Hildee Weiss (Author: Embracing My Inner Athlete) - "Embrace it for all that it is"

Allison interviews Hildee about her book, Embracing My Inner Athlete, and Hildee shares how, in 2014, as a busy wife and mother of five, she decided to prioritize herself after encouragement from her father-in-law and began training with Jeff, who became her trainer, coach, and friend.

Initially afraid to run, she progressed from treadmill walk-jog intervals to completing her first 5K, then caught the running “bug,” trained for longer distances, and overcame a broken fifth metatarsal by following a gradual recovery plan.

She discusses later setbacks, including surgery, losing confidence, and shifting from obsessing over pace and “I have to run” to “I get to run,” focusing on joy, community, and presence.

Favorite races include a neighborhood cancer fundraiser 5K and the Jerusalem Marathon 10K, and she offers practical race-day, gear, recovery, and beginner advice.

Hildee Weiss (Author: Embracing My Inner Athlete) - https://www.facebook.com/hildee.weiss


Races Mentioned
Jerusalem Marathon
Father's Day 5-Miler

Shout Outs
Jeff
Mervette
Frankie
Kim
Jen Sherman

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:15

Hi Runner Story family, this is Allison Gilliard with Runner Story where every story needs to be heard. And making sure that your incredible stories get heard this month are our friends from Connor Gritty. Counter Gritty is pure rating, an amazing one-of-a-kind running event, and that's gonna be salute red, white, and blue at Camp Shelby, run where the heroes are made. It's such a great race. Guys, there's an 11 miler, 11K, or 5K, and it's right there on the base at Camp Shelby. That race is gonna be November 7th, but you're gonna wanna set your alarms for July 7th. Because on July 7th, there is a 24-hour introductory prize, and you're gonna want to give an inch of that. So you're gonna be in the midst of your marathon training. Just come run this race. You're gonna get the miles in, you're gonna get the hills in. Come on, get a little bit of heat too. So come and show your support for the military. Every step is a salute, every mile a tribute. Salute Red, White, and Blue, November 7th at Camp Shelby. Find out more information at kindagritty.com slash events. Also on our website at runnerstory.com. Wow. We're incredibly grateful for Kindagritty and their partnership. Again, I cannot say thank you enough for Kana Gritty buying us a chair for Ainsley's Angels of South Alabama and for putting on such extraordinary races. I love Rhonda. I love Conor Gritty. They do such a great job. Rhonda is just, she has visions and it's really cool to see them to be a part of it and to see him alive the way that they do. It's pretty gnarly. So, Conor Gritty, thank you so much for what you do, and thank you for believing this funny community. And speaking of community, is Hildy Wise. She wrote a book called Embracing My Inner Athletes. Former Couch Potato Mom discovers fitness and life hasn't been the same size. Part of her story, both in this podcast and in her book, is that she went from being so focused on time and so focused on getting faster or rushing through injuries, which we all know you can't do, to realizing that running is something that you get to do. And now she'll say that she needs to do for her to be a better version of herself. And so I am very thankful that I got to interview Kildi and hear her story. I got to read her book before it came out, which it's now has been released. So you can find it online. And one of the things that I really appreciate it about and we do talk about in the podcast is how overcoming, especially if you're a female, that you kind of worry about how you look in your running gear. You know, is it okay that I wear this or not okay to wear this? And I feel the same way about the gym. Sometimes I'm like, I can't live all wear out to the gym. But no one cares. All they care is that you show up and that you show up for yourself, that you show up for others, that you're there to cheer each other on. And that's part of Hilda's story is that she got to be there for friends who had just also come out of surgery or were finally coming back to running or walking, and she got to be part of that story. And so it was a beautiful reminder that running isn't just about eyes. That it's not just your story that's impacted, it's those around you. And you never know how your chapter will be intertwined with someone else's. And I think that's the beauty of this running community. And when we look past ourselves and we say, what can I do for someone else? And how can I be there? I got convicted while reading this book because she does mention that as a new runner, she was like, Where do I put my bib? What do I wear? What do I do? How do I feel all these things? And I think that's something that we as runners who have been running for a really long time, we kind of get complacent in. So I want to challenge all of us, every single one of us, that if you're an established runner, veteran runner, whatever, and you're at a race and you see somebody like a little nervous, you see somebody that maybe doesn't quite know what to do, that you help them. You just go up and talk to them. Because you never know the impact you're gonna have on them. And that's the impact that this book had, because it really got me thinking, like, how many races have I been to, and I just didn't see what was in front of me, and that could have been a new fight. So I hope that we take a lesson from this book, and that is to get out there and to run your race your way. No one cares what you're wearing, even though you might be cute. But to get out there and show up and do something amazing and make a difference in the running cream. So thank you so much, Hildi, for sharing your story. I'm very, very excited for everyone to get to hear it. And again, that book is called Embracing My Inner Athletes. So, with that being said, alright, guys, get ready, get set, and go run with my friend Hildi and her run story. Well, thank you, Hildi, for being here. I am so excited. I finished reading your book, so I have lots of questions about your book. And we're gonna get into that. But the name of your book is actually called Embracing My Inner Athlete. And I want to read something from that that just made me chuckle, and that is Former Couch Potato Mom Discovers Fitness, and life hasn't been the same since. And one of the things that I absolutely love about the book, and again, we're gonna dive into it, but you talk about how you're no longer the same person, the same mom, the same wife, or the same runner that you once were, but since picking up running, how it's changed you, it's challenged you, and you kind of go through all of that throughout the book, and that's kind of the common thread about how you've grown from all of that. So thank you for being here. But how did we get here? I know you you write about in your book, but what is your run story? Like, how did we get to where you're a runner and you've literally ran in Jerusalem, which I, oh my gosh, it's amazing to read about. But the experiences you've had from the trails to half marathons, what is your run story? How does it begin?

