Mile 20 Mindset Podcast Episode 032 - Featuring Adriana Ducharme

From Quitting to Conquering: Adriana Ducharme’s Inspiring Journey to a Sub-Three Marathon

Introduction:  
In the world of running, challenges and triumphs often go hand in hand, and few stories exemplify this better than that of Adriana Ducharme. From her early days of walking during cross-country practices to achieving a remarkable sub-three-hour marathon, Adriana's journey is a testament to resilience, passion, and the transformative power of running.

Main Content:

1. **Early Beginnings in Running**  
Adriana's relationship with running began in high school, where she initially struggled to find her footing. "I quit after the first two weeks of cross country," she shared, reflecting on her early experiences. Despite her challenges, she continued to attend practices, showing a commitment that would eventually pay off.

2. **Overcoming Adversity**  
Throughout high school, Adriana faced significant personal challenges, including depression and an eating disorder. "Running saved me," she stated, emphasizing how the sport became her sanctuary. It was during this tough period that she learned the importance of fueling her body properly. With the support of a morally conscious coach, Adriana began to understand that performance was not just about weight but about strength and endurance.

3. **Transition to College Running**  
After a tumultuous experience in college athletics, where she faced toxicity and pressure, Adriana found herself at a crossroads. "I thought I was done with running," she admitted. However, transferring to Georgia Southern University introduced her to a more balanced approach to competitive running through club sports, reigniting her passion for the sport. The supportive environment allowed her to flourish without the intense pressure she previously experienced.

4. **The Leap to Marathons**  
Adriana’s transition from 5Ks and 10Ks to her first marathon was a bold move. "I was naive but knowledgeable at the same time," she said. With a strong foundation from her previous experiences and a determination to prove herself, she trained diligently for her first marathon, demonstrating that her love for running had transformed into a serious commitment.

5. **Lessons Learned**  
During her marathon training, Adriana not only discovered her physical limits but also deepened her love for running. "I realized I really do love running to be running 15 miles before class," she shared. However, she also faced the challenges of under-fueling and the mental battles that come with increasing mileage. This duality of learning about her strengths and weaknesses shaped her as a runner and as a person.

Conclusion:  
Adriana Ducharme's journey from a reluctant high school runner to an accomplished marathoner is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. Her story highlights the significance of supportive coaching, the importance of mental health in athletics, and the joy of discovering one's passion. Key takeaways from her experience include the value of nurturing a positive mindset, fueling the body correctly, and finding a supportive community in sports.

Tags: running, marathon training, mental health, resilience, inspirational stories, female athletes, running community, sports coaching.

Transcript

SPEAKER_07 0:04

Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your boy, Alan Maldonado, your host for Mal20 Mindset. This is the running podcast for elite runners, novice runners, and those that love supporting the runners in your lives. I got an incredible guest, an incredible runner. I think this is our first female runner to come in here with a sub three marathon. Please give it up for Adriana. Desharm.

SPEAKER_06 0:31

What's up, girl? How are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 0:32

I'm good. How are you? Thanks so much for having me. I'm so excited to talk all things running. I could do that all day.

SPEAKER_07 0:39

Listen, listen. I'm I'm I'm excited to have you here. Like I mentioned, you're our first female guest to have a sub three, but we will we will get into that eventually. Let's let's talk about the first time. Let's talk about where it all began. Like, where did your running story truly begin? Where did running begin for you?

SPEAKER_01 0:57

I would say I've been running all my life. You know, I played every sport under the sun. I'm the classic soccer to runner um in high school. But let me tell you, when I went out freshman year to go run cross country to stay in shape, I was walking in the woods. I did not like it. I quit after the first two weeks.

SPEAKER_07 1:20

Really? That's crazy. So so you quit after the first two weeks of cross country, but here you are now with a sub three. That's that's that's insane.

SPEAKER_01 1:30

So if you would have told her, she wouldn't even know what a marathon was.

SPEAKER_07 1:33

That's what I'm saying. Like, what? So you quit and you quit on the cross country team, and like when did when did running, I guess, become not become a chore, was a chore? Like, when did it become fun, or when did you finally decide, like, hey, I like this thing?

SPEAKER_01 1:50

So I guess I actually um went through kind of a tough time in high school around so that was like freshman year, sophomore year. I kind of did it for fun. I still was walking at practices, but junior year I went through kind of a I was still walking, but I was committed to walk in all season long.

SPEAKER_05 2:10

Right, right, right, right, right, right. You was there, you still were there though. You didn't quit. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's a good thing. That's a step back.

SPEAKER_01 2:16

I um I getting faster wasn't a concept. Like, I think I ran like the exact same time every single 5k and like just did not care at all.

SPEAKER_07 2:26

That's funny. I'm good right here. I'm good right here.

SPEAKER_01 2:29

Okay, I'm just doing it. Okay.

SPEAKER_05 2:31

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Getting through it. I gotcha. I gotcha. I gotcha.

SPEAKER_01 2:35

So when um around the time that I started going through like a rough time in high school, you know, just a bunch of things went on and some family things, and um kind of I went through a um depression and a um very severe uh eating disorder. And a lot of people when they or a lot of runners when they experience it, the running kind of enhances it or is the cause because they're trying, you know, lighter equals faster bull crap. Um but um really running saved me. Running, I feel um I'm a believer, so I feel running was sent to me by God to save me out of that time. I just decided, you know, at first it was in my mixed head, okay, if I go ahead and run more out of practice, I'll be smaller, you know, that's what I wanted. But then it kind of backfired on me. I was getting faster, and then I was like, okay, how fast could I be if I actually fueled myself?

SPEAKER_04 3:42

Right.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

Like, think about if I had fuel. And I had an amazing coach, and he actually is one of the more um, I would say morally right coaches these days. And he was like, if you don't start fueling yourself, I'm not putting you in races.

SPEAKER_02 3:56

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Um, even though I was fast, getting badass.

SPEAKER_02 3:59

Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 4:00

Um, and so I respect him so much, especially after going through college athletics and having opposite viewpoints from coaches. Right. But um, yeah, so that's that's interesting.

SPEAKER_07 4:11

That's not to interrupt you, that's interesting. No, no, no, please do. I think you're I think you're the um I think you're the second person to mention as far as having to battle this uh eating disorder. But I I didn't know it was so parallel to to running, and I guess running at that that at that level. Now you're saying like coaches are sort of urging runners to that's crazy. That's it's it's it's wow. Okay, so please please continue.

SPEAKER_01 4:38

So yeah, yeah. I guess like if you um like getting into marathoning, it's like all about the fuel. So if you get into running during this time when marath when it like marathons kind of like the craze right now, you know? Yeah, I um but a lot of like young runners and um I'm the males runners something they think the same way, like um, but I they don't obviously it's not it's more taboo um in the male population, but it it happens. Um it's just the idea that lighter equals faster, the lighter you are, the faster you can move. Um but um I'm so thankful for that coach because then going through when I was going through all that, um, I was able to, you know, run. And then I was like, okay, if I fuel myself, like I could do something. And this coach um actually showed me my first letter. It was like to a small school somewhere. I got into running um flight and actually trying at running flight. Um and but that just showed me. I was like, I never thought I could do a sport in college, let alone running, like what?

SPEAKER_04 5:46

Right.

SPEAKER_01 5:47

So um that really like helped pull me out of it during that time.

SPEAKER_07 5:52

Well, what were some of the distances in college uh that you were running then?

SPEAKER_01 5:56

So in college, if you go to college for distance, you're pretty much running cross country in the fall, indoor track in the winter, and outdoor track in the spring. Um, people who do short distance only have the indoor outdoor track. So we're like running all the time. Um, and so in college, I did they have longer distances on the track. So I did do the 5K on the track.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 6:20

And then um I once did the um 6k. So yeah, or not 6k, 10k, sorry. Um, so you can imagine 12 and a half laps around track. Right, right. Kind of crazy, but yeah.

SPEAKER_07 6:39

So, okay, so you got you got you got the collegiate uh level 5k and 10k um and happy enough or lucky enough and are the blessing of having a good coach. Um sort of in high school, not in college. Well, not well, not in college. Well, getting I can't credit him. Right, right, exactly. So being having a good coach and running into one that wasn't so good, how did you get to a marathon? Because 5K, 10k, there's a there's the that marathon is a big jump. Like, how did you get to that decision?

SPEAKER_01 7:16

So um when the college running um portion ended, and actually I we I ended up quitting. It was a big um meeting with the coaches, like they kind of caught me off guard and like started it it that's a whole nother story about the toxicity and college running.

SPEAKER_02 7:35

Right.

SPEAKER_01 7:36

Don't get me on that tangent. But anyways, I was I was done dirty.

SPEAKER_02 7:41

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 7:42

Um, at first I thought I was it was in my head, but my teammates were like, no, like this is happening, this is not right. Um, but anyway, so I just was like, you know, actually, no, I'm not gonna say that. No, I was upset, I was crying. I know you were.

SPEAKER_04 8:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:01

I was like, I don't know what just happened, but I don't think I'm running anymore. And um, so because of that, I ended up um transferring to I went, I ran at Georgia Southern University. It's a D1, but it's in the Sunbelt Conference in Georgia. And so I transferred, my plan was always to maybe transfer to UGA. And um, so when that happened, I decided to transfer there. Well, I was all like running, like they killed my passion for it, the coaches at the time.

SPEAKER_02 8:34

Right, right, right, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

And so, um, and I thought I was done. So I transferred to UGA, and they have really competitive club sports there. So, like not for the school, but for clubs, and they actually like treat them like um teams and stuff. So like you actually have to like make these. And so I was like, okay, that gives me enough competitive, but not like what I was doing before.

SPEAKER_02 8:58

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 8:59

Yeah. So I was like, okay, I might dabble back in because I told you I did soccer. I was like, maybe I should do club soccer. That sounds fun. I still got my cleats. Then I heard it was really competitive. Like, I was like, I was like, I haven't touched a soccer ball since high school. I think I'm thinking I'm a little too tough for that. Uh yeah. So then I was like, okay, they have a club track in cross country. And one thing I loved about cross country in high school and why I went away from soccer was soccer was so competitive with the girls, like trying to be in that starting position. Running doesn't lie. Running your time is your time. You can't say you're better than somebody else.

SPEAKER_06 9:40

Yep, yep.

SPEAKER_01 9:41

And it's a it's a different respect. Like, it's so hard mentally, and you're if you're doing it for yourself, and you say they say it's an individual sport, but like those girls, like there was a girl who won state in the 400, 400 hurdles, and then she could still run across