Beyond Boston: Carissa Liebowitz

I met Carissa though The Loop, an online blogging community that was previously hosted on the Runners World website, many years ago (2009?). While we have never met in person, we've followed each other's running journeys throughout this time. She has so many BA accomplishments to her name, but even better she is an extremely positive example of the running community. You can't help but smile about running when you read her blog posts or see her photos (seriously, see below!) - plus she is very real with the ups and downs she shares ("Running will give you the highest highs and the lowest lows"). Once you read her whole story, you won't be surprised that she went straight to the marathon (no 5k, 10k, half, just all in!).

                                                     
Introduce yourself (who you are, where you're from, what you do, etc.) 

I'm Carissa Liebowitz, 38 years old, and live in the Atlanta suburbs with my husband Adam and 3 Boston Terriers. I am an account executive with US Premium Finance and lend money to businesses for their commercial insurance.  

What are your thoughts on Boston 2020 being cancelled? How did you handle the initial postponement and eventual cancellation, mentally and physically? 

Honestly, I'm happy that they made the decision they did and as quickly as possible. Yes, I was sad that they had to cancel just 6 weeks prior to the April date, but it just didn't seem possible at the time to hold an event safely. And with 20 weeks to go to the September event, I really hadn't started to do any marathon-specific workouts yet. Physically, I was actually kind of happy about the April decision as I was dealing with some tendinitis after the Atlanta Marathon the first week of March. It was a relief to just take 10 days off and not worry about it. However, not running was not good for my mental health so I'm glad this was just a short amount of downtime! 

Do you plan to run Boston 2020 virtually? Why or why not?
I do! I have run the race the past 5 years so it seems only fitting to carry on the tradition even though it won't be quite the same. Plus, I love the long run and have run the marathon distance in training so assuming I'm healthy come September, I will be happy to go at it solo. 

Do you plan to run Boston 2021? Why or why not?
Yes. Assuming I get in and that they are able to have the event, I would love to run in 2021. It has become so synonymous with my spring and it really is such a privilege to run it each year I've qualified. I think it will feel really, really special if they are able to hold the event in 2021. 

How did you get started in running? Tell us a little about your early running career through present. 

My first memory of running was in 4th grade when I was the 2nd fastest girl in the mile in my grade. I ran for fun in middle school and then joined track in high school as a 1600 and 3200 meter runner. I didn't run competitively in college (I went two years early - nerd alert), but I did run for fitness. After college, I found running again attempting to get ready for a ski trip. I assumed you needed lots of fitness to go skiing (I had never been before) and got hooked again after doing a run/walk plan.

Why did you decide to run your first marathon?
After 4 years of running for fun and fitness in my twenties, I decided that I wanted to try to run a marathon. Never mind I had not raced a 5k, 10k, or a half marathon. I just skipped right to the full. I had read a lot about how to build up with long runs and targeted Thanksgiving Day 2009 for my first marathon. It was a humbling experience and I hit the wall at mile 16. I wore lots of cotton and had no idea you were supposed to consume something other than water and Gatorade. But, I finished in just over 4 hours and decided after the pain subsided that I wanted to try to break 4 hours (editor's note: amazing how common that "finish a marathon --> decide you will run a faster one" thing is!). 

When did you set the goal of qualifying for Boston and what inspired you to try?
In 2013, the year of the Boston bombings and running a 3:43 on a hilly Atlanta course, I decided that I wanted to try to qualify.

What was your journey to BQ like?
I needed a 3:35 to qualify in 2013 and had 8 minutes to cut off my best time. I targeted a flat and fast course with consistently good weather and found a training plan that would add a bit more mileage and more workouts than what I had been doing. Luckily, on my 6th marathon and first BQ attempt, I was able to run a 3:33. This was despite my Garmin dying halfway through the race and I had no idea what my time was until I spotted it in the finish chute. 

2020 would not have been your first Boston. Why did you decide to run Boston 2020?
I love the tradition. There is no other marathon I've run that comes close to the prestige of Boston. The caliber of your fellow runners, the incredible spectators, and just the whole pomp and circumstance of the weekend. It just feels so special each step of the way. I've always said that as long as I've been able to qualify and as long as I have the financial ability to go, I will keep at it! 

How did it feel to be accepted into Boston 2020?
It never fails to give me goosebumps. I just still cannot believe I get to go. 

What did you learn from this journey - from BQ to postponement to cancellation?
It's just part of the running journey. Running will give you the highest highs and the lowest lows. I'm a recreational runner, not a pro. I'm lucky to just do this as a hobby and honestly, there are bigger things to be concerned about right now. I can't change it so I"m not going to spend time worrying about it. 

Tell us a little about the awesome ultra-marathons you've done.
I did my first ultra in 2015 and surprise, surprise, became hooked! I have run 20+ ultras now, including three 100+ milers (editor's note: three 100+ milers, people!!). I love pushing my limits and seeing just how far I can go. Ultras have taught me to have a lot of mental strength and I like to think I have been able to use that in marathons. 

 
Anything else you'd like to share?
Just really grateful for people like you (Sara) for always bringing positivity to the running community (editor's note: likewise, 100%!).