SPEAKER_02 6:15

Okay, well, first of all, I want to thank you, Allison, for having me on and allowing me to talk to you and to your audience. So my running story itself, I would say that it started in 2014. I made a decision to make myself a priority. I was a very busy wife and mother of five kids. They were within seven years of each other. So I was quite busy in the earlier years and in the teen years, and I didn't really have a sport that I did or have a full-time job. I was a very active volunteer in the community and very busy mom, as I said, but I wasn't really doing something for myself. And my father-in-law actually pulled me aside one day and said, You're so busy taking care of others, and I really think you need to do something for yourself. And it wasn't in any way a criticism, it was more out of love and concern, where he said, Come on, you're so busy looking after everyone else, but what about you? And I shared with him that I had been thinking about working with a personnel trainer at our local community center. But at the time I had been dealing with an injured hand that I kind of messed up in a fall. I planted on the ground and used my hand to stop me. So I had some it wasn't broken, but it was a major trauma injury. So I didn't know if it was going to be something I'd be able to work at the time with the trainer, but I made the call to our gym and talked to the director about it. And he said, I have a great trainer for you. He works around injuries and restrictions. And I set up a jumpstart session with Jeff, who became my trainer and my very close friend and my running coach and my running body. And in our first meeting, he had asked me, What was one thing that you would like to do if you could? And I said, Well, I always looked out the window of my house and see people running on the streets and wish I could do it, but I just didn't think that it was something that I could do. I was worried about how I would look. I was worried about falling and tripping. I was worried about breaking and having a hip injury or a knee injury, because you hear things happen with runners and and I just had all these reasons not to do it. And I was to be blunt, I was afraid. And we kind of shelved that discussion and I started working with him and working around the hand injury for a few months until I got the all clear to start using my hand. So we started working together in July of 2014, and in January of 2015, I was at the point where I was doing some workouts on the treadmill where I'd be walking, and Jeff would have me do 30 seconds or 60 seconds of a jogging burst. And the next thing I knew, he said, I think it's time for you to sign up for a 5k. And I looked at him in wonder and said, But I've never run a mile. And he said, Well, get on the treadmill and run a mile. And I did, and I don't have many memories about what that mile was like. I do remember though that when I finished, there was this feeling of, I can't believe I actually did that. And wow, I did it. And we went for a practice 5K run together, and I did sign up for a 5K in an area near our house. And he was gonna run it with me, but I think it was the morning of the 5K, or maybe it was the Friday of that weekend, where he said, Oh, by the way, Mervet, my wife is coming, so we're gonna be doing that race together, and you'll run it on your own. And I thought to myself, oh my gosh, how am I gonna do this on my own? And I showed up and I was very, very nervous about it. But there were so many people there, and I figured, okay, I'll just follow wherever they're going, and there were signs. And on one hand, I felt I'm on my own and I'm alone, but there were a few hundred people there at the time. And a very good friend of mine happened to be doing the same race, and she was way ahead of me, and she was actually at mile three and met me there. She had already finished the race and she came back to stand at mile three and run the rest of the way with me. And having her there was everything to me because it just gave me that boost, especially for the last tenth of a mile, and really tell me that I wasn't alone. And of course, my husband was there also to cheer me on, and it was just a surreal experience. I think that I sort of went through that 5k as sort of this out-of-body experience where I was doing it, but I wasn't really in the moment and capturing everything. And then when I did my next 5K, which was a month later because I started to catch that running bug right away, sure, that was really a really great experience because that was running through my neighborhood. And it was also a big fundraiser for a local organization that raises money for cancer patients and provides support and resources for their families. And so that message of the organization really resonated with me. And I just remember running through the streets of my neighborhood and seeing neighbors and friends standing on the corners with signs for the runners, and they saw me with a little bit of surprise, and they were cheering me. And that was really a very special race. But once I did that first 5K, then it was this very natural progression where I started running outside, doing three miles, four miles around the neighborhood. And within a few months, Jeff raised the topic of working towards a 10K distance. And I had that same reaction, how can I do that? And he assured me that he was gonna help me get there. And unfortunately, the day that we had that conversation, we were meeting up for a mile repeat run in a local park. And we had done the first two miles of the repeats out of three. And after the second one, I said, I I have to go use the restroom real quick, I'll be right back. And even though he suggested that I wait until we were done, I was like, no, no, no, I have to go now. And I was rushing, rushing, rushing, and I go into the bathroom and I come out. And of course, he does this great imitation that I was flailing my hands and running, and I didn't know which way I was going. But I tripped on the step, of course. And I wound up going down, and I did something to my foot, I wasn't quite sure, but I was in terrible, terrible pain. And needless to say, we did finish that last smile. But I wound up getting my foot checked out, and at first they thought that it was just a sprained ankle. And when it didn't get better after about 10 days, two weeks, I had it x-rayed more by a different doctor, and it turns out that I had broken my fit on a tarsal. So I had to be sidelined for an additional six weeks, and that was devastating because here I had gotten into running and I had caught that bug. And then it was not only taken away from me in that moment, but it made me think I'm never gonna get back to how will I ever recover from this? And with some time and some patience, and I continued to train with Jeff working around at injury, which was very creative on his part. But it took a few months, but I did get back into running, and I did do that 10K race in I think it was April of 2016. And ironically, that was actually my fastest 10K, and I've never been able to get that time again, but it was in a little over 57 minutes. And then, of course, after that was done, he said, Okay, now you gotta work for a half marathon. So that's I guess that would be the beginning of my writing story.

SPEAKER_00 14:27

I want to talk. There is a line that you write about, and that's going back to your injury, and you said, Patience is a virtue, and recovery cannot be rushed. And I was like, that is I think every runner needs to have that tattooed somewhere.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

Well, trust me, man, wasn't really saying that. Of course, of course, yeah. I think it had to be ingrained in me a little bit by Jeff, but it really was a process. And I am grateful now looking back at that process because I really needed to take that time to allow my foot to heal and then come back and really, really be ready for that.

