This is the forty-eighth edition of The Duluth Runner Interview Series, where I 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

“I landed in Minnesota after living in Massachusetts, Myrtle Beach South Carolina, North Carolina, and Breckenridge Colorado. I left Breckenridge in 2006 after meeting my best friend’s little brother while visiting her family cabin in Annandale MN. I married that little brother, Andy, in 2007. I now have a 10 year old daughter, a 12 year old son, and an 18 year old step-daughter. I balance family (and running) with work as a Gifted Education, Reading, and Art teacher at Park Brook Elementary School in Brooklyn Park (a Focus on Fitness school, so that’s pretty great fit).”

Today’s guest is…Erika Lohn!!

Interview

Why is running important to you?

I first started running to lose weight. In fact, in high school the track coach flat out told me I needed to lose 25 pounds. My mom and I began running together before school a few times a week, yet celebrating rainy days when we “didn’t have to run.”

When I met Andy, I was still in the “run to lose weight and stay fit” frame of mind. I thought him running marathons was crazy. Over the years I have grown to love running. I eat to run instead of running to eat. Running provides rare quiet time when solo and treasured friend time when with others. Running also provides solace, adventure, fulfilling exhaustion, well-deserved muscle fatigue, the feeling of success, and so many feelings and experiences that make me who I am.

And, after my recent Zumbro run, I am reminded that running is important to me because of the absolutely amazing running community.

What are the top two or three things that you do to prevent injury? Have you been susceptible to certain injuries in the past?

First, I limit my running to four days a week. I supplement running with biking and seasonal swimming. Second, I am a firm believer in listening to my body. So many of my workouts have been cut short if things don’t feel quite right.

I blame my only “real” running injury, a fractured foot, on a particular run that I chose to ignore a slight pain so that I could enjoy a lap on the trails with Andy. I then mistakenly thought I was healed and ran the Trail Mix 50K, perhaps pushing hard enough not to feel the pain, then ended up in a boot for 8 weeks – four of those non-weight bearing. To this day I run long runs with compression socks, which provided relief after removing the boot.

What keeps you motivated when you don’t feel like heading out the door for a workout?

For a variety of personal and professional reasons, I prefer to do my workouts in the early morning – sometimes so early that Strava will classify them as “Night Runs.” It would be so easy to turn off the alarm or hit snooze, but I know if I do that I’ll be guilt-ridden all day (plus I just like the way I feel having my workout done before my kids wake up). I’m my own worst critic when it comes to motivation and accountability and I can be pretty hard on myself. As a child my parents didn’t really have to punish me if I did something wrong, because they knew that the mental anguish I put on myself was worse than any punishment they could give to me.

Who is in your running support group (training partners, people to bounce ideas off of, etc.)?

I am part of such a supportive and really fun trail family. Each day I have Andy, my husband and best friend, by my side with support and encouragement. And lots of jokes and stories.

Then there is Madonna Lindgren who got me into endurance events by telling me I should do an Ironman, so I did. Then she told me I should do a 100 mile race. So I did. Then she accompanied/crewed/paced me for all of my races for the 2019 Gnarly Bandit series. Then there are my Trail Angels, Laurel Sipe and Jodee Thomas, the girls that don’t let me quit. And then there is the entire T-REC’s running family.

My list could go on and on, the support in the world of trail running is bountiful. And not just for the running – our group even has a notorious numbers guy (who also paces and crews), Luke Thoreson, who manipulates numbers better than Trump’s accountants (thanks Andy for your help completing my simile). Luke can help make your goal time a reality, even if that goal has to evolve as the race goes on.

When/what is your next race?

Zumbro 34 mile was this past weekend. Then I will go on to try to complete the Gnarly Bandit series, if that is even a thing this year. I had signed up last year, but we all know what happened there. Kettle 100 and Black Hills 100, two weeks apart again, got rolled over to this year, and I plan on signing up for the Superior 100 if it happens.

Do you prefer roads or trails and why?

I enjoy both, but I definitely prefer trails. The variety of the trails, from the terrain to the conditions to the wildlife and environment, add so much joy to a run. Plus, the aid stations at trail races have way better food. I love running Grandma’s Marathon, but a cup of water and a Gu at an aid station just can’t compare to friendly volunteers offering you a hot grilled cheese sandwich at 3 a.m. or asking if you want more peanut butter smothered on chocolate chip pancakes.

What do you think about while you run?

Ha, what don’t I think about? During speed workouts I try to stay in the moment. On long solo training runs I tend to listen to books. During other runs and during races though my mind wanders from my to-do list, to past memories, to dreams of the future.

