --> 00:00:28,830 And let the Marathon running podcast take you from the 8 00:00:28,830 --> 00:00:31,390 starting line to the finish line and beyond. 9 00:00:37,350 --> 00:00:40,230 Hi runners, and welcome to episode 169. 10 00:00:40,230 --> 00:00:43,190 My Name is Letty. My name is Ryan and we do our 11 00:00:43,190 --> 00:00:46,510 weekly podcast on all things marathoning, including. 12 00:00:46,510 --> 00:00:49,560 We'll bring your experts on training, nutrition, mental 13 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,360 health and. Anything else you can think of 14 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:54,880 exactly? So thank you so much for tuning 15 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:56,320 in. If you are subscribed to our 16 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:58,280 podcast, if not right now is the time. 17 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,960 I encourage you guys to do so. Also, we invite you to follow us 18 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,800 along on our running journey on Instagram. 19 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,600 We are at running podcasts. Honestly, like, we love the 20 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:10,440 feedback. Anyone that gives us feedback, 21 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,440 it can help us improve and make it better for everyone. 22 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,760 Saying that to this episode is all about. 23 00:01:16,190 --> 00:01:18,590 Feedback that we got from somebody, right? 24 00:01:18,870 --> 00:01:22,110 That's right, Ryan, We received a note from somebody a couple of 25 00:01:22,110 --> 00:01:25,750 weeks ago who said you guys always have excellent podcasts. 26 00:01:25,950 --> 00:01:28,550 However, you never interview the slower runners. 27 00:01:28,550 --> 00:01:31,550 You always bring us the fast runners, which is true because 28 00:01:31,550 --> 00:01:35,230 we want to provide you guys with training, advice and all sorts 29 00:01:35,230 --> 00:01:36,190 of things. But yes. 30 00:01:36,190 --> 00:01:37,390 You don't want to exclude anyone. 31 00:01:37,390 --> 00:01:39,750 There's other people at all different stages of running, 32 00:01:40,110 --> 00:01:42,870 whether or not they're changing or improving or they're happy 33 00:01:42,870 --> 00:01:45,910 where they are or anything else. So in this episode we're going 34 00:01:45,910 --> 00:01:47,830 to take take that advice to heart and we're going to 35 00:01:47,830 --> 00:01:51,110 interview a quote, UN quote, back of the Packer. 36 00:01:52,710 --> 00:01:57,470 And I always like to delve into the definition of words in order 37 00:01:57,470 --> 00:02:00,870 to like, make sure we don't miss anything and that we're actually 38 00:02:01,430 --> 00:02:05,030 understanding it correctly. So you found a definition. 39 00:02:05,030 --> 00:02:07,470 I don't know if it's an official one, but at least it makes 40 00:02:07,470 --> 00:02:09,030 sense. The definition of back of the 41 00:02:09,030 --> 00:02:12,430 pack runner and what is that I did back of the pack runner 42 00:02:12,430 --> 00:02:15,630 refers to an individual participates in a race, such as 43 00:02:15,630 --> 00:02:19,230 a marathon, and maintains a slower pace compared to the 44 00:02:19,230 --> 00:02:23,670 majority of other participants. So these runners, while they're 45 00:02:23,670 --> 00:02:26,150 finishing times might be longer, they share the same 46 00:02:26,150 --> 00:02:29,190 determination, effort and commitment as faster runners in 47 00:02:29,190 --> 00:02:32,670 achieving their personal goals and crossing the finish line. 48 00:02:33,230 --> 00:02:36,670 And taking that into consideration, Ryan, I think, 49 00:02:36,670 --> 00:02:40,990 and somebody who is really fast actually told me that they are 50 00:02:40,990 --> 00:02:45,110 much stronger runners if you think about the fact that they 51 00:02:45,110 --> 00:02:47,590 are out there as long as they are. 52 00:02:47,990 --> 00:02:50,350 Yeah. So as we talked about some of 53 00:02:50,350 --> 00:02:52,870 the challenges of running in a different portion of the 54 00:02:52,870 --> 00:02:57,630 marathon, you know, the longer your marathon takes, the longer 55 00:02:57,630 --> 00:02:59,390 you're on your feet and running around. 56 00:02:59,390 --> 00:03:02,750 And that actually is a challenge in itself and puts on whole new 57 00:03:02,750 --> 00:03:06,110 stresses, probably more stress overall on the body than someone 58 00:03:06,110 --> 00:03:09,710 that runs quicker. So that's definitely a 59 00:03:09,710 --> 00:03:11,430 challenge. And yeah, absolutely. 60 00:03:11,430 --> 00:03:14,490 Especially because if you think about the lack of nutrition, 61 00:03:14,490 --> 00:03:18,170 they say you have to refuel every 45 minutes or so. 62 00:03:18,290 --> 00:03:22,490 So if you're a 230 marathon runners, and I'm talking 2 hours 63 00:03:22,490 --> 00:03:26,090 and 30 minutes, then that's it. The longest run you'll ever 64 00:03:26,090 --> 00:03:30,650 probably do in your training is a 20 miler, just like everyone 65 00:03:30,650 --> 00:03:32,970 else. So you're never really running 66 00:03:32,970 --> 00:03:37,160 for more than three hours if I'm being generous, whereas back of 67 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,320 the pack means somebody who could even run as long as the 68 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,280 course limit is open as the course is open. 69 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,360 So with that you are talking 6 to 8 hours in some events, and 70 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,920 that's a long time on your feet. Yeah, and potentially more 71 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,560 training time too, like more difficult and more time to 72 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,240 train. Other things that I thought 73 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,200 about too were as we were running in the Stockholm 74 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,520 Marathon, you could already see the amount of. 75 00:04:03,230 --> 00:04:07,830 You know cups, debris like food, stuff on the track that was 76 00:04:07,830 --> 00:04:11,670 accumulated at all the you know stations that they had out and 77 00:04:11,910 --> 00:04:14,110 you can imagine that just keeps accumulating over. 78 00:04:14,110 --> 00:04:17,269 I think they pick it up but they still the amount of debris on 79 00:04:17,269 --> 00:04:20,350 the course accumulates overtime. It makes it more dangerous 80 00:04:20,350 --> 00:04:22,710 technically or difficult. You could potentially slip or 81 00:04:22,710 --> 00:04:26,670 fall or anything. Yeah, That in combination of we 82 00:04:26,670 --> 00:04:30,390 hear about water stations or food stations running out of 83 00:04:30,390 --> 00:04:33,310 fueling spectators leaving a little bit early. 