SPEAKER_01 15:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:12

And I tend to rush as a mom of five, especially when my kids were younger. I was rushing with eating because I was always on the go. Even today, sometimes when I'm in the middle of doing a training session with Jeff and he's like, Okay, hold on a second, take a little break in between circuits and and don't rush this movement. And it was about three months where I could not bear weight on my foot, and it was really, really rough. And especially because I had gotten to this place where I'd had a brace running when it finally was available to me and I couldn't do it. It's like, will I ever be able to get back to it? And of course, I also worried about my weight and what's gonna happen where I'm not still active. And we wound up doing other kinds of strength training around it. And again, Jeff was very, very creative with how I was positioned so that I was able to still do some of the lifting workouts and doing some core things, but not compromising my injury in any way. And even after I think the doctor had given me the the go-ahead of six weeks, I didn't get right back into it because Jeff said, okay, let's follow a plan. And it took quite a few weeks after that where he had me get on the treadmill the first week and walk for five minutes. And I think I did it a few times. And then the next week it was 10 minutes, and the week after that it was 15 minutes, and the week after that it was 20 minutes at a time. And believe me, I was very, very eager to get back into it. And then we did the same thing with running, where I ran for five minutes one week and then 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, and 20 minutes. And once I completed that, then it was okay to go for a mile. So I think that once I got back into it, there was a better sense of awareness and appreciation of being able to do it and really, really being ready and healed. Absolutely. It's not always been that. I mean, I yeah, I've had other little injuries here and there where it had a calf strain and I've had broken toes, and even two years ago I had had major surgery and I had to also be sidelined for a few months. And that was tough. And I kept telling myself with all these different things, running will be there. But there were different times where I reacted differently, where sometimes I was able to get back into it and it was there and it was fine. And when I recovered from my surgery, it was not because I went into it physically and I was running, but something happened with my drive and my self-confidence took a real dip. And I kind of lost that sense of myself as a runner and doubted myself. And I had to do a lot of deep thinking and a lot of runs and figuring out how to get that back. And I did, but it took time.

SPEAKER_00 18:17

Absolutely. And I appreciate you sharing that because again, throughout the book, you do talk about other injuries, and you come to a point in the book where you say, you know what, I understand that it's okay that I take time and that I that you needed that time. And I again, I think that is is crucial for all of us. If something seems off, the body wants to heal, the body doesn't want to be in pain, and you just need that patience and that recovery can't be rushed. I thought that was absolutely great. I thought it was a great line.

SPEAKER_02 18:48

Yeah, and I I have a friend, he is a big, big runner, and he's actually my friend's son, so he's not my age, but I consider him a friend. And he had trained with the New York Roadrunners and real elite runner, and he has had this injury where he hasn't been able to run probably for a good year now, and he's recovering now from major surgery on his knee. And I just saw him over the weekend, and my heart broke for him because I know how much he misses it and wants it. And I was thinking about going over to him, but I decided not to, but I wanted to save him. It's gonna be there, and when it's time and you've healed, there's gonna be so much more appreciation when you actually do it because it's a gift.

SPEAKER_00 19:38

Absolutely. And that's something that you talk about is that running is a privilege because one of the things you also kind of grow as a runner is you talk about how and you you do put you do lay it out in the book, and that is like what your times were for different races, and then but eventually you got to this point where you said, I'm no longer worrying about my time as I started running with other friends and started just having fun. And again, coming back from injuries, you couldn't just go back into that time. So again, I appreciate that growth and that you share that and that how strength just had a deeper meaning. It wasn't necessarily how strong you were, but it was about coming back from the injuries or walking with somebody or running their first race, or when you had a friend in the book that also had surgery and had come back and you were like, I don't care about our time, we're just gonna have a great time. And I love I love seeing that progression.

SPEAKER_02 20:31

Yeah, and look, I would say that for the first few years, I was obsessed with the numbers. And I know that it was something that would be in a conversation that I would share with Jeff and that he would call me on the fact that I was focusing too much on the numbers. And yeah, I mean, I was a faster runner ten years ago, eight years ago, and I don't know exactly what shifted where I'm not doing the paces. I am older and my body's been through some things, and mentally I and emotionally I'm not the same person. And there was this shift where I think in the beginning, I didn't have anything to compare it to. So it was seamless. And when I would go out for runs, it was easy, and I I was naturally a faster runner. And the first marathon I did was the greatest experience. I did that with Jeff, and I remember him telling me that any half marathon you're gonna do afterwards, it's gonna be harder and it'll never be the same, and it was never the same. Each experience was different. Sure. Somewhere along the way, though, there was a lot of times, and I detailed that in the book where I would have these loss of mojo, as you hear the term, this loss of motivation, and my paces changed, and I think I was very, very hard on myself, and it got to the Point, probably around the time that COVID started, where all of a sudden I was using the term I have to run when I would talk about it. And it would also be when I kept a journal and I always write down the facts about my runs. And I it you're supposed to write the pace and you write the mileage. And I started to see that when I was writing these journal entries, there was always something about I wasn't feeling my best and my stomach was bad. And and I really wasn't into it, but I did it. And it was nothing about the run itself, it was more sort of excuses and explanations. And in a way, I was describing I have to run, it was a burden, even though I didn't think of it that way directly. And I spent like I can look at it now and say that's what I was doing. And about two years ago, when I was going through this whole process, after I physically recovered from my hysterectomy, and I would go out on these runs, and let's say I was going on a three-mile run. After about two miles, I was feel like, oh, I'm tired, I can't do this anymore. And it was a mind over matter thing, but the mind was winning and saying, You're too tired, you can't do this anymore, this is too hard. And I was giving into that. And then I would be frustrated with myself afterwards. But I was going back and forth for quite a few months that where something just wasn't right. And I would have a lot of conversations with Jeff about that. And I remember one particular conversation, he said, You've lost her. You've got to go find her, and that her is you, but you got to figure out what is holding you back and find that joy again. Because he had been noticing that, but I think he was waiting for me to be able to recognize and do something about it. There were times that he would talk to me about going with his run-in group on a trail run, and I would, for whatever reason, say I wasn't going. I mean, sometimes I actually couldn't go, but I think that deep down I was afraid of going and I was so worried about my pace and I'm gonna be in the back of the pack and I'm gonna be too slow. And I just doubted myself, and he dared me to come to the next run and just go. So I did show up to his running group one evening. He told me it was gonna be a three and a half mile run, and don't worry, he's gonna run with me the whole way, which he did. But of course, it wasn't three and a half miles. I want to be closer to five. Sure. And I remember saying to him when I came back from our run, I texted him, I said, You tricked me. He said it wasn't a trick, it was a test. And if I would have said beforehand, we're gonna be running more than the three and a half miles, you probably wouldn't have done it because you would have been held yourself back from doing it. And I think that's been a big part of this whole journey where he has seen potential in me that I haven't seen. So he's put forth various challenges and things for me to do that I would doubt myself and say, it's too hard, it's impossible. And it was around that time where this shift came and I learned to say, okay, I'll try it and be a little bit more open. So by showing up at that group run, even though I was very nervous about doing it, I needed to do it in order to say to myself afterwards, wow, you know what, it wasn't that hard. And I can go next time to the next run, and and it'll be fine. And I started to go on runs and not look at my watch and just start to be aware of other things in the run. So that's where I said, I'm not gonna worry about the pace. I'm just gonna run according to feel, but I'm going to experience the run. So if I'm running through the neighborhood, I make sure to say hi to people as I'm passing them. I notice the kids getting on and off the school buses. I'm noticing the landscaping and the greenery and the blue skies, or if it's not a blue sky and it's hopefully not raining, and getting a better sense of appreciation for what I'm doing and the fact that I'm able to do it today at 57 in the version that I am in now. And once I started shifting that mindset where it wasn't about the numbers, it turned into I get to run versus I have to run. Yeah. And that changed everything because these days, I mean, once in a while I look at my watch and just see how long have I been going or where I am. But it's not this, oh my gosh, I have this left, or I can't believe I'm doing that pace. Why am I not going faster? I've had to teach myself that the data doesn't count. And it's really about going out there and just giving it my very, very best effort. And sometimes that effort can be in the form of an 11-minute mile, and sometimes it could be in the form of something quicker. But I'm trying to put aside the competitiveness, which I was banging so hard on myself for a while. And I I don't think I realized it at the time, but looking back, my gosh, I was my own worst enemy.

