Mile 20 Mindset Podcast Episode 018 - Featuring Norma La Vecchia

Introduction:
In the latest episode of the "Mile 20 Mindset" podcast, host Allen Maldonado sits down with a remarkable runner, Norma Lavechia, a four-time major marathon finisher. Norma shares her journey from participating in obstacle races to conquering full marathons, revealing the challenges and triumphs she encountered along the way. This blog post highlights her story, providing insights into the world of running and the mental fortitude required to push beyond limits.

The Beginning of the Journey:
Norma Lavechia’s running journey began as a personal challenge rather than a health pursuit. Initially drawn to Spartan races, she transitioned to traditional running, eventually signing up for her first 5K. "I thought, oh, this is so hard. Now 5K for me is like my warmup," she reflects. This initial struggle ignited a passion for running that led her to tackle longer distances, from 10Ks to half marathons, each step building her confidence.

Training Challenges:
Norma's first marathon was the New York City Marathon in 2017, where she faced the realities of training. "I barely trained. I think my max was maybe 17 miles," she admits, reflecting on her insufficient preparation. The importance of consistency in training became apparent as she struggled with cramping and fueling during the race. Learning to manage her nutrition was a lesson she carried into future races.

The Mental Game:
Training for a marathon is as much a mental challenge as it is physical. For Norma, consistency was the hardest part. "Knowing that I had to do one long run every week was tough," she explains. She found that having a coach provided the necessary support and reassurance to keep her motivated. "Sometimes you need that reassurance that you're not biasing yourself," she adds, emphasizing the importance of mental strength in running.

Race Day Experience:
On race day, excitement mingled with overwhelming emotions. Norma describes arriving at the Staten Island race village, where the sheer number of participants was daunting. "I was so excited to do this... but also questioning myself," she admits. The journey over the 59th Street Bridge became a moment of reflection, filled with both doubt and determination.

Hitting the Wall:
Every marathon runner faces the infamous "wall," and Norma was no exception. At mile 19, she found herself walking more than she anticipated. "I remember convincing myself that I could run six more miles," she shares. This mental negotiation became a strategy that helped her push through to the finish line.

Crossing the Finish Line:
Crossing the finish line was a transformative moment for Norma. "Emotions, tears, all the videos, the ugly crying... I can't believe I just did that," she recalls. Each marathon brought its own set of challenges, but the sense of accomplishment and the emotional release at the finish line made it all worthwhile.

Conclusion:
Norma Lavechia's journey from a novice runner to a seasoned marathoner is a testament to the power of perseverance and self-belief. Her story serves as an inspiration to anyone considering taking on the challenge of running. The key takeaways from her experience include the importance of consistent training, mental resilience, and the joy found in crossing the finish line. Whether you are a seasoned runner or just starting, Norma’s journey reminds us that with determination, anything is possible.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:04

Hey, what's up? It is your host, Alan Mal Donado, and this is another episode of Mal20 Mindset. I got an incredible runner, a four-star major recipient, Norma Levecchia. Welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_01 0:20

Hey, thank you. Thank you so much. Appreciate your inviting me.

SPEAKER_02 0:23

No, no, no. Thank you. Thank you. I have been watching your running journey for a for a long time. And just seeing you consistently get up and show up for yourself. I would love to know where it all began. Like where where did your running story begin? Like how did it all start? Was it for health, uh, escape, um, just just uh therapy? What what was it?

SPEAKER_01 0:54

At the beginning, it was just for the challenge. I wanted to physically challenge my body. I started with Spartans.

SPEAKER_00 1:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:03

Like, you know, a pure runner. Um I did that for a few years. And then I signed up for my first pure 5K no obstacle courses, just to run. And I'm like, this is so hard. Now 5K for me, it's like, you know, my warm-up, which is so crazy to even think about. But that's that's how I started. And then because that was such a challenge for me, I thought, oh, let me do now a 10K.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:31

And now let me do a half marathon. Okay. You know, now let me. So that's how it started, you know, like all the little steps, little by little. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Yeah, no, that's that's usually how it starts. Um, and I guess you go from 5K, then you got your 10K, then you got your half marathon. What was what was the moment that sparked the idea to run a full marathon, the full 26.2? Like was it, was it the half? Was it just going from step by step? What was that moment?

SPEAKER_01 2:04

Well, once I did the half, my friends would say, Oh, now you're ready for a marathon. And I thought that was the most insane thing I I ever thought of doing.

