This is the seventy-third 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.

Lead photo by: Mile90 Photography

Intro

“The evolution of my running started quite awkwardly. Like many females in high school, I held a negative body image of myself, and running became the first logical way I thought of to lose weight: it was a means to an end. I started jogging around my grandparent’s neighborhood at age 15 with I’m sure some pair of cotton shorts and a T-shirt.

Over time, however, the negative body image eventually transformed into something better. The running did too. My uncle noticed my new habit and asked if I wanted to join him in a 5K race. Never having done any races nor competed in high school sports, I said yes, and it was not inconsequential. The race connected me in a new way to the act of running. I loved the energy of the race and the participants, and also felt the adrenaline of the friendly competition that coincided. It was a slowly building snowball, but through the years my 5K race turned into 10K races, then half marathons, marathons, and now ultramarathons as I approached my 40s.

Running has been my constant companion throughout marriage and 4 children, and the numerous places I have traveled. This funny act we do every day has become an integral part of the tapestry of my life, something that in the beginning had just been incidental.”

Interview

Why is running important to you?

Running is important to me at the basic level to stay physically and psychologically healthy. But it’s much more than that. I find it a beautiful metaphor for life, because at the heart it’s about moving forward regardless of the path or the obstacles you encounter.

Additionally it gets me outside, in all elements, because I think it is essential that as human beings we encounter our surroundings daily and flee our hermetic houses and offices. Lastly I view it as a spiritual extension of myself, using my brain, bones, muscles and sinews for a greater good, like when I can push my son in a multi terrain-wheelchair since he can’t move his own muscles, or when I can appreciate the sounds and sights of the local creation as I crunch on trails.

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

I’ve been really fortunate to not have had to deal with major injuries, so I can only speculate what helps me. I think foam rolling is really helpful to work out myofascial release, as well as the rare but lovely deep tissue massage. Don’t tell anyone, but I never stretch before or after running. 🙂 I also think that I listen pretty well to my body, and turn it down a notch if I feel like it.

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

I think about what I will feel like if I don’t go running that day. In other words, I picture the “future“ me being annoyed at the “present“ me, I know that I will have wanted to go on that run, because it does make such a difference in my mood and my perspective on that day. Another thing that helps is just saying to myself that I will go out for just five or ten minutes. Inevitably it generally ends up being more than that, but it’s enough to give myself the grace to stop early if I want to.

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

I left a really strong ultra running group called Missing Link in Minneapolis, where I lived for a number of years. A diverse group of people, they supported me in various ways and helped bridge me to get to the next level in my running. Currently in Duluth, however, I’ve had the good fortune to come across another running group (Aspenwood), mostly composed of professional women with similar goals in the sport. They are wonderfully supportive, optimistic, and fun! They are fantastic resources, not only in the realm of running, but in so many other areas of life. It has been a treasure to have crossed paths with this group, and to be able to call them my friends.

When/what is your next race?

I am currently training for Grandma’s, marathon in June, then will be running the Superior 50 miler in September.

Do you prefer roads or trails and why?

Definitely trails, for many reasons. They take on the natural contours of the land and are minimally altered. Beyond this, I love the wide variety of terrain that it offers. I also think it’s better for overall form because you are forced to unconsciously go through so many different movements of your body than you otherwise would on a paved road. There is also a primal connection to trail running. The dirt, the rocks, the hills, are what Homo sapiens have been walking and running on for hundreds of thousands of years, which is remarkable to ponder.

What do you think about while you run?

Perhaps it is more apt to ask, what don’t I think about while I run? The buzzing content inside my head ranges from the things on my to do list, how to navigate a goal that I’m trying to achieve, working through a dilemma I have in my personal or work life, reminding myself of good technique, telling myself encouraging thoughts when the mileage is getting high or the run is difficult, or simply just allowing myself to enjoy the beauty of my surroundings. I also dwell on books I’m reading or what my next steps in life might be.

What is your most memorable race or running achievement?

One of the most memorable races I have participated in is the Bridger Ridge run in Bozeman, Montana where the first two miles have you climbing an 1,800 feet vertical rise to the peak of Sacagawea mountain. It was formative, because it was my first trail race. It was also stunning and gritty, and clinched my heart such that I continued to seek out new trails to have adventures on. I also ended up passing on the trail all my racing buddies I drove to the race with, which was kind of fun.

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

Voyageurs 50 miler last year. The heat generally makes me wither in a race, and it was very warm that day as I approached 30 plus miles. This led to very unpleasant nausea and lower back pain. I knew I had to stay hydrated and get nutrition in, but my body was repulsed by the thought of anything going in it. The last 8 miles of that race were beyond grueling, and the last three miles were very technical to boot, which made it painfully slow to get through.

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

Maybe it is because it’s on the opposite end of the spectrum from running as far as physical activity, but I devour books whenever I am able to have a moment to sit down. That moment usually comes right before bed.

Closing

Many thanks to Katie for stopping by Duluth Runner to share some of her knowledge/experiences with everyone. I hope you enjoyed this edition of the Interview Series – stick around for more to come!