SPEAKER_00 27:27

Oh, for sure. Yeah, yeah. But what a lesson that you learned. I mean, and again, you just you to see that throughout the book and again the appreciation that you have now for running, it really was a beautiful thing to see. Thank you. So you've kind of mentioned some things that you you've learned, but if somebody's listening, what is a lesson that you've learned from running?

SPEAKER_02 27:49

Well, I think the biggest lesson is what we just talked about, where I have learned to embrace it for all that it is and not think of it as a task, but rather something that I really, really enjoy doing. Sure. And it was a process to get there. And there were things that I had to do in order to kind of psych myself up. But then once I got to that point and really, really embraced it, that has helped. And that's not to say that everyone should do that because both of my boys are very, very talented runners. And my older son has tried to get me to switch watches and work on my intensity and what's my VO2 max. And I'm like, honey, these days I'm just happy to run. And once every now and then I think about well, maybe I'll try his version of intensity training and I'll do that. And then I'm what I think right now I just want to run to run, and for all the positivity it brings me. That is beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 28:55

I absolutely appreciate that on so many levels. So I think I know the answer to this from reading your book, but what is your favorite race? Well, I guess there's a tie.

SPEAKER_02 29:06

So that second 5k that I did for the gathering place is definitely up there as a favorite because of the whole mission of the gathering place and raising money and awareness for cancer patients and survivors. And I've run that 5k quite a few times over the years. And I I love the course because it goes through my neighborhood. And again, seeing neighbors and friends on the street is really, really great. But it gives me a lot of pause when I'm doing it because it's not just about the run, it's so much more than that because I'm thinking about the people that I love who I've lost, and friends and family who have survived cancer. And there's so much more purpose when I did that first race, especially. But each time I've done it, it has had that same purpose for me. And the other one that I would say was a favorite is the first time I did the 10K portion of the Jerusalem Marathon. I think it was in 2018. And I ran a good part of it by myself. But I do remember at one point I was coming down a hill and I hear someone call out, hey mom. And it was my middle daughter Miriam, who we were at the same point in time, and we gave each other high five, and then we each went our own way, and we finished within a few minutes of each other. But it was so great to see her in the course of that race. And then towards the end, we had gone up this really, really steep hill that takes you into a neighborhood. And I remember asking one of these girls that were running beside me. I said, Where are we right now? And she mentioned the name of the street, and I was like, Oh my goodness, this is the street that my great-grandfather lived on. And I couldn't find the apartment that he lived in because it's changed quite a bit over the years since I was there when I was 17 years old. But as I'm just running along that street, I it was sort of this, if you could see me now, because when I was 17 years old and and I had spent a year in Israel studying, and I would go to my great-grandfather's house regularly. But at that time, that was the beginning of my putting on weight and not doing anything activity-wise to counteract it. And that was really the beginning of many, many years of my battling my weight and my self-esteem. And during that year, I didn't walk at all. I ate a lot of chunk and proceeded to gain 30 pounds alone that year. So to be running along the streets of his neighborhood. And this was, I was 50 at the time. So it was just a few years into my starting running, and so it was a good 30-some years after I had been there. I took pawns and thought about wow, I've come a long way, and I'm not that person that I was when I was 17. I took charge of my life, and I never would have been walking or running along the streets when I was that age. And even in my 20s and 30s, I didn't embrace fitness or running, working out of any kind, because I just wasn't in that place to do it and appreciate it. So it was really reflected to be running along the street and kind of mutter to myself, wow, here I am now. And he may not see they doing this right now, but it was really surreal to be able to do that.

SPEAKER_00 32:58

Yeah, and I appreciate you sharing that story because in the book, you kind of feel like you're running with you. You're describing what you're running on and the buildings and all this. And I was like, I feel like I'm now I want to go run in Jerusalem. It just sounds amazing.

SPEAKER_02 33:12

Oh, it's I think it's next March that I was supposed to do the 10K this year, and it was postponed to a date where I wasn't there. So I deferred it for next year, and I have it on my calendar. And I mean, I put in all the training because that 10K is filled with some really steep hills, but it's a gorgeous course. And I I look forward to doing that again. I look, I've had a lot of really great racing experiences and my trail running, I started to do some races right away once Jeff introduced me to that. So that's been very, very special. But I think that that 10K and that 5k that I mentioned are really like the the top of the list. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 33:59

So you in the book, you do share some great memories, but do you have a favorite running memory or a funny running memory that when you think about running, it just makes you smile or kind of makes you chuckle?

