Favorite Moments as a Runner

This is not the year anyone expected, and really, this has been the heaviest year of many of our lives. While I could write a novel on my thoughts, fears, sadness, hope, and wishes for what is happening in the world, I’m going to put that aside for a minute. Let’s focus on something a little more simple: running. With all of the 2020 races cancelled, I’ve spent a lot of time reminiscing about the good old days, so I’m bringing some positivity with my top 5 days as a runner, including my favorite running moment to date.

Running Moment #5: Lemondrop Hill – Grandma’s Marathon 2016

I was going for my Boston Qualifier attempt at Grandma’s Marathon in 2016. My training was spot on, and I was ready. There was a lot riding on this race, as it was not just another attempt at a goal that seemed impossible, but it was also the last marathon I was going to run before we starting trying for another baby. It was BQ or bust!

I felt great through mile 12, then all of the sudden I was not feeling great at all. At mile 12 I sent my friend ahead so I didn’t hold him back, and at mile 13 I knew my race was over. I had thoughts of dropping so that I could quickly target a different race and take another shot at that BQ, but thankfully I decided to push to the finish. I was not going to be the only one of our big group not showing up to the beer tents wearing my finisher shirt (the important things, right?).

My sister and brother-in-law live in Duluth, and always came out along the course to cheer me on. My brother-in-law, JP, was waiting for me at Lemondrop hill at mile 22, which is a notoriously hard part of the race. Not because of the size of the hill, but just because of the placement of the hill along the course. JP ran up the hill as I was walking with my head down, just defeated. He was screaming and shouting trying to encourage me to get running again, which I did. Because JP is deaf, he has no idea just how loud he was screaming, causing all of the other runners on that hill to stop and look at me. For the first time in miles, I smiled. The determination he had to keep me going, and his want for me to get to that finish line was palatable. The thought of this moment still gives me the goosebumps. Read the full recap of this race here.

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Running Moment #4: Oiselle Big Bird Camp 2018

Instead of doing smaller, regional running camps, Oiselle decided to do one big running camp for the whole team across the country in Equinunk, PA at the end of August. The last time I went to a running retreat I didn’t know anybody. This time, we had a big group of ladies going from the Minnesota team, so I was so excited to have a weekend away with this fun group of women!

I spent a long weekend running on beautiful, but hilly (AF!) trails, doing track workouts with Lauren Fleshman and Kendra Chambers, yoga sessions, body image workshops, and bonding with my teammates. It is experiences like this that I just feel so incredibly lucky to be part of this running community. It is also times like these I feel so lucky to have such a supportive husband that encouraged me to go while he held down the house.

Running Moment #3: Oiselle Great Lakes Bird Camp 2016

I had just joined the Oiselle Volee Team earlier in the year after looking for opportunities to get active in the running community after having Emily. There is something powerful about a sense of team that I had been used to having all my life, but had recently been missing. I found the Oiselle Volee team, and shortly after I joined came the opportunity to go on a running retreat at Ruttger’s Resort in northern Minnesota with the midwest regional team.

Although I’m relatively outgoing, the idea of this getaway made me nervous, but I looked at it as an opportunity to grow, and signed up. It was here that I forced myself to get out of my comfort zone and go on a vacation with 40 other women, of which I knew nobody. This is where I met many of my best running friends today. It was here that I was introduced to my coach, who I have now been training with for four years and has coached me to all of my PRs. It was here that I honestly feel like I changed as a runner.

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Running Moment #2: Virtual Boston Marathon 2020

When I qualified for the Boston Marathon in 2019, never did I expect that I’d be running this race by myself, in my hometown, and not in Boston at all. It was an emotional rollercoaster as I slowly accepted that I won’t have the opportunity to experience the Boston Marathon for all that it is. I wasn’t going to be able to take a right at the Citgo sign and a left onto Boylston Street. But, this is the hand I was dealt, and this IS the Boston Marathon that I happened to qualify for.

The new marathon date was set for September 14, 2020. I spent the summer training, doing my longest runs in the hottest part of summer. This training honestly sucked the life out of me. Training for a marathon in general is hard. Training for a marathon that was not going to be in a race setting, where I’d be running by myself with no official race time, was impossible. I finished a 20 miler, but cut my final 22 mile run to 7 miles. I skipped or quit so many runs. Mentally this felt impossible, but again, this was the race I happened to qualify for. This is Boston 2020.

I mapped out my course, and Erik invited friends and family to come out and cheer for me. He told people where to go so that I had people cheering at many spots along the course. So many people showed up, and they were the best cheerleaders ever! I also had two friends come and run the last 13 miles with me, which turned out to be a life saver because my legs were dead and my mental game was non-existent. It turned out to be such a lovely day. I felt so supported, had fun, and was able to truly use it as a victory lap for all the work I had put into earning the opportunity to run the Virtual Boston Marathon 2020.

Running Moment #1: Eugene Marathon – Boston Qualified!

I had my eyes set on running a Boston Qualifying race for no less than 5 years. One could argue that I wasn’t always as prepared as I once thought to actually run that BQ, but it was what I had been obsessively targeting year-after-year, marathon-after-marathon. Throughout my attempts I had injuries, horribly hot weather, nutrition fails/GI issues, you name it. But going into Eugene Marathon, I knew this was going to be different, and it was.

My training was different, my mental preparation was different. My attitude was different. I was getting that qualifier. Everything fell into place for me this day. I remember looking around me mile-after-mile thinking, “this is happening!” I’m not saying it was easy, in fact there were times early on I was wondering if I was going to make it, but I did what I had set out to do, and my five year journey to catch that unicorn was over.

The minute I crossed the finish line I read text messages from friends congratulating me on getting that BQ. I had messages from my coach, who wanted this for me as badly as I wanted it for myself. I had a text from one of my best friends, Angie, saying “ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING ME?” I got to text my family saying, “I did it! I’m going to the Boston Marathon!”. Then I saw my husband and he gave me the biggest hug, and I just asked him, “Is this real life!?”. We then immediately opened a celebration beer, and spent the rest of the weekend celebrating the huge accomplishment. Read the full recap of this marathon here.

We made it through 2020, and I am hopeful that we can start getting back to racing in 2021. My challenge to you is to start thinking about your goals for the new year, and GO. CHASE. THEM. Tell me what your big goals are, and let’s do this together!