84 00:04:33,310 --> 00:04:37,230 There's a lot of challenges and so we brought on our guest. 85 00:04:37,230 --> 00:04:41,950 Our guest is Maria Bendak. She is a two time world major 86 00:04:41,950 --> 00:04:44,950 marathon finisher. So she has those six stars and I 87 00:04:44,950 --> 00:04:47,270 think she's had them twice already working on her third 88 00:04:47,270 --> 00:04:48,830 time. So she loves running. 89 00:04:49,110 --> 00:04:52,630 She's completely invested in the running community, loves running 90 00:04:52,630 --> 00:04:55,230 just as much as all of us do, if not more. 91 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,000 And she talks to us about being a back of the Packer and the 92 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,480 challenges that come along with running in a manner that she 93 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:03,920 runs. That does it, yeah. 94 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,800 I can see how it's it's a its own challenges and unique, so 95 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,280 it'd be interesting to delve into that. 96 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:12,080 Yeah, and not just challenges, but also I'm sure to everything. 97 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:14,800 There is also beautiful side to it. 98 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,520 I can imagine that if you're running at the back of the pack, 99 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,360 you're running at a pace where you can likely still speak. 100 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,520 And so you get to know a lot of people, which is, you know, if 101 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,120 you love the running community, that's a beautiful thing. 102 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,120 I love running races and I love running some races where I'm not 103 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:36,080 focused on running them fast. And then during the course you 104 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:40,600 can meet new people and it's just a different experience too. 105 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,040 So Are you ready to hop into our conversation? 106 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:44,840 Let's. Do it. 107 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:47,000 All right. So without any further ado, 108 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,960 we're now going to play our conversation with Maria Bendek. 109 00:05:53,030 --> 00:05:55,150 So, all right, I'm back with Maria Bendak. 110 00:05:55,150 --> 00:05:57,310 Maria, thank you so much for joining me again. 111 00:05:57,790 --> 00:06:00,990 Thanks for having me, Ladi. Yes, and I'm glad that you 112 00:06:00,990 --> 00:06:03,750 agreed to come on to our topic today. 113 00:06:03,990 --> 00:06:07,990 And I'm gonna call you a back of the Packer today because you do 114 00:06:07,990 --> 00:06:11,110 finish marathons close to the closing time. 115 00:06:11,110 --> 00:06:14,110 So you're the perfect person to interview for that. 116 00:06:14,110 --> 00:06:16,510 So thank you for coming on. I don't know. 117 00:06:16,510 --> 00:06:18,710 It's my pleasure. I've been known to close down 118 00:06:18,710 --> 00:06:22,220 races and I take pride in that. So let's start with the 119 00:06:22,300 --> 00:06:25,340 challenges of back of the Packers. 120 00:06:25,340 --> 00:06:29,220 So every group of marathoners has their own set of challenges. 121 00:06:29,220 --> 00:06:32,060 So maybe tell us a little bit about challenges of being a back 122 00:06:32,060 --> 00:06:35,300 of the Packer. Well, there's a lot of 123 00:06:35,300 --> 00:06:38,300 challenges with being a back of the Packer. 124 00:06:38,300 --> 00:06:40,140 I'll start with the general ones. 125 00:06:41,100 --> 00:06:45,220 Depending on which race, what marathon, you know there's a 126 00:06:45,220 --> 00:06:48,660 time limit on the course, and sometimes that time limit is. 127 00:06:49,050 --> 00:06:52,930 Not necessarily set because the people want to go home, but it's 128 00:06:52,930 --> 00:06:58,290 because of the permissions they get from the city or counties 129 00:06:58,490 --> 00:07:00,810 that or towns that are hosting the race. 130 00:07:00,810 --> 00:07:04,890 They say you can only be open from X time to X time and then 131 00:07:04,890 --> 00:07:08,530 they have to start making preparations to close down the 132 00:07:08,530 --> 00:07:11,730 race. So as the back of the Packer, if 133 00:07:11,730 --> 00:07:15,690 you're trying to make it to the finish line and you're trying to 134 00:07:15,690 --> 00:07:19,010 stay motivated. And you start seeing things 135 00:07:19,010 --> 00:07:22,410 being taken down. It's kind of sometimes I'm 136 00:07:22,890 --> 00:07:25,530 disheartening, depending where your mental state is in the 137 00:07:25,530 --> 00:07:29,450 race. You see people breaking down the 138 00:07:29,450 --> 00:07:33,370 decorations and just kind of leaving. 139 00:07:33,370 --> 00:07:40,250 So that can give you a sense of panic or of, you know, like, oh, 140 00:07:40,250 --> 00:07:43,400 I may not make it. Other things is that sometimes 141 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,000 unfortunately, they do run out of nourishment. 142 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,240 You know, and This is why if you are a fast runner, don't be 143 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:55,320 greedy and take multiple packets of energy gels or whatever. 144 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,760 Because then when the back of the Packers come, which are 145 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:01,240 usually the ones are in the greatest need of nutrition, they 146 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,400 are the ones that unfortunately get to a stand. 147 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:05,840 And they say, oh sorry, we're out. 148 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:10,040 We ran out of Gatorade, we ran out of sports drinks and 149 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,880 sometimes even water, so. So those are really the main 150 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:18,840 physical challenges I think that everyone encounters. 151 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:24,280 And mentally, when you're seeing something being put away, other 152 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:27,960 challenges and I think it gets better with the more experience 153 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,000 and confidence you build, because definitely being a back 154 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:33,840 of the pack runner builds confidence I think. 