SPEAKER_02 34:11

Well, when I think about you you mentioned earlier on about my running with a friend who had been injured herself. And this friend of mine is someone I love dearly, Frankie, and we walk every Saturday afternoon, and we've done a few races together. But that race that we were talking about, she had just come back from an injury, and it was some kind of Father's Day five-miler in a nearby area. And I never really been over there. So it was really special to run that course and see that part of the neighborhood. But I had said to her, listen, she and I and another friend were gonna do this together, and we'll do whatever it is she can do. And if we were gonna walk the whole way, it would be fine. If she felt she could run the whole way, fine. I was just gonna follow her lead. And we did the first two miles where we ran, and then she was starting to feel things. So I we got through it doing a little running and then walking, mostly walking. And we started to see them take down the water steps. And at one point, a policeman drove by and said, Hey, is everything okay? Yeah, yeah. And we realized we were the last of the group, and there was a little card in me that said, You never want to be last. But I was doing this for Frankie, and it was just so important that we do this together, and we had a great time along the way. We had great conversation. And as we were coming in to the finish line, and everyone had already finished, I said to Frankie, and this was so not me, but I said, Let's make a lot of noise. And the three of us kicked up our hands, we were holding hands together, and we were just shouting, look at us, we're 40, 50-something moms, and we're finishing, and we crossed the finish line holding hands and really not caring at all about how we looked, how we sounded, and it was just such a beautiful moment to do that. And it was more for her than it was for me, but it gave me so much joy. And I remember afterwards when we did check our times, because of course you do that after a race to see what the placement was. I didn't see our names listed at all. So I contacted the race organizer and I said, Listen, this is this is really not about me. But I did this with a friend who just came back from an injury, and I don't see her name on it. And what happened? He said, Oh, well, there was a cutoff at an hour. And we had come in, I think, in an hour and 10. And I said, Oh, wow. I wish there was some way that you can recognize her because this was really for her. And they wound up sending us some kind of no, and I don't know remember if they added us to the roster in the end, but they did do some kind of recognition after the fact. So that was really a special race. I have a friend, Kim, who got turned on to running, she says, because of me. And we did our first race together. It was her first race. It was a 5K near our neighborhood, and it was in February of 2020. So it was right before COVID. And I basically coached her through that race and just telling her, you're doing great. And come on, we we've done a half a mile, we have this much left. And she'll tell me how much that meant her to have that coaching. But I loved doing that with her and seeing her enthusiasm. And then we did a five-miler together, and then we did a 10K together. And I remember that 10K, my motivation was kind of down, and she was the one that was picking me up during that race. And then I remember I had called her one day and said, Hey, there's a 10K coming up. Do you want to do that with me? And she said, Oh no, I want to do a half marathon. I've got big trains. And I said, Oh my gosh, I've created a monster. And and we were actually, we were supposed to do that half a marathon together, and I trained for it. And the week before I got COVID and I couldn't do it, and she did it on her own, and she did great. And being able to do that for her and seeing her embrace the running, it has just been so meaningful to me. And sometimes if I'd been down a little bit and lacked the motivation, all I have to do is talk to her or remember the runs and races we've done together because she's able to pick me up that way.

SPEAKER_00 38:57

That's amazing. And that's that's what it's all about. Is it's all about community and being there for one another. And those are the races that, like you said, those are the ones that stick with you forever. You're never gonna forget those memories. Right. So let's shift a little bit to race day. Do you have a pre-race routine? I try to remember the last time I've done a race.

SPEAKER_02 39:20

Because I think it was probably last year now. I'm usually a bundle of nerves. So I will probably go to the bathroom quite a few times as I'm preparing to leave my house wherever I am. And then I'll get to the race place and I'll probably go several times. And I typically don't eat beforehand because I don't want to have an upset stomach or anything like that. So I don't have a pre-race snack that I can tell you about, and I try not to drink beforehand because of course that will make me go to the bathroom even more. But I'm usually a bundle of nerves, and I think more so when I think it's more when I'm doing it with someone than when I'm doing it by myself, which is very ironic when I think about it, because there have been some times where I sign up for something and I show up and I don't know anyone there, and I sort of just go through the motions and I start the race and I do it and I finish it, and I go home. And I think that I'm for some reason more nervous when I'm doing it with Jeff or I'm doing it with a friend or a family member. I don't usually have music that I listen to for a race because I think I have to be just more aware of my surroundings when I'm doing it, and it's probably distracting. If I and it helps when I'm doing it with someone, so that actually makes me focus better. I think the last race I did was last summer. It was a four-mile trail race as part of this trail series that they have in the summer here at various metro parks, and I'm not always here for all of them, but I try to do one or two if it works out time-wise for me. So I do have that on my calendar for the end of July that I'm doing a four-mile trail race. But yeah, I still have the nerves, I think. Even all these years later. And even though I've shifted the mindset, it's still I think it's always gonna be there.

SPEAKER_00 41:24

Oh, absolutely. There are some of these races that I love and I go back into them every year. I I can tell you from point A to point B what it's like, but for some odd reason, I'm still gonna be a nervous wreck morning of, you know, and I'm still gonna lay everything out. I mean we can still do everything, but I'm like, I shouldn't be this way because I know this race, it's not even a big deal. Right. But yeah, I get I get it. I totally get it. What is your favorite running item? You will not go running without this item. Oh, my watch.

SPEAKER_02 41:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 41:54

My watch.