SPEAKER_00 2:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

Letting my body go through that. But when I actually went to cheer a marathon, and everyone just all the different um ages and shapes and paces, that inspired me. And I thought, you know what? Maybe I can really do this. Maybe I can't really do my first marathon.

SPEAKER_02 2:36

Wow, I talk, I talk about it all the time as far as the fanfare. It's it's like no other uh experience I've ever had, um, being that everyone there is in support, and I could look at someone in the crowd and not know them for more than the two seconds that I'm looking at them, and I believe that they're rooting for me. And it's that type of crowds that show up, and to to hear you being being inspired uh by being a fan at first and supporting runners to then go out and believe in yourself, that is that's beautiful. So um you decide to do this, do this marathon. You've been you've been running, you've been doing 5Ks, 10Ks, like, but training for a marathon is a bit different. Like, what did you learn about yourself during during training?

SPEAKER_01 3:30

Yeah, so my first marathon was 2017, New York City, and I uh I barely trained.

SPEAKER_02 3:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:40

My max was maybe um maybe 17 miles was my max.

SPEAKER_02 3:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

I was strength training and doing all that, but the I didn't really like right now a 17 miles. I can do a 17 miles back then, I it killed me, you know. Like I I was dead. I'm like, oh my god, I can't do more than I bail finished New York. And I did. Um, but it was brutal. Like I cramped like crazy. I didn't know I didn't pay attention to fueling. I knew of it, yeah, but I didn't really do it. You know, like I had like maybe two gels.

SPEAKER_02 4:17

Well, see back back in the day, like I'm not to say it like that. Well, we're we're early. You talk about 2018, like now that it's it's become so popular, there's there's a there's a TikTok video and there's a something explaining fueling, or there's a tip video that are uh that is now accessible that back in the day, it was you just was kind of it was the wild, wild west, man. You just kind of just was like learning as you go. So uh my next question is is what what was the hardest part of training that no one talks about? Um was it just consistency? Was it just being, you know, discipline, um, you know, the fueling? What what was the hardest part of training prior to your first marathon?

SPEAKER_01 5:02

Prior to my first marathon was just the consistency. Yeah, like being consistent, like knowing that I had to do one long run every week. Track? What's track? Where do I even go to? You know, that I that I I I I never did. I didn't do. Um, and then once I I got an app and then that helped me um actually run one of my fastest marathons. Um now I have a coach who who I love because I I I just it's just a different it's just different. I think apps are great, you know, but I think um for me personally, I love that one-on-one. Like I can call her crying. I'm like, oh my god. Or I finish my 20 miler and I'm crying, and I know she'll set me, she'll put my mind back to where it needs to be. You know, she's like, you know, you could do this.

SPEAKER_00 5:58

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 5:59

Just breathe, just and that's what I need. Even though I know I can do it.

SPEAKER_02 6:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

Sometimes you need that just reinsurance that you're not besting yourself.

SPEAKER_02 6:09

No, that's that's completely and it's it's this is a you know, it's a mental game when it comes to these mouths. So uh my next question is I want I want you to take us to to race day of your first marathon. Like, what was what was what were the feelings that were coming through your body and your mind? Just like I'm about to embark on this incredible feat that I have yet to even reach in in training. Because as you mentioned, you you you had you only trained 17 miles before your first marathon. Like, take us to the first on the on race day, what was what were the feelings that were you you were feeling um while waiting, you know, to to finally get to that start line?

SPEAKER_01 6:55

I think first it was very overwhelming because when you get to the village, an island, you know, like it's just so many people. Now it's grown so much more. But I thought, oh my God, I've never been in this race that that this big, you know, and everyone, you just you just sat down on the ground and the person next to you would you had a couple of different kinds of people, right? But some very friendly and some are so focused. You know, already stretching and we don't start for another two hours. You know what I mean? Right, right, right, right, right. But it was more overwhelming and excitement. I was so excited to do this. I remember, um, and I kind of get confused with like my second and my first, but I remember going over the 59th Street Bridge and thinking, oh my god, can I really do this? Can I really like what the heck? Why the fuck am I doing it? Like, what was I thinking? And then crossing the finish line though was like the most the best, best thing ever, the best feeling. And that is why I do them. Just for that finish line feeling.

SPEAKER_00 8:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:03

I hate the training. Yeah. People are like, you must love running. I'm like, no, I really don't. That finish line, that feeling is why I do this. It's one of the whys, you know.