155 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:38,240 Is You can't get into a state of panic when you see people going 156 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:43,200 faster than you and passing you. You need to stay calm and always 157 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,960 remember it's your race, your pace, you have your own set of 158 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,160 goals and not be comparing yourself on the course when 159 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,400 you're seeing people passing you or going faster. 160 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,960 So wow, that's a lot to deal with and like I said, a 161 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,080 completely different thing than a lot of us think about when we 162 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:02,520 try to run our fastest time and are not towards the end of a 163 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:04,550 race. Maybe elaborate a little bit 164 00:09:04,550 --> 00:09:09,990 more about being taken over by the race sweepers and handling 165 00:09:09,990 --> 00:09:13,110 those pressures related to cut off times. 166 00:09:13,230 --> 00:09:16,830 Maybe it also let us know how long races normally give you 167 00:09:16,830 --> 00:09:19,790 guys to go. Well, it's quite different. 168 00:09:19,830 --> 00:09:24,190 Each race is different. So that's why before you start 169 00:09:24,190 --> 00:09:28,510 out in any race, any distance, know the cut off times, whether 170 00:09:28,510 --> 00:09:31,470 it's a half marathon, full marathon, when. 171 00:09:32,110 --> 00:09:37,230 And it also depends on the course director like for example 172 00:09:37,230 --> 00:09:40,630 if you run London or New York, which I highly encourage first 173 00:09:40,630 --> 00:09:44,910 time back of the Packers to run. It's kind of like almost open 174 00:09:44,910 --> 00:09:48,590 all day and there even though there are time cut offs, the 175 00:09:48,590 --> 00:09:51,780 course does stay open. They do give you a medal, they 176 00:09:51,780 --> 00:09:56,380 do give you a finish time usually, so those are nice races 177 00:09:56,380 --> 00:09:58,620 so you can be in a more relaxed atmosphere. 178 00:09:58,740 --> 00:10:02,620 If you are running something like Chicago, it's like middle 179 00:10:02,620 --> 00:10:06,780 of the road where they do have a cutoff but it's not exactly on 180 00:10:06,780 --> 00:10:10,020 the dot. And then when you get to races 181 00:10:10,020 --> 00:10:13,920 like Berlin. And Boston and Tokyo, those 182 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:18,560 definitely have struck cut offs. With Berlin, there's sometimes 183 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:24,280 wiggle room, but they usually around the 615 hour mark they 184 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:26,800 start closing the gate. And if you did the Brandenburg 185 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:29,680 Gate and if you don't get to that gate, then that's it. 186 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:34,220 It's game over. With Boston, they may leave the 187 00:10:34,220 --> 00:10:37,700 course open, but you won't get an official time, you'll get a 188 00:10:37,700 --> 00:10:40,500 medal. So for some it's just running 189 00:10:40,500 --> 00:10:43,500 the course, not necessarily getting the official time. 190 00:10:43,820 --> 00:10:47,380 But if you're trying to get the Abbott World Major Six star, 191 00:10:47,540 --> 00:10:50,260 then you do need an official time, and you need to be 192 00:10:50,260 --> 00:10:53,140 conscientious of that. The problem with Boston is even 193 00:10:53,140 --> 00:10:57,180 though they say it's a six hour time limit, it's six hours from 194 00:10:57,380 --> 00:11:01,320 when the last runner. Starts the marathon and that's 195 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,840 kind of hard to predict sometimes because some years the 196 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,400 waves go by fast, the start waves and some years they go 197 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,360 slow. So it's always, you know, plan 198 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:14,000 on doing it in six hours. The nice thing about Boston that 199 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:20,440 they did this year is that they did shut off the race at X 200 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:22,840 amount, but they still left the clock running. 201 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:27,240 So people that cross still got a time, even though it wasn't 202 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:30,640 official. And Abbott was actually gracious 203 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:33,040 enough to accept those times, even though they're not going to 204 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:37,360 be in the official finishers. So they did get their 6th star. 205 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:39,240 And I know I just went off on a tangent. 206 00:11:39,680 --> 00:11:45,360 And then with Tokyo again, you have a very strict cutoff and 207 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:51,070 what makes that course and most? Eastern marathons tend to be 208 00:11:51,070 --> 00:11:54,470 like this is that they do checkpoints, so it's not 209 00:11:54,470 --> 00:11:56,830 necessarily a start to finish cutoff. 210 00:11:57,110 --> 00:12:00,630 It's every X amount of kilometers they have a cutoff, 211 00:12:00,910 --> 00:12:04,350 and if you're not at that kilometer by that cutoff, then 212 00:12:04,350 --> 00:12:06,550 you don't finish. And then can you go all the way 213 00:12:06,790 --> 00:12:10,670 to where you only have maybe 5 kilometers left in the race? 214 00:12:10,670 --> 00:12:13,070 And if you don't make that cutoff point, you still don't 215 00:12:13,070 --> 00:12:14,710 finish. And I've seen that happen. 216 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:19,760 You know, unfortunately when I run Tokyo and in that race, they 217 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:22,880 used to have the balloon sweepers that run behind you, 218 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,440 kind of like Disney. But for whatever reason this 219 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:29,000 year, which was the first year they came back to mass 220 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:32,440 participation after the pandemic, they no longer had 221 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:35,400 that sweepers. So you really had to be aware of 222 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,360 the cutoffs and where to be each kilometer. 