LEAD PHOTO BY: Megan Kubasch Photography
This is the eighteenth edition of The Duluth Runner Interview Series, where we get in touch with (mainly) local runners and athletes to share a bit of their story while inspiring others to pursue an active lifestyle.
Intro
Today’s guest was born and raised in Duluth and went on to play collegiate golf at Minnesota State Mankato. She was finally convinced by her mom to give running a try and has been logging miles/competing in races ever since – even dabbling with some triathlons!
She is currently a Senior Accountant at Moline Machinery and started FIT4MOM Twin Ports back in 2015. Today’s guest is…Lisa Filzen!
Interview
Why is running important to you?
Running is important to me for mental and physical wellness. As I have started training for a couple races lately, it also fills a competitive void in my life that I have missed since being done with sports in college. Plus – I can push a stroller while I do it if I have to!
Running has also given me something very rewarding to do with my mom and my husband. Our new typical date night consists of a 3-4 mile trail run followed by a cold beverage at one of the local breweries!
What are the top two or three things that you do to prevent injury? Have you been susceptible to certain injuries in the past?
Cross-train! I have certainly grown a strong love for running just in the last year, but I still do other types of workouts 2-3 days per week and run 2-3 days.
Keeping up strength is very important to me. I also get the occasional massage, foam roll (not as much as I should!), chiropractic adjustments and have started trying acupuncture on my IT Band. I’ve had a lingering IT band issue in my left knee that has been tough to get rid of and causes pain on longer runs or runs on shoulders of roads that slant.
What keeps you motivated when you don’t feel like heading out the door for a run?
My FIT4MOM Run Club group and my mom! When one of my friends shares a photo of how awesome she feels after just completing a run I get motivated to get out there myself!
Who is in your workout support group (training partners, people to bounce ideas off of, etc.)?
I participate in the FIT4MOM Run Club that is coached by our instructor, Randi Nyholm. She does an amazing job and provides very manageable training plans for moms with young kids. For my cross-training days, I will attend other Stroller Strides classes or lift weights at my house.
When/what is your next race?
I just completed Road Ragnar Minnesota (that was hard!) and my next race is Ragnar Trail Wisconsin followed by the Rock N Roll Half Marathon in Las Vegas this November with my mom and two friends from Run Club to celebrate my 30th birthday!
Do you prefer roads or trails and why?
I like road races like the Garry Bjorklund Half because I get competitive with my time and improving, but I love to run on trails!
What is your most memorable race or running achievement?
I was very excited to run my personal best for Garry Bjorklund this past June after having 3 kids. I ran a 1:41 and would love to get below 1:40 someday. I was proud to have committed to a training plan and ran 3 days per week plus cross-training.
My most memorable race was a half marathon I did on a whim in Europe with my friend – we ran through Germany, France and Switzerland during the race!
Name one racing experience you would like to forget (please describe).
I’ve really struggled in the past with feeling very sick after races getting back stomach aches and GI issues. Still trying to figure that out!
What is something non-running related you would like to share with readers?
Hm, thats a tough one. I will share my favorite quote: “What if I fall, oh but my darling what if you fly!” 🙂
Closing
Many thanks to Lisa for agreeing to stop by The Duluth Runner and share some of her knowledge/experiences with everyone. I hope you enjoyed this edition of the Interview Series – stick around for more to come!