SPEAKER_02 8:14

So let me, let me, before we, before we dive into that that finish line moment, like let's let's talk about the Mal20 moment. That that moment that every runner gets when you're running a marathon, when you hit that wall, especially in your first one, being that you've never you never ran past 17. What was that moment for you as far as like when you were running your first marathon? It was like, oh, I I everything in you, your body, your mind, your spirit begins to confront you uh and tell you to stop. What was that? What was that moment for you and your first marathon?

SPEAKER_01 8:50

I remember walking a lot.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

Which mile was it? Like what which mile did it begin? And like, okay, wait a minute.

SPEAKER_01 8:58

19. No, 19. Yeah. I remember so, yeah. So my first one, I remember walking a lot and then um convincing myself, okay, after 20, it's only six more miles, and you can run six miles.

SPEAKER_00 9:10

Yeah. Right?

SPEAKER_01 9:11

A 10k, like you can do that. You can do that. Let's just get to there. And then I would like run and I would count in my head to like 20, and I would walk, and then I would run again. It's it was whatever it took me to get to that finish line.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:27

I think it was probably one of my longest marathons, but that I will never forget that feeling that was great. It was great.

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Yeah, yeah. So so when you so you say it's one of your longest marathons. So when you finally crossed that finish line on your first marathon, what was that sensation? Like what was like for me, it's it was it's uh running marathons and crossing that finite line becomes becomes sort of this spiritual sort of feeling with every time that I finish. It's this self-assurance that I have. Um, what was it like for you?

SPEAKER_01 10:02

Yeah, so um emotions, tears, you know, all the videos, the ugly crying, you know, like that. I'm so glad there, I I'm sure there was a picture, but I did not buy it. Um but I I remember, and I think I ugly cry like in all the marathons at the end. Like I always get those, it even if um it might be even after I cross it, it's always full full of that emotion of I can't believe I just did that. That was so hard. It's never, I don't whoever says a marathon is easy, I don't know. Like, God bless them. I don't know. Like, I I think it doesn't matter what pace you're in. Yeah, you're always challenging your body. Yes, you are. It's an individual thing, right? And um, and it's just hard. It's hard. Yeah, but I enjoy it. I enjoy that part of it.

SPEAKER_02 10:56

Yeah, like it's every every marathon I've ran is is has its own sort of special moments, special sort of obstacles within it, whether it's mental, whether it's physical. Sometimes I've ran some injured. Um sometimes I've ran things with heavy-hearted, uh, you know, sometimes I've just ran, maybe just not even in the mood. Like, you know what, today, I'm just not even in it today. Um So you've ran, how many, how many marathons have you ran in total? Seven. Seven. Okay. And you and you have four, you got four majors out of those seven. That's that's incredible. So um my next question would be is out of those seven, which one was your favorite, and which one was your was, I guess, your least favorite?

SPEAKER_01 11:43

Well, New York, my second New York was my favorite.

SPEAKER_02 11:46

Okay, and why? And why is that?

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Well, I ran it in memory of my dad.

SPEAKER_02 11:51

Oh.

SPEAKER_01 11:51

Yeah, yeah. And um, and I saw my mom, and I saw my kids and my husband. So that that was in the Bronx. So that was really special. And you know that Bronx uh a cheer squad is just amazing. Yeah, yeah. Right? Brooklyn and the Bronx, I think, are the best.

SPEAKER_00 12:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:10

Um but uh what was my question?

SPEAKER_02 12:16

That was your best one. What was now? What was your least favorite one?

SPEAKER_01 12:20

What's my least favorite favorite? My least favorite. Well, it was probably my injured. When I was injured, I was injured for Berlin. Um, after 10 miles, I literally couldn't run anymore. So I I you know I really pushed as much as I could. Um that was my least favorite, even though I loved Berlin. Berlin was great. You know, like people always ask me, oh my god, I love Berlin. But running was my least favorite because after 10 miles, I was I was done. I was done. So that was all mental.

SPEAKER_02 12:54

And what happened? So you so you said you were injured, but you you but you said so. What happened? Like, was it a was it an ankle, was it a hamstring?

SPEAKER_01 13:00

My hip. It was my hip. So I knew going, I was already injured. I already had my ticket, I had everything. And my my physical therapist was like, Why do you think you should reconsider? No.

SPEAKER_02 13:13

Yeah, of course, of course, of course. I I've had a doc I had a whole ankle be broke, and the doctor be like, No, and I still go out there run.