223 00:12:39,530 --> 00:12:42,050 So you're basically saying that if you are back of the Packer 224 00:12:42,050 --> 00:12:45,370 and you're planning on running a marathon, inform yourself on the 225 00:12:45,370 --> 00:12:47,530 procedures. You could either have a certain 226 00:12:47,530 --> 00:12:50,770 course limit that starts the clock, starts ticking with the 227 00:12:50,770 --> 00:12:54,730 last person crossing the starting line, wow, and then 228 00:12:54,730 --> 00:12:59,330 after that the course may or may not close at a certain time. 229 00:12:59,330 --> 00:13:03,410 So I'm assuming in some races you have to run on sidewalks, on 230 00:13:03,410 --> 00:13:07,140 others you don't. And then some races that you 231 00:13:07,140 --> 00:13:11,500 cross the finish line, get an official time, some leave the 232 00:13:11,500 --> 00:13:15,940 clock open, others let you cross the finish line, but you don't 233 00:13:15,940 --> 00:13:17,660 get a medal. That's so that's that's really a 234 00:13:17,660 --> 00:13:19,980 lot. So how do you deal with all of 235 00:13:19,980 --> 00:13:22,060 that? Because in the end you run a 236 00:13:22,060 --> 00:13:23,820 marathon because you want to complete it. 237 00:13:24,100 --> 00:13:26,700 And I'm assuming also you want to have a medal. 238 00:13:27,830 --> 00:13:30,430 Well, yes, I think all the races give you a metal. 239 00:13:30,430 --> 00:13:33,950 I think what what the 1st is, whether you get a race time or 240 00:13:33,950 --> 00:13:35,990 not. So some people are running for 241 00:13:35,990 --> 00:13:38,270 fun and don't care about the race times. 242 00:13:38,550 --> 00:13:42,950 Others, again, if you're, you know, chasing the six stars you 243 00:13:42,950 --> 00:13:45,840 do need. An official race time. 244 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:48,960 It used to be that way. But again this year, Abbott with 245 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:52,320 Boston, because Boston is the one that tends to trip up 246 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:57,280 runners, is that as long as the clock was running and you got a 247 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:59,760 time, whether it was official or not, they counted it. 248 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:01,840 Whereas Tokyo, they won't do that. 249 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:06,320 They'll they say you have 3 hours to get to this point. 250 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:08,560 If you're not there in three hours, they start. 251 00:14:08,910 --> 00:14:11,990 Pulling a rope and they cut off the course and that's it. 252 00:14:11,990 --> 00:14:16,070 You don't keep moving, so you can get cut off as early as at 253 00:14:16,070 --> 00:14:21,670 the 7.1 kilometer marker, which is absolutely crazy because you 254 00:14:21,670 --> 00:14:25,430 just traveled that far and spent that much money on your lodging, 255 00:14:25,430 --> 00:14:29,630 hotel flight and the race just for that to happen to you and. 256 00:14:30,270 --> 00:14:34,230 I saw people, unfortunately in my first year in 2018 when they 257 00:14:34,230 --> 00:14:37,110 were in Tokyo, get cut off like around. 258 00:14:37,590 --> 00:14:42,110 You know, mile marker 23. Now imagine making it to 23, 259 00:14:42,110 --> 00:14:44,870 having 3.2 miles left and getting cut off. 260 00:14:44,950 --> 00:14:47,350 That's heartbreaking. That's why it's important to be 261 00:14:47,350 --> 00:14:50,630 aware of what are the rules of the course. 262 00:14:50,630 --> 00:14:54,230 They'll make assumptions because just like in law and the 263 00:14:54,310 --> 00:14:58,150 ignorance of the rules doesn't excuse you or give you a break. 264 00:14:59,570 --> 00:15:00,530 Yeah. Yeah. 265 00:15:00,530 --> 00:15:03,850 But then imagine the pacing when you're already tired and trying 266 00:15:03,850 --> 00:15:06,530 to figure that out, which is something that you dealt with in 267 00:15:06,530 --> 00:15:08,770 Tokyo. So maybe tell our listeners a 268 00:15:08,770 --> 00:15:10,610 little bit about how that happened. 269 00:15:10,610 --> 00:15:14,210 Because I remember you were talking to someone, Robert Wang, 270 00:15:14,210 --> 00:15:16,970 who's been on the show before, who was literally having to 271 00:15:16,970 --> 00:15:22,090 coach you through what times you needed because he knew the times 272 00:15:22,090 --> 00:15:24,530 and you weren't really aware of what was being posted. 273 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:30,200 Correct. So I had run Tokyo before, so I 274 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:33,920 knew there were mile markers or kilometers because in Tokyo it's 275 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,600 by kilometers. The difference was that I kind 276 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:41,480 of didn't memorize the times this year because I was kind of 277 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:45,000 relying on the golden balloon runners that are the sweepers. 278 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,640 And so I just figured and everybody said, you know, don't 279 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,440 let the balloon people pass you and you'll be fine if you see 280 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:53,680 them speed up. So I kind of just went with that 281 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,260 mentality. Because going to Tokyo this 282 00:15:56,260 --> 00:16:00,140 year, I had actually been injured prior and it was a non 283 00:16:00,140 --> 00:16:02,540 running injury. So it was a miracle that I was 284 00:16:02,540 --> 00:16:05,420 even allowed to run and I knew I was under trained. 285 00:16:05,420 --> 00:16:08,700 So I just said, well I know I can outrun the balloon runners 286 00:16:08,700 --> 00:16:11,980 if I see them again. Why You should be prepared 287 00:16:11,980 --> 00:16:14,660 Because this year they didn't have the Balloon runners. 288 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,840 So I was running during the course, you know me and Robert 289 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:22,360 Wang are good friends, so he had in the beginning been checking 290 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:26,640 on me and I was doing a good pace so he kind of thought I was 291 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,760 on track. But as I kept running and 292 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,440 started getting more fatigued, I said this is weird that I 293 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:36,240 haven't seen the balloon runners because usually around now they 294 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:41,440 should be appearing and so and I was seeing stations being close 295 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,790 to getting cut off and. No balloon runner. 