SPEAKER_02 41:55

And and even though it's not that garbage that my son is trying to get me to get these things, I just I use the Apple Watch and it's fine because if I'm doing a Peloton run workout outside, I have that app on. Or I typically do Strava when I'm outside. I just click run and I go, and when I come home, it it's able to tell me I don't have the the fancy premium level, it's just very basic, but it's able to give me the information that I need. But the watch also is able to, I mean, it tells me the data and has the apps. I also when I'm running outside, I'll have my AirPods into typically I'm listening to music when I'm running outside. Sometimes it'll be a podcast, but I find that when I'm running, it's a little bit harder to focus on a podcast and what's being said. So unless I'm just doing a real easy run and I can take in what I'm hearing, the music is sort of just something in my ears that it sometimes it is very motivating, depending on the music. I I usually use Podrunner and they have the the music with the beats, so I'm always downloading the ones that are a little faster in pace because that just I think just the rhythm helps me move along. Maybe not exactly at the beat that they're suggesting, but it's motivating. And sometimes I'm just running music that I have on my phone, but the airpads and the watch are very, very important to me.

SPEAKER_00 43:28

Okay, that's awesome. Running shoes, what do you like to run in? Let's say what do you like to run in road and what do you like to run in trail? Well, I'm the Brooks girl.

SPEAKER_02 43:37

So I'd been wearing Brooks adrenaline for God, I don't know how many years. I don't know how I got into it because when I first started, I remember I was wearing Mizuno at the very, very beginning. I remember I knew balance and chocony. I don't even know how you Sophony, Saccone, whatever it is. I was wearing those. And somehow I got introduced to Brooks, and I don't remember exactly when, but. I really haven't swayed from that. So the Brooks adrenaline for running on the road and on the treadmill. And I wear the Brooks Cascadia for the trails. And I'll tell you a funny story when it comes to the shoes. So at one point I was running in Jerusalem and I had gone maybe half a mile. And all of a sudden, I had this terrible pain going up my calf. And I had to stop my run. And I wasn't going to get it checked out because that's my MO. I went to a podiatrist down the street and he checked it out. And he said it was a little calf strain, but he said that my shoes weren't the proper fit for me. Then that's when I mentioned it to Jeff. And he said he had noticed that when we'd go running together, they seemed a bit loose. And yeah, when you're running in improperly fitted shoes, and especially on the terrain that we had in Jerusalem, it's gonna kill your joints. So I went to get fitted properly, and I went through this whole assessment with the standing on a scale, and they take measurements and they take a map of my foot and where the arches and everything. And the salesman says, I have the perfect shoe for you. And he comes out with a copy of the shoe that I had, but he said that I had gone down a half a size, and I went from a wide to a medium, which explained the change in uh the fit. But what was funny is it's not like I came in there and said, I need a Brooks adrenaline. He came back and said, This is what you need. And I changed it every so often when it's had enough wear and tear. But I love the stability of the shoe and the comfort. And if anyone's listening from Brooks and you want to send more shoes my way, that's totally fine. And and the Castadia is wonderful because it provides the same stability when I'm on the trails and that nice comfortable fit. So I'm I I love Brooks. Awesome.

SPEAKER_00 46:14

Let's shift a little bit to recovery because you have had so many injuries and sidelines. So do you have a favorite recovery tool?

SPEAKER_02 46:22

I have tools. Do I always use them? Probably not. I have a soulmroller who I and I can say it honestly is wonderful. I just don't use it enough, but it really does the trick. I also have a massage gun, and that helps a lot with really getting into the area at times with the fashion and getting the kinks out of that. Regular stretching, though, is really not a a tool. It's just something that we all need to do, both before and after running. And I am getting a little bit better about doing it regularly. And uh, it's important because I know that when I don't do it at all, then I'm walking a little funny later on and I'm feeling the aches and pains a little bit. And it's just so important to do that recovery. I mean, what's the point of working so hard with the run? And then if you can't move afterwards because you didn't rest and recover properly. I've also learned the word recovery, it's not just about doing the foam roller and the stretching. Something that I've had to learn over time is the absolute importance of knowing how and how much to recover, especially after a race. Because again, I would do a race and then I'd be ready the next day to do a run or do spinning. And I've gone ahead and do it, and then I hear from Jeff, okay, you probably should have waited a little while. And I've learned that when you do a trail run, it's not equivalent to a road run. So I could be doing four miles on the trail, but that is more like a six-mile run on the road. And I don't always appreciate the intensity and what your body is going through when you're doing that. So I've had to learn that it's really not a good idea to do something intense the next day. You got to give yourself and your body a little time to heal. And after a big race, it's at 10K or a half marathon, give yourself some time to heal. It doesn't mean that you have to sit and do nothing. There's other ways of working out and it's other ways of movement. But I think that for a good part of this journey that I've taken, I think that it took me so long to find fitness and running and embrace it. And there are a lot of times where I forget that I need to not feel just because I started late does not mean that I have to make up for that lost time and go at it. So I did a 10K run on the original day of the Jerusalem 10K race in March. I knew I wasn't going to be able to do it when they were changing the date, but I had decided on March 27th that I was going to run a 10K. I had put in the work with the training, and I told Jeff, I will use the treadmill, and I would do that race. And I ran it, and then I knew from experience that I would have to give myself several days before I could even think about running. So I did walking and it was perfectly fine. I had little moments here and there where I felt like, oh, I feel okay. I could go for a run. But then I remind myself, no, no, no, there's a reason why it's called recovery. And it's not just for your body. I think it's really for it's also for your mind and for your soul. Oh, that's good. I really like that.

SPEAKER_00 50:02

Hilde, let's say that somebody's listening, or you said you've had a friend come up to you and ask how to get started running. What is advice you give to somebody who wants to start running?

SPEAKER_02 50:12

If you want to start running, believe in yourself enough that you can start. And it's not about doing a distance or doing a time. Start with a few minutes and then over time you can increase it. But you're not going to do a 5k right away or a 10K or a half marathon. It's it's a process, and you don't want to dive too quickly into it. But I think that if you want to do it, then have the belief in yourself that you can. And there's different ways of doing it. You can work with a coach, you can follow a plan that you find on the web, or there's so many wonderful plans out there. You can find a running route, you can do it by yourself. And I think that it's a very individual thing. In my case, doing it with Jeff has worked for me because he's so experienced as a runner, and we've run together, we've done races together. He has written up countless training plans for me to follow for various races, and that has worked so well for me. It doesn't mean that everyone is gonna do that. I think you have to find what works for you and your comfort level. But if it's something you want to do, go after it. That is great.