SPEAKER_01 13:20

Yeah. He's like, Okay, listen, don't run. Only run that day. So I think I didn't run for maybe six weeks. I didn't run at all. And then I ran the marathon. Come on, come on, come on. I got it, you know. That's right. That was that was my least favorite because it was so much more I couldn't run, and you would think physically, you know, but it was more of a mental thing. Like, I'm not stopping, I'm not stopping. And I would and I would pray to my dad. I'm like, Pop, just get me through this, please get me through this. And I did it. I did it. And your mom talk about ugly cry, that was like ugly, ugly, ugly tears. And I was by myself. You know, I had other friends. I always have people that I know that are running the marathons internationally. Um, but there was no one like at the end for me. So I was just crying all by myself, but but it was okay. It was okay.

SPEAKER_02 14:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I did it. Yeah, and that's in, you know, like listen, Berlin was was a rough run for me. Um we in the the corral that I was in, I we started it a little later. So we started almost like in midday. Um, so it was hotter than I expected it. So I got extremely dehydrated. And by Mal, I think 14, yeah, I started to feel sleepy. And I'm like, wait, how do how am I feeling tired while running? Like, this ain't this ain't good. Yeah. So I but I finished it, but man, I tell you, both legs cramped up. I was I was laid out, sprawled out on the on the table with all the water. It was it was crazy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, Berlin was rough, but it was a it was a good time nonetheless. Uh my my my sort of a my last question in regards to your uh to the marathons is um how did the marathon change you as a person?

SPEAKER_01 15:19

Wow, um I know that I am capable of doing anything. If I set my mind to it, I can do it. That's one of the things my coach says, I don't worry about you because if you tell me, you know, this is what I do. So I do my 20 and then I cry and I'm like, oh my god, I can't do it. It hurts so much. And she's like, okay, then what mile are you want? I'm like, no, I finished it. And she's like, if I say I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do it. You know, I'm not full of excuses, and I hate when others say it. It just makes me like, you know, I it just if you want to do something, you're gonna do it. If you don't, then you're gonna f just say all these excuses and convince yourself not to do it.

SPEAKER_00 16:06

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 16:07

But for me, I don't do that.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

You know, and and and um and I didn't realize I could be that person until I started running marathons.

SPEAKER_02 16:17

Wow. Yeah. Wow, wow, yeah. No, I'm I'm the same way, man. I don't like when anybody speaks any any um ill will of themselves, uh speech they speak negative of their pursuit. I I'm I'm a I'm a big big believer in your words are powerful um and never talk bad about yourself or um anything that you're you're in in reach of. So what advice would you give to someone that is thinking about running their first marathon? What would be your best advice?

SPEAKER_01 16:56

First thing I'd say is that you can do it. You can do it. Now, do you have to train? You have to do research, what's best for you with fueling, with and it's it's time consuming. If you want anything, it's time consuming. Um and you have to be willing to give that time to your training. If not, then it's just gonna be harder. But anyone can run a marathon.

SPEAKER_00 17:22

Come on.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

And I've seen it, right? I've seen blind people run, I've seen people uh handicapped, and and they're and and they do great.

SPEAKER_02 17:31

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. No, it's it's so inspiring seeing just the um the multitude of athletes that are are participating in these these marathons from people in in wheelchairs, people running with no shoes, um, you know, guys running with barrels, some, you know, some people wearing pineapples. And uh it's it's just I I love to see and hear about people's why, which is you know why um I started this podcast. It's just, you know, I've been in this entertainment business for over 20 years, and I've met more interesting people while running marathons than um than in the business of entertainment. And I and I'm very uh I'm very happy that I found myself in the in the running community um just because there's so many good human beings that exist uh within the community that um it's it's just a beautiful, beautiful place to be in. And while running marathons, it's it's sort of uh the longest that a a person can have that sort of self, that conversation with yourself and prove to yourself that you can do hard things. And so with that being said, let's get to our our last segment of of the pie, which is our knees out speed question. That's you know, that's my running crew, the knees out coalition. Um, and these are sort of short answers, um, one word if possible. Um and knees out means yes, and knees in means no. All right. So knees out. Okay. Here's the first question. Did you ever think about quitting while training but still showed up for yourself?

SPEAKER_01 19:22

Knees in.

SPEAKER_02 19:26

All right, all right, all right, all right. Now, do you believe that everyone has at least one marathon in them?

SPEAKER_01 19:33

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 19:34

Yes. All right, all right, all right, all right, all right, all right. Now, is the marathon Well you just have to believe in themselves. That's right. That's right. I agree. Yeah, I agree. Now, do you believe the marathon is more mental or physical?

SPEAKER_01 19:50

Mental.

SPEAKER_02 19:51

All right, all right.

SPEAKER_01 19:52

I was supposed to say these out.

SPEAKER_02 19:55

It's all it's all it's all good. It's all good. All right, all right, so and uh uh you've ran several marathons, so I'm gonna ask this, I'm gonna bump it up a little bit. Um would you ever run an ultra marathon?

SPEAKER_01 20:11

I have. Oh, oh, I did not know that. Yeah, so um I did well, I did the uh Spartan Ultra. Wow, wow in New Jersey, yeah. Okay, okay. That was the only race that I could say I was hurting for a whole week. I was just hurting, just hurting.

SPEAKER_02 20:34

Just recovering, recovering in pain.

SPEAKER_01 20:37

Yes, yeah. And but what got me through that one was because I was told by two uh we'll call them gentlemen that I would not be able to finish because they did not finish.

SPEAKER_02 20:52

Oh, and I know you had to prove them wrong. I know you didn't.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

That, oh, you don't even like I was pushing, pushing, pushing, pushing.

SPEAKER_02 21:01

I love it. I love it. All right. All right, I love it.

SPEAKER_01 21:03

So I'm grateful to them because I think they they helped me get through that.

SPEAKER_02 21:08

Yeah, that's right. That's right. That every I listen, I I definitely will look for any inspiration I can to pull and fuel and to to fight through that sort of uh mental battle when it comes when things get a little tough. So yeah, no, I I I'm sure you was in, you was enraged going after that finish.

SPEAKER_01 21:29

Yes. I was even stressing, I've never cried before a race, but I was so stressed that they might actually be right that I was crying the night before.

SPEAKER_02 21:40

Get out of here.

SPEAKER_01 21:41

And and I was like, okay. You know, that's when you have to really get your mind straight and focus and say, Norma, you got this. You believe in yourself. Just do it. Come on, you can do this, you can do this. And I remember just the I remember like halfway, it was so hard. Because you know you go up a mountain and you do all the obstacles, you go down, you can't do them, you do your 30 burpees. I don't know if it's still like that because I haven't done them in years. But um the second round, I was like, okay, Norma, you gotta prove them wrong, you gotta prove them wrong, just keep going, just keep going. But yeah, but that was like a really stressful one for me because of them. Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 22:21

Because they was in the back of your head, like, oh, you can't, I know, I already know. So, so lastly, the last question is um, do you believe running can change someone beyond the mouths?

SPEAKER_01 22:33

Yes, oh yes.

SPEAKER_02 22:36

And and why why do you believe that?

SPEAKER_01 22:38

And I and you know, and I think that it doesn't have to be a full marathon, you know, for someone, a 5k can be their marathon. Do you know what I mean? Like maybe they've never run before or they can barely run up down the street, or you know, and um, but I think that it can change them because then they're able they it inspire they inspire themselves and they're able to say, you know what, I can do this.

SPEAKER_00 23:04

Right.

SPEAKER_01 23:05

And if I can do this, I can um break up with this guy who or woman who who's messing with my head, or or I can go for this um uh uh promotion, or I can quit my job and start my own business. No, I I I do I do believe that. And their why, right? Like that could be their why.

SPEAKER_02 23:28

Correct. No, correct, correct. I think that it it it is healing on so many levels that um it it allows you to find strength in your personal life, in your in your business, in your career, in your education. Um just that reassurance of yourself, that self-confidence that, you know, marathons are uh individual sport. Although it's uh it is a community of runners, no one can run those mouth for you. No one can take any credit of those 26.2. And I think that is what people need, man. Like people need that sort of self-confidence um in everything that they do. And I and I believe marathons give people that physical representation of their manifestation, you know, of like I this is a hard thing, and I proved it to myself that I can do it. So yeah, no, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, Norman, for sharing your incredible story. Uh listen, I've I I started this podcast because I've every event, every party I will go to, I would just find myself in the corner with the lone other runner in the room and then forget that I'm even there. So um appreciate your time in the conversation. Listen, everyone, please follow and subscribe. This is another episode of Mal20 Mindset. Peace, y'all.