Or, I come up with my own “Would you rather” conversations. Or, I think about beer and pizza at the end of the race at 8:30 in the morning. Or about chocolate covered coffee beans. Or singing songs with a pacer when we don’t even know the words, so we make them up. I think Andy gets it right in his 2015 Glacial Trail 50 race recap (referencing joking and the duct tape seat belt): https://youtu.be/C8GbYNpN4pQ

Yesterday’s random thought, while running alone, was “whatever happened to the Octo Mom and her eight kids.” I have no idea what made me think of that.

What is your most memorable race or running achievement?

Each race brings with it so many memorable moments. Two very different races come to mind. The first is the Glacial Trail 50 in 2015 (the same race in the recap mentioned above). It was my second 50 mile run. At mile 23 on an out-and-back course, the first male yelled out “hey, first female!” I was shocked and didn’t believe him. Until the next runner confirmed it by shouting the same exclamation. What a feeling. I got passed at mile 26 (by a really friendly gal who encouraged me to stick with her. Love the trail spirit!) and thought I was okay with second. But, I decided to give it my all, and yes, as the video mentions, I even dropped Andy. I was able to pass the girl who had passed me (with a bit of guilt, she was so nice) and finish the last 10 miles strong. I had never raced so hard or “podiumed” before.

The other memorable race was the exact opposite – I finished dead last. I had high hopes for FANS 12 hour. Then, 6 weeks before the race, I ended up in a boot (as mentioned above). I decided to drop to the 12 Hour Walk division. Since I didn’t think my doctor would approve of 12 hours of walking, I brought my bike and trainer down to Snelling Park and its 2 mile looped course. I walked a couple laps at a time, some with pacer Madonna and her dog Rocky in his little carrier case, some with Luke Thoreson dressed up as Travis the T-Rex.

I had so much fun. The crowd was so supportive. And, no one laughed at me to my face as I biked on the trainer between loops. I finished the 12 hours with 26.2 walking miles and 65 miles on the bike. I can’t imagine last place ever being more fun. And, bonus, I won the Most Inspirational Walker. So that’s a pretty great achievement.

But then there was the 136 miles on a treadmill as part of the Dreadmill 48 hour race.. Or the finish of my first 100 mile race. Or the first ever double digit run. Or the race where at mile 64 I felt like I was running 8 minute miles, until the guy behind me pointed out it was 16 minute miles! How can anyone that runs races have a single most memorable race or running achievement?!?

Name one racing experience you would like to forget (please describe).

I must have forgotten it already, as I cherish all the race memories I have, even the challenging time.
Oh wait, Luke just reminded me of a moment: It wasn’t my race, but I was crewing Andy at the Badwater 135. After overheating – which is easy to do in Death Valley since it was still over 110 degrees at the start at the middle of July – Andy was agonizingly close to first cut-off time at mile 42.

As the miles ticked off, Luke the Data Guy got increasingly quiet as he double and triple checked the numbers, and the rest of us tried to urge Andy forward as quickly as possible. We saw him a quarter mile before the checkpoint, and knew he was going to be right on the cut-off time screaming our heads off for him to hurry. I drove the crew van with tears running down my face knowing that this race that was a life-long dream to Andy might be over. I hated that feeling and how helpless I felt in that moment knowing there was nothing I could do.

We stood in silence at the checkpoint as Andy talked with the race director. I held my breath knowing he had either made it or missed it by literal seconds. Andy walked up to the van, gave a weak thumbs up and said that he made it. We exploded in cheers and sweaty hugs and then focused on the remaining 93 miles of the race (which Andy would go on to complete). Badwater was an amazing experience, and I’m proud of the grit and toughness that Andy showed, but I wish it wouldn’t have involved those moments of panic, pressure, and stress.
And yet, I don’t really want to forget that either, because it’s that kind of experience that are all part of the uncertainty of ultras.

What is something non-running related you would like to share with readers?

This one is a tough one. Your other questions are quite straight forward and this one is quite broad. As I think of everything from teaching my kindergarten students how to use watercolors while not falling off the Hoka Stools (those swiveling stools, not the shoe), to frequent family trips to Colorado, South Carolina, our cabin on the Gunflint Trail, and Elm Creek Swim Pond with my family, to Monday Yoga Nights with Andy, to my favorite non-running local place – the dog park with our pup Luna, to late nights designing cakes for my children’s birthdays, to now recovering from having five 10 year olds over for a slumber party the day before a race…I realize that I can just say that I sure can appreciate those people that have mastered the thing called a “Balanced Life.” I enjoy the challenge of balancing work, family, and hobbies – and trying to find as much joy and laughter in each and every day. Laughing is my favorite.

Closing

Many thanks to Erika for agreeing to stop by 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!