296 00:16:44,790 --> 00:16:48,550 So that's when I texted Robert to ask him how I was doing. 297 00:16:48,550 --> 00:16:53,030 That's when we realized that I had fallen short on my pace, and 298 00:16:53,030 --> 00:16:57,910 that's when he started. Luckily he's quick and agile and 299 00:16:57,910 --> 00:17:01,910 knowledgeable, doing pace calculations for me, and it 300 00:17:01,910 --> 00:17:06,910 turned to a team sport really, because I had the little ear 301 00:17:07,390 --> 00:17:08,970 pierced. A piece. 302 00:17:08,970 --> 00:17:12,410 And he was like basically texting me what I needed to do, 303 00:17:12,410 --> 00:17:17,210 but it would talk into my ear. And so basically he calculated 304 00:17:17,210 --> 00:17:21,450 my paces. And it was hard because as you 305 00:17:21,450 --> 00:17:25,130 know, we discussed I was already going slow. 306 00:17:25,130 --> 00:17:29,210 So I had to go from going slow to going really fast, literally 307 00:17:29,210 --> 00:17:32,610 faster than I normally run. So I had to start doing positive 308 00:17:32,610 --> 00:17:34,530 splits. But that's where. 309 00:17:34,940 --> 00:17:38,020 It comes down to how much do you want it? 310 00:17:38,020 --> 00:17:41,100 How willing are you to dig deep for something? 311 00:17:41,100 --> 00:17:47,100 Because I am a firm believer that the body can achieve what 312 00:17:47,100 --> 00:17:50,780 the mind believes. And that I knew. 313 00:17:50,780 --> 00:17:54,940 Because I had a second avid star in the line and there was no way 314 00:17:54,940 --> 00:17:58,220 I was not going to leave Tokyo without that star. 315 00:17:58,460 --> 00:18:02,660 And that is why I dug as deep as I could and I pushed. 316 00:18:03,170 --> 00:18:06,490 Which again comes down to sometimes, and I'm kind of 317 00:18:06,490 --> 00:18:10,330 jumping into another topic. Your mind is kind of what limits 318 00:18:10,330 --> 00:18:12,770 you. I know I can run fast if I want. 319 00:18:13,170 --> 00:18:17,410 The thing is, sometimes I train myself to say, oh, it's time for 320 00:18:17,410 --> 00:18:19,050 I like to do the run walk method. 321 00:18:19,250 --> 00:18:22,890 So I say, oh, it's time to take my walk break, it's time to 322 00:18:22,890 --> 00:18:26,170 smell the roses. But really, if I stay focused 323 00:18:26,170 --> 00:18:29,490 and really want to push myself, I am capable of running fast. 324 00:18:30,730 --> 00:18:32,250 I love this. Awesome. 325 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:36,320 Yeah, So I was following that conversation on Facebook because 326 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,600 of course Robert had posted it on there and I was crossing my 327 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,400 fingers for you because I just was like wow, she just traveled 328 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:44,160 all the way to Tokyo for this race. 329 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,320 And how awful would it be, you know, to not accomplish a goal 330 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:49,320 when you're already traveled this far. 331 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:53,480 So you're mentioning about how you know you can run fast if you 332 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:55,600 want to. So maybe let's talk about that 333 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,400 mindset a little bit for our back of the Packers. 334 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,720 Maybe tell us dealing with comparison and self worth 335 00:19:02,130 --> 00:19:05,730 between backup Packers and other faster quote UN quote 336 00:19:05,730 --> 00:19:09,170 marathoners. Well, because first of all, you 337 00:19:09,170 --> 00:19:12,490 have to analyze why are you running, Why are you doing this? 338 00:19:12,970 --> 00:19:17,210 Like for me, it's about being out there, being physically 339 00:19:17,210 --> 00:19:20,210 active. I think it's important to be 340 00:19:20,210 --> 00:19:23,210 physically active. It's how you age with grace. 341 00:19:23,970 --> 00:19:26,410 You don't necessarily have to be running marathons or half 342 00:19:26,410 --> 00:19:27,930 marathons. You just need some kind of 343 00:19:27,970 --> 00:19:30,010 activity. I like running. 344 00:19:30,430 --> 00:19:34,350 So I think you need to analyze like why are you running and 345 00:19:34,350 --> 00:19:38,190 whatever your reason for doing it, It's OK if you want to do it 346 00:19:38,190 --> 00:19:40,710 because you want to break a record, you want to be a fast 347 00:19:40,710 --> 00:19:42,310 runner. That's OK. 348 00:19:42,590 --> 00:19:49,070 But then what you need to do is analyze what are the wins after 349 00:19:49,070 --> 00:19:53,750 you do a training session or you finish a race and you need to 350 00:19:53,750 --> 00:19:58,510 start focusing on the positives. Like again, for me it's about 351 00:19:58,510 --> 00:20:00,830 being out there. I like the social aspect. 352 00:20:00,870 --> 00:20:04,310 I meet so many interesting individuals throughout my 353 00:20:04,310 --> 00:20:10,290 journeys that contribute to. Just winding my world, my views 354 00:20:10,450 --> 00:20:14,290 and understanding of the world. So that's one of the aspects 355 00:20:14,290 --> 00:20:17,450 that I enjoy about running. And I also like community 356 00:20:17,450 --> 00:20:21,770 building and connecting people. So to me it's much more than 357 00:20:21,770 --> 00:20:26,570 running the physical 26.2 miles. So I embrace that. 358 00:20:26,570 --> 00:20:31,980 Are there runners that are skinny or faster or look cuter? 359 00:20:31,980 --> 00:20:35,020 But to me, it's not about physical appearances. 360 00:20:35,020 --> 00:20:38,140 It's not about paces. But that's because I've become 361 00:20:38,140 --> 00:20:43,020 comfortable in my own skin, because it kind of goes back to 362 00:20:43,180 --> 00:20:45,220 you have to look at the whole package. 363 00:20:45,460 --> 00:20:49,330 If you're judging yourself on one tray, then you're never 364 00:20:49,330 --> 00:20:52,810 going to be really happy. There's variable traits to you. 365 00:20:52,810 --> 00:20:58,130 There's your intellect, there is your personality, there's your 366 00:20:58,130 --> 00:21:02,250 humor, there's your speaking skills, there is your physical 367 00:21:02,250 --> 00:21:04,170 appearance. And you can't, we're not going 368 00:21:04,170 --> 00:21:06,050 to be perfect in all those areas. 369 00:21:06,450 --> 00:21:11,170 So you need to pick the whole package and celebrate the whole 370 00:21:11,170 --> 00:21:14,890 package, because when you look at the whole package, that's how 371 00:21:14,890 --> 00:21:18,250 you become unique and different than others. 