SPEAKER_00 51:38

I love that. In your book, you talk about your mantra being you had this moment where you told yourself, I get to do this. And then it also shifts to focus. So would you say that that's still your mantras, or has that also changed a little bit?

SPEAKER_02 51:55

My mantra today is definitely about getting to do this. That I look at it as an opportunity and as a gift, but I also have the mantra of I need to do this. These days I'm an empty nester, but I'm still very, very involved. I've I've got five grown children, I've got grandchildren, I also have my parents that I help. So when I'm going out for a run, let's say it's a half-hour run, I have that feeling of I get to do it, but it's also I need to do that. I need this time for me. And it's therapeutic at times. It's a time where I can tell myself that I need to put things aside, no matter what's going on, and focus on what I'm doing for that half hour or an hour, whatever it is, that this is something that's for me. And I may go back and forth a little bit for a moment here and there of like thinking, okay, what's going on with this kid? Or I have this that I have to do when I get home. But then I tell myself, this is my time, and I'll be able to get back to all that when I'm done. But right now, I need to do this run or I need to do this workout.

SPEAKER_00 53:16

That's great. I love that. I and I appreciate you saying that. Again, we're all in different seasons of life, and so I appreciate you sharing that now you're in this phase of like, I need to do this. Oh, that's so good. So, what is your favorite length to run? Whether it's in the trails or on the pavement, do you have a certain mileage that you really enjoy running? I would say it's probably around the four mile mark.

SPEAKER_02 53:40

It's funny because when I first started, it was about three to four miles. And eventually I built it up as I was encouraged to go for longer distances. And the 10K mark is really my max these days. I did five half marathons and I'm grateful that I did it, and each one was an experience, but I just didn't love the training involved and the long runs, and I just I don't enjoy it. So the 10K is a pretty good distance, but I think the four mile is a nice, definitely something that I can do. It doesn't take a terribly long time. I'm able to find a route that I can make up, whether I'm doing it here in Cleveland or I'm in Israel, and it feels like it's enough. I can always go a little bit more. And a lot of times when I do four miles, there's still enough gas in the tank that I could do more, but I also feel like it's very, very satisfying.

SPEAKER_00 54:40

When you're not running, what fuels you? What are you passionate about? I love baking with my grandchildren.

SPEAKER_02 54:49

It's really a lot of fun. And I love spending time with them. My granddaughter was just here this morning, and she surprised me because my husband had conspired with my daughter. And she had dropped her off to spend time with us, and we read a book together, and then of course the TV went on, and then there was no more hanging out with me. It was really watching Gabby's Dollhouse. But I love spending time with my family, and I love spinning. I love doing spinning classes, but I also have a Peloton bike now, and I really, really enjoy the classes, whether they're live classes or the recorded classes. I just like Jen Sherman is my girl. I love her. I mean, there's so many wonderful instructors, but if she's listening, oh my gosh, I want to be her friend. And so spinning gives me a different kind of adrenaline rush than running. And I did it early on in my journey, and then I didn't do it for many years because the spinning classes were at our local gym and it was closed down with COVID. And then I just, for some reason or another, I just never picked it up again until that conversation with Jeff two years ago where he said, you know what, you were really at your best self back in 2018, I think it was. And he's like, You were spinning men and you were swimming. And I said, I don't know why I never stopped, but I'll go to a class and see what happens. And I went the next day and getting on that bike, it was like I had never left. And it was so great to be in the classroom setting and have that adrenaline rush and move and the music and everything. And I love being a part of the class, but I love it just as much when it's just me on the bike in my basement and I'm doing a Peloton class.

SPEAKER_00 56:43

That's awesome. Because also, spoiler alert, in the book, you say, I don't know that I'll ever get a Peloton.

SPEAKER_02 56:49

It's funny because for so long I couldn't say, like, what do I need it for? I had a treadmill, although it was coming apart, but I was doing my running outside and I didn't think I needed it. And the bike, my daughter has all the different Peloton equipment, and I did it once at her house, and for some reason I didn't love it. But then I did some classes at the gym at a hotel when we were away one time on vacation, and I found that I really liked it, but I still wasn't thinking yet about getting it because again, I was doing the classes at our gym in Jerusalem, and I was doing it when I was in Cleveland, and what's the point? But then once I had taken up the spinning again, and I saw that the the schedule at our gym was not really great for it, was not offering me a whole range of classes to go to. And my husband said, Why don't you just go ahead and get a bike? And I was so afraid of getting it because I thought if I have it, I've I'm probably gonna slack off and I don't have that accountability that I have of showing up to a class at the gym and I I pay for that class. And yeah, I I'll pay for the bike if I get in my house, but then it's so easy to just not go downstairs and use it. And I remember when I used the the Peloton over that vacation, something came over me with this leaderboard thing where it's like, no, you're not gonna slack off because you've got this leaderboard where you want to see your name and the it's that competitive edge, I guess. And I was not a competitive person as a kid or an adult, so this all came out in the last several years, I guess. But I wound up getting the bike last June, and I've been using it regularly, and I wound up getting the treadmill a few months later because the treadmill that I had, the incline had broken, and I was gonna get it fixed, and I realized by the time they come out and fix it, it's gonna pay for a whole new treadmill, basically. And so I got the Peloton treadmill and I had the Peloton bike, and those two things are gonna use just as much as the weights that I use twice a week when I'm training with Jeff virtually. I mean, they are a key tool in my fitness, and I can laugh and say, Oh, I can't believe that I said I wasn't gonna do it because you know I'm the biggest cheerleader for it and I love it. It's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 59:23

