I followed her training prior to both Grandma's and Indy, and this woman is tough! Her long pace runs amazed me; she could do 18 miles at 6:15 pace or faster with no stops in training. Her experience goes to show how cruel the marathon can be; I can attest that her fitness was far better than her finishing times showed in both of those races. She is also a mom of 4 and has over 80 nieces and nephews! She was my first interviewee to give me stats on her arm span (6 feet!). Her message about wishing she'd been more forgiving to herself will resonate with all runners who have had a race they were unhappy with (i.e., all runners!). I am really glad I've connected with her through this journey.
Age: 33
City/State: Alpine, Utah
Occupation: Stay at home mom of four kids;
previously coached high school track and cross country for 5 years.
Hobbies/interests
outside of running:
I played basketball
for 7 years before I started running! I play the piano and enjoy cooking and
baking. I love the outdoors and traveling!
When did you start
chasing the OTQ and what inspired you to try?
I started chasing the
OTQ just under two years ago. I had several
disappointing experiences in the marathon and was telling some family
about it. My sister-in-law told me that maybe I should just give up in the
marathon. That got my mind spinning and my blood boiling a little bit. I
responded with, "No, because I'm going to qualify for the Olympic Trials
in the marathon." She didn't have much of a response to that. I also felt
like it was something that would be hard to achieve, but it was in my
wheelhouse if I worked hard enough.
Tell us about the races
you attempted to OTQ at and the outcomes:
I tried three times to
qualify. Each time was a heartbreaking disaster and I'm not sure why.
The first was
Grandma's Marathon in June. I had a few setbacks on the buildup, but I felt my
fitness was more than there. I ran a 1:18 half just a few months before and
built on that fitness. I felt perfectly fine through 16-17 right on pace and
then my body rebelled, and I came in just under 3 hours.
The second was the
Monumental Indianapolis Marathon. My buildup for this was flawless. No
injuries. I ran a 1:16 half. I did an 18 mile marathon pace run at altitude at
6:13 pace. I felt like there was no question I would achieve the goal. Just
like at Grandma's, the body shut down. A few miles later than the previous marathon,
but I went from feeling perfect at mile 18 to legs burning for an unknown
reason at mile 20. It was heartbreaking to shuffle in to the finish in a 2:56.
The third attempt was
at the St. Jude Marathon. I didn't tell anyone about this race besides my
husband and close family. I also told a good running friend who is a doctor
because she wanted to fly out with me and do some tests. The same thing
happened and we ended up doing some lactate blood tests and other tests as soon
as it happened. It was heartbreaking.
What did you gain from
this journey?
So much. I've learned
so much about what my body is capable of. I was able to do things that I never
thought was possible. I've gained so much from the running community and met so
many great people (including Sara!). With each failure I've also learned a
little more about my body that can benefit me in the future.
Do you have any
regrets or things you wish you'd done differently in your OTQ pursuit?
Honestly, as far as
training goes, I don't think I would change anything. I felt like I had a great
coach who gave me all the tools I needed. I think the one thing I would do
differently is be more forgiving to myself when things didn't go my way. We can
only control so much.
Chasing a big goal is
scary and unpredictable. You have to acknowledge the victories along the way
and see how far you've come despite the final outcome. Things will never go
perfectly, but eventually there will be a magical day that makes all the hard
work worth it.
Tell us something
unique about yourself:
I always joke about my
6 foot arm span - yes, it's real. I also have been able to juggle very well
since I was 10 years old. I also have over 80 nieces and nephews. My husband
and I are both the 8th child in our families!
What's next for
you:
Boston Marathon for
fun. Hopefully a smoking fast half marathon this summer and vengeance at the
St. George Marathon in October.
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