372 00:21:19,140 --> 00:21:22,740 I love this answer. So let's talk about, well, goal 373 00:21:22,740 --> 00:21:27,060 setting and how to maintain a steady pace. 374 00:21:27,380 --> 00:21:32,060 How do you prepare before the marathon to do that, given that 375 00:21:32,060 --> 00:21:35,620 you'll be out there so much longer than most runners that 376 00:21:35,620 --> 00:21:39,180 are in the front of the pack? How do you deal with that? 377 00:21:39,180 --> 00:21:43,180 Because as you alluded to earlier, your nutrition on the 378 00:21:43,180 --> 00:21:46,100 course might look different because everything has. 379 00:21:46,700 --> 00:21:50,340 Been taken and trampled over and all that? 380 00:21:51,620 --> 00:21:56,100 Well I'm a per believer that you should carry whatever you think 381 00:21:56,100 --> 00:21:57,500 you're going to need for the race. 382 00:21:58,450 --> 00:22:02,010 Be realistic, you know don't over pack because when you over 383 00:22:02,010 --> 00:22:03,890 pack that's more stuff you have to carry. 384 00:22:04,170 --> 00:22:08,850 So that is why you should kind of have a nutrition strategy and 385 00:22:08,850 --> 00:22:10,570 plan on carrying everything you need. 386 00:22:10,570 --> 00:22:13,410 Don't be relying that. Oh I'm gonna have that at mile 387 00:22:13,410 --> 00:22:17,250 16, mile 20, whatever you carry what you need. 388 00:22:18,450 --> 00:22:22,290 And then it depends on the race. Like to me, if I know it's a 389 00:22:22,650 --> 00:22:27,970 very time strict course that I really need to finish by X 390 00:22:27,970 --> 00:22:31,530 amount of time for whatever reason, then that's usually when 391 00:22:31,530 --> 00:22:36,970 I implement a run walk strategy. Because for me the run walk 392 00:22:36,970 --> 00:22:41,290 strategy from Jeff Galloway is very successful and I actually 393 00:22:41,650 --> 00:22:45,650 have run faster doing the run walk than doing straight 394 00:22:45,650 --> 00:22:48,830 running. Because what happens is when you 395 00:22:48,830 --> 00:22:52,430 take that walk break, it helps with the lactic acid going in 396 00:22:52,430 --> 00:22:55,270 your legs, it gives you that short rest and then you come 397 00:22:55,270 --> 00:22:59,030 back and you can run and maintain and even pace, believe 398 00:22:59,030 --> 00:23:01,470 it or not. But you do have to pay attention 399 00:23:01,470 --> 00:23:05,150 to this is my walk break, this is my run and and keep the 400 00:23:05,150 --> 00:23:09,110 intervals consistent. Other marathons, like I said, 401 00:23:09,110 --> 00:23:12,270 like London, New York, they're Showtime, generous. 402 00:23:12,550 --> 00:23:15,190 The crowd support stays out there all the time. 403 00:23:15,390 --> 00:23:18,390 And it's just such a fun marathon that I want to absorb 404 00:23:19,590 --> 00:23:21,590 the environment. It doesn't matter how many times 405 00:23:21,590 --> 00:23:23,910 I run it. It's just always such a joyful 406 00:23:23,910 --> 00:23:28,390 experience that I kind of just run as I feel, you know, I I 407 00:23:28,390 --> 00:23:31,510 just take it as I feel and enjoy the experience. 408 00:23:31,510 --> 00:23:34,230 I don't stress myself out in those marathons. 409 00:23:34,230 --> 00:23:37,110 And that's why, again, I always encourage first time marathoners 410 00:23:37,350 --> 00:23:40,710 or slower runners to start with those, so you can build that 411 00:23:40,710 --> 00:23:43,070 confidence without the time pressures. 412 00:23:44,750 --> 00:23:48,270 Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And with that to tell us about 413 00:23:48,270 --> 00:23:52,110 your training, because I know your training takes a longer 414 00:23:52,110 --> 00:23:55,870 time than another marathoners training because you are doing 415 00:23:55,870 --> 00:24:00,230 the run walk method. So how do you balance that at 416 00:24:00,230 --> 00:24:05,870 your you know, your life with work and also what do your peak 417 00:24:05,870 --> 00:24:11,040 weeks look like? Well this is what I am changing 418 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:15,160 now because to be honest with you I when I first started 419 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:19,960 running marathons in 2012, I bought this book called Run Your 420 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:24,160 First Marathon and it kind of just told you to run as you feel 421 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:28,800 and never really got into the indepth and breakdown of 422 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,070 running. So I just always trained to run 423 00:24:32,070 --> 00:24:36,990 as my as I feel and I never gave consideration to all these terms 424 00:24:37,030 --> 00:24:42,310 peak running, peak week you know base pace and all this. 425 00:24:42,390 --> 00:24:46,710 And then when I got into some running teams, you know, one of 426 00:24:46,710 --> 00:24:50,110 them being Team Ultra and we were being coached, they would 427 00:24:50,110 --> 00:24:54,350 use terminology that wasn't familiar with, you know, like 428 00:24:54,350 --> 00:25:00,110 this should be your, like fast day or this should be your slow 429 00:25:00,110 --> 00:25:03,510 day or this should be this. And so it was kind of like, OK, 430 00:25:03,510 --> 00:25:07,590 what are they talking about? And that's when I decided, well, 431 00:25:07,630 --> 00:25:11,190 the only way that you can empower yourself is with 432 00:25:11,190 --> 00:25:14,650 knowledge. So I said I'm going to go and 433 00:25:14,650 --> 00:25:18,010 learn about running. So I took a Road Runners Club of 434 00:25:18,010 --> 00:25:21,410 America course and I became our RCA Certify. 435 00:25:21,410 --> 00:25:24,690 Not because I plan to start a coaching business, but more to 436 00:25:24,690 --> 00:25:28,490 empower myself with knowledge and then help others who also 437 00:25:28,490 --> 00:25:31,330 want to run when they ask me questions that I can answer 438 00:25:31,330 --> 00:25:35,010 intelligently. And it was a very eye opening 439 00:25:35,050 --> 00:25:36,770 course. I learned a lot. 440 00:25:36,970 --> 00:25:41,050 I learned about the training cycles, the micro meso cycles, 441 00:25:41,050 --> 00:25:44,290 and I learned that if you really do want to improve your running, 442 00:25:44,290 --> 00:25:46,770 whatever that goal is, you have to run with intention. 443 00:25:46,970 --> 00:25:49,530 It can't be just put on your running shoes and go out and 444 00:25:49,530 --> 00:25:53,010 just go for a run. You have to have particular 445 00:25:53,010 --> 00:25:55,170 days. You have to have your long runs, 446 00:25:55,170 --> 00:25:58,970 your medium runs, and you do need to have some speed work and 447 00:25:58,970 --> 00:26:03,000 so this training cycle. Now, as I'm getting ready for a 448 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:07,360 couple of marathons this fall, I am implementing trying to do 449 00:26:07,360 --> 00:26:10,760 those strategies and hopefully actually do improve my time 450 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:14,200 because it is, even though I'm not complaining, it would be 451 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,960 nice to finish faster so you can join the festivities with your 452 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:20,240 friends. I have very kind friends that 453 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:23,480 tend to hang out and wait for me to finish, and I appreciate 454 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:25,640 that, but it would be nice to not make them wait. 455 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,680 So yes, I am now training with intent. 456 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:33,160 That's not to say that other people who run slow are not 457 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:35,680 training with intent, because sometimes we do have physical 458 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:39,120 limitations that no matter how hard we try, we can't do it. 459 00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:43,920 But there's always ways to fine tune or tweak your training that 460 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,480 you can always improve. There's always room for 461 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,640 improving improvement at any pace or any age. 462 00:26:50,590 --> 00:26:51,790 I love it. Thank you. 463 00:26:51,790 --> 00:26:54,150 Yeah. And I'd like you took that same 464 00:26:54,150 --> 00:26:57,350 class for the exact same reason. Just to empower myself with 465 00:26:57,350 --> 00:27:00,390 knowledge. And it really does put stuff 466 00:27:00,390 --> 00:27:03,670 into perspective a lot. And again like you not saying 467 00:27:03,670 --> 00:27:07,950 that nobody that anybody has the need to improve their time, just 468 00:27:07,950 --> 00:27:10,750 run in your happy place if that's what you want to do 469 00:27:10,910 --> 00:27:12,990 because everybody has different goals, so. 470 00:27:13,940 --> 00:27:17,860 With that, let's talk about the positive things of being a back 471 00:27:17,860 --> 00:27:20,620 of the Packer. You have probably a lot of 472 00:27:20,620 --> 00:27:24,820 experiences that we don't have because when we run, we're up 473 00:27:24,820 --> 00:27:27,260 there and we're miserable and we're suffering and it would be 474 00:27:27,260 --> 00:27:31,460 nice to maybe have a race where we could have other enjoyments. 475 00:27:31,460 --> 00:27:34,060 Not to say that your pace doesn't make you miserable at 476 00:27:34,060 --> 00:27:38,540 times, but I think there's a lot more camaraderie and happiness 477 00:27:38,540 --> 00:27:40,820 with the back of the Packers. Is that correct? 478 00:27:41,540 --> 00:27:46,070 That is I think there's showing all parts of the marathon and at 479 00:27:46,070 --> 00:27:49,550 all paces, but as a back of a pack runner. 480 00:27:49,630 --> 00:27:54,430 Yeah, you're absolutely correct. You find commoderate and to me, 481 00:27:54,430 --> 00:27:58,950 like when I ran my first marathon Paris in 2015, you 482 00:27:58,950 --> 00:28:02,590 know, at that time I'm suffering from IT band syndrome. 483 00:28:02,830 --> 00:28:05,790 And so I was struggling during the marathon and at the end 484 00:28:05,790 --> 00:28:09,470 there was another lady from London who was there and we 485 00:28:09,470 --> 00:28:13,180 started talking and we crossed the finish line together. 486 00:28:13,180 --> 00:28:15,700 And to this day we're like lifelong friends. 487 00:28:15,700 --> 00:28:17,740 She actually ended up being a good friend. 488 00:28:18,180 --> 00:28:22,660 When I go to London, you know, we meet up and you're know we're 489 00:28:22,660 --> 00:28:25,740 in constant contact. She has a wealth of knowledge 490 00:28:25,740 --> 00:28:27,780 not just about running but about life. 491 00:28:28,820 --> 00:28:31,900 So you make friends like that. And then there's something 492 00:28:31,900 --> 00:28:35,260 rewarding about supporting others in the race, because 493 00:28:35,790 --> 00:28:39,790 during my first marathon, you know, I learned, and this is 494 00:28:39,790 --> 00:28:44,550 where I use for our running community, the fabulous Friends 495 00:28:44,550 --> 00:28:48,350 Fellowship is we're a quote tap on the shoulder. 496 00:28:48,350 --> 00:28:51,830 Because I remember when I started my first marathon, 497 00:28:51,830 --> 00:28:55,800 Paris, I was injured, stressed, not knowing what to expect. 498 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:59,800 And when you start running in, that pain starts kicking in and 499 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:02,480 you kind of go to a slow walk and you don't know if you're 500 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:05,120 going to continue. And then someone taps you on the 501 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:08,280 shoulder, it was like some stranger you never met or we'll 502 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,720 see it again. But that little tap, it just 503 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:13,960 gave you that little bit of encouragement to keep going. 504 00:29:14,550 --> 00:29:17,990 That's kind of something I utilize now when I'm back of the 505 00:29:17,990 --> 00:29:19,710 pack. I want to be the tap on the 506 00:29:19,710 --> 00:29:22,270 shoulder to these people. You know I'll tap them. 507 00:29:22,270 --> 00:29:26,240 I'll I'll encourage them because you don't know what level of 508 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:29,400 experience that they have. Whether they're doubting that 509 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:33,280 they can finish or not or maybe that like me, I'm confident that 510 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:36,000 I know I can finish because I've done it before and I know my 511 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,280 mindset but not everybody is like me. 512 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:45,440 So it's very fulfilling and just this past Boston you know I you 513 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:47,280 know when you're in Abbott Six start finishing. 514 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:50,920 You're doing your last race. You put on this bid on the back 515 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:54,480 that says cheer me on today's the day and it shows that you're 516 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:56,720 trying to finish your last marathon. 517 00:29:57,080 --> 00:30:00,720 And I saw this one individual who was struggling and I knew 518 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,400 the cutoff time was approaching for her and I was getting 519 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:07,640 nervous more for her than me. And I told her come on, you can 520 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:10,320 do it. Then I did told her that famous 521 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:14,520 saying, you know, right on Hereford and left on Boylston, 522 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:17,360 you're almost there. And when I told her that she 523 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:20,760 speed up and did it and got her six star. 524 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:26,280 So the fact that I was able to help her and push her when she 525 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:29,600 was kind of really struggling to finish those last three miles 526 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:34,320 and achieved something as momentous as a avid six star was 527 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:36,480 very fulfilling for me. Because later in the World 528 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:41,900 Majors group on Facebook, she was there and then we got to 529 00:30:41,940 --> 00:30:45,540 actually physically connect and know who each of us was. 530 00:30:45,540 --> 00:30:49,340 So those are the rewarding experiences, friendships, 531 00:30:49,340 --> 00:30:51,860 connections that you make with people. 532 00:30:51,860 --> 00:30:55,980 And then sometimes, unfortunately, I end up playing 533 00:30:55,980 --> 00:30:59,220 medical doctor on the field because also these are the 534 00:30:59,220 --> 00:31:02,500 runners that are more likely to end up passing out or having 535 00:31:02,500 --> 00:31:06,300 something happen, as was famously captured in the New 536 00:31:06,300 --> 00:31:10,180 York City Marathon last year. We were on the Queensboro Bridge 537 00:31:10,180 --> 00:31:14,380 and someone passed out and obviously I stopped because the 538 00:31:14,420 --> 00:31:17,380 medical staff was for whatever reason, there wasn't enough 539 00:31:17,780 --> 00:31:19,620 medical people there on the bridge. 540 00:31:19,620 --> 00:31:22,860 And you know, we helped this one runner and we actually were able 541 00:31:22,860 --> 00:31:26,980 to successfully get him back on his feet, stabilize him and he 542 00:31:26,980 --> 00:31:29,980 actually finished the running and we still keep in touch. 543 00:31:29,980 --> 00:31:32,580 So those are the positive experiences. 544 00:31:32,660 --> 00:31:34,940 Obviously not everybody's equipped to stop and be a 545 00:31:34,940 --> 00:31:38,660 manifold personnel on a marathon, but that has happened 546 00:31:38,660 --> 00:31:43,620 to me in case on certain cases. I mean, that's really awful, 547 00:31:43,940 --> 00:31:46,060 awful that that happened and awesome that you were able to 548 00:31:46,060 --> 00:31:49,500 help this guy. But I absolutely love your 549 00:31:49,500 --> 00:31:53,900 answer and I love that you found the Silver Linings, which, you 550 00:31:53,900 --> 00:31:58,420 know, I honestly have to say the races where I don't go all out 551 00:31:58,620 --> 00:32:04,140 because I'm 40 and I feel like. Eventually we're all slow down 552 00:32:04,140 --> 00:32:06,620 and my love for running goes beyond being fast. 553 00:32:06,780 --> 00:32:09,260 The race is where I slow down are the ones that I feel like I 554 00:32:09,260 --> 00:32:13,540 enjoy most because you are at a pace where you could potentially 555 00:32:13,540 --> 00:32:17,620 speak with other people and the sense of community that you can 556 00:32:17,620 --> 00:32:20,700 feel for the runners is just amazing. 557 00:32:20,700 --> 00:32:23,660 So is there anything else that you want to say to back of the 558 00:32:23,660 --> 00:32:28,540 Packers to keep them encouraged and going and keep showing up? 559 00:32:29,670 --> 00:32:33,870 Yeah, just always remember that. Don't forget about the joy of 560 00:32:33,870 --> 00:32:36,390 running. Don't forget your why, why 561 00:32:36,390 --> 00:32:38,870 you're doing it. Always make sure you're enjoying 562 00:32:38,870 --> 00:32:41,150 something and then running shouldn't be used as a 563 00:32:41,150 --> 00:32:44,550 punishment. And just always remember, at any 564 00:32:44,550 --> 00:32:46,830 race, it's always your race, your pace. 565 00:32:47,830 --> 00:32:49,870 All right, Maria, thank you. And I'm looking forward to 566 00:32:49,870 --> 00:32:53,630 seeing you hopefully in the next 3-4 races that we both plan on 567 00:32:53,630 --> 00:32:57,710 doing. And yeah, so thanks again for 568 00:32:57,710 --> 00:32:59,780 coming on. Thanks for having me. 569 00:32:59,780 --> 00:33:06,700 Lavie, thank you Maria, for speaking with us. 570 00:33:06,980 --> 00:33:09,700 It's great to have something new and different or a different 571 00:33:09,700 --> 00:33:13,220 insight and on running on the podcast. 572 00:33:13,460 --> 00:33:16,540 And it was beautiful to hear about the silver lining of being 573 00:33:16,540 --> 00:33:22,100 a back of the Packer. And as we all age, I think if we 574 00:33:22,100 --> 00:33:25,620 keep running, eventually we will also be back of the Packers 575 00:33:25,620 --> 00:33:28,500 because I can't see myself not running. 576 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:32,160 In my life. So if I'm 90, I'll be out there. 577 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:34,520 Yeah, I think it's good to take joy in whatever. 578 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:38,080 You know, I think the majority of all people are not going to 579 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:41,560 be winning the marathon. So I think you just enjoy 580 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:44,200 wherever you're at is the best method. 581 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:47,360 I agree. All right, so that's it for 582 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:50,120 today. Stay tuned for next week's 583 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:53,120 episode where we will have our conversation with a coach 584 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:56,080 talking about intervals and how to implement the right type of 585 00:33:56,080 --> 00:33:59,110 intervals. At the right time of your 586 00:33:59,110 --> 00:34:00,830 marathon training cycle. Cool. 587 00:34:00,830 --> 00:34:04,430 So hopefully people are excited as we are to hear next week's 588 00:34:04,430 --> 00:34:06,350 episode. Exactly, so let us know what you 589 00:34:06,350 --> 00:34:08,870 think about this episode. If you have any suggestions for 590 00:34:08,870 --> 00:34:11,150 our episodes, please drop us a note. 591 00:34:11,389 --> 00:34:14,710 We are at Running Podcast on Instagram and you can also reach 592 00:34:14,710 --> 00:34:19,590 us via our website www.marathonrunningpodcast.com 593 00:34:19,670 --> 00:34:22,190 And with that. Have a good week around. 594 00:34:27,780 --> 00:34:30,739 Thanks for tuning in. For more information head to 595 00:34:30,739 --> 00:34:35,659 www.runningpodcast.us and as always have a great week of 596 00:34:35,659 --> 00:34:36,100 running.