Hilde, this has been amazing. I'm really excited for your book to come out. It releases June 9th. So if anybody's listening and they're like, Oh, I want to learn more. One of the things that really got me in your book was how you talk about there's several things you talk about, and that is kind of like that first day jitter. And I think as a runner, the longer you get into the running world and you go to races and that sort of thing, we kind of take it for granted that we already know where a bib goes and you know all the things. And so we kind of forget that new runners are like, where does this go? And where do I start? And all these things. Um, because you just kind of, I guess, in a way, it's a good thing. You kind of become complacent and you're like, oh yeah, I know where this goes, I know what to do, blah, blah, blah. So I appreciated you talking about that. The other thing I really appreciated was that throughout the book, you talk about how you battle with what you wear. Because as women, and I'm I'm sure there's some men out there too, but we do worry about is someone gonna judge me if I wear this? Am I okay to wear this and that sort of thing? And so you kind of come to this moment in the book where you're like, listen, I'm gonna be comfortable. I'm gonna wear what I want to wear. No one should care what I'm wearing because guess what? Everybody else is dying. And it's so true because especially living in the South, like so hot and everything. And you can only put on, you can only take off so many clothes because you can't put them on. But it's one of those things that I wish more women, especially, would feel like, hey, I'm okay to wear this no matter my body size. And I really, again, I appreciate you sharing that and being open and honest in the book and how you struggle with that, and then how you just came to be. So, as somebody who read it, I just want to say thank you for being open and honest with that. And again, it just also opened my eyes to like the next time I'm at a race to look around. And if there is a new runner, maybe go and help them and be like, hey, are you okay? This is where this goes. Because I do think we we kind of take it for granted and we kind of get in our own little bubble and we're like, okay, I'm gonna do this and this and this. So it really challenged me to be more aware of my surroundings. Yeah. But then also it helped me to accept that when I'm at the gym, everyone else around me is more focused on their workouts, they're not focused on what I'm wearing, and that we should be comfortable with where we are because we are strong and we do get to do this. So I just wanted to say thank you for that. It really spoke to me. The name of the book is Embracing My Inner Athlete. Do you have any final words of wisdom before we line off here?

SPEAKER_02 1:01:44

I'm kind of laughing because when you talk about the whole bib thing, I still don't know to this day really where to put that dip. I typically put it under my chest because I don't want to put it on my chest. And I then I see people at races that they have it on the leg of their pants or on their thigh, and I'm thinking, like, oh, did I do this wrong? But I kind of just put it where I put it. And in terms of the closing that you mentioned, when I first talked to Jeff about why I couldn't run, that was one of the things. I was wearing the baggy pants when I first started working out with him, and and I wasn't all that overweight, but I was hiding behind the layers and the clothing. So I was wearing the baggy capris and I was wearing the bigger shirts, and I was so worried about how I would look in the clothes. And the interesting thing is, once I started running, especially outside the neighborhood, I never really thought about that. It just all those fears that I've had were brushed aside. I still had to worry about staying upright and not tripping and falling, of course, because that was just my MO. But I realized no one's really looking at how big my shirt is or how long my sleeve is, or what I look like that way. They may see me, wow, she's moving. Because I will cast friends even today as I'm running, and they'll shout on and say, Hey, look at you go. And so it's not so much about the appearance that they're noticing, but rather you're getting out and doing something. So if that's what they're seeing, I'm plenty happy about that.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:23

Well, Hilde, thank you again for your perspective for your story. And again, uh, if anybody is interested, the book is out. And I can't wait to see what else you do, my friend.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:35

Thank you. This was such a joy to talk to you. And well, I I really appreciate being able to share my story in the hopes that anyone who reads the book or who reads my posts on Instagram will get that message that I'm just an everyday wife and mom. And if I can do something that seems so hard and seems so impossible to make it happen, anyone can do that. And it's really about taking that first step and seeing how far it will take. I love that. Thank you, Hildi, so much. Thank you, Allison.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:22

Thank you, Hildi, so much for sharing your story, for sharing that experience, the run, and that running is a process, and that not only do we get to run, but we need to run. Oh, so good. So good, my friend. Very, very excited that your book is out, guys. Again, that's called Embracing My Inner Athlete. And she just takes you on this journey from her time to her progression of becoming the runner that she is today. And that was pretty cool. So, thank you, Hildi, for sharing her story. Thank you for the book, for writing it. Thank you for taking us on a run through Jerusalem. That was pretty cool to get to read. So, it's on my bucket list, guys. I would love to get around Jerusalem. That would just be really, really fun. So, thank you, Hildi, for your story and for what you're doing for others. It's pretty amazing. Thank you again to our friends from Kindagritty. They have been so faithful to this running community and to Ainsley's Angels of South Alabama. We love and adore Kind of Gritty, and we cannot wait to roll on these chariots. So I'm starting! The kind of gritty chariot looks sick. It's amazing. So, very thankful for Kindagritty and all the amazing events that they put on. Guys, go make sure you follow them on social media. Make sure that you are giving them shoutouts. They do such a great job. Also, set your alarm for July 7th, because that's the introductory price you're gonna want for still loop, red, white, and blue. Registration opens July 7th. I will be registering. The Guile Yard Household will be registered for that race on November 7th. We are beyond excited. And remember, there's an 11 dollar 11k or 5K. So it's gonna be pretty amazing. And so, thank you, Patagritty, for believing in this podcast for doing big things. I'm so excited about all the things that you are doing and what you do so much. Thank you to Gilliar Tech Services. Love you and thank you, you're the best. He was out of these podcasts even after summer camp. So he is an MVP. So, guys, definitely check him out for website Scott. If you don't know where to start, have an existing one, but if you want to update it, make sure you check him out at Gilliar Tech Services. He does such a great job with building your dreams online. So check him out. Thank you to Dave and Scott and Stefan. You guys are just absolutely amazing. Thank you for being part of Runner Story. I appreciate you guys. Love you guys so very much. Read Dave's blog. And if you have been booked by Scar, Stefan, thank you for being so patron. I love them. They're absolutely amazing. And thank you for believing in Runner's Story. Thank you to our Patreon family members. We love you. We thank you so much for being part of this. I hope that you guys are just loving this podcast and that you're pretty proud of it. So we are. We hope we're making you happy with the stories that are coming out and the challenges that have been set before us as a running community. We better and do better. So thank you so much for believing in us. Make sure you like, share, comment. Make sure you send us a message telling us what you like. Make sure you comment, make sure you share it. That's how stories get out there, that's how your stories get heard. And you never know whose story is gonna make a huge difference. So, who's gonna inspire who? We all need to inspire one another. With that being said, guys, give a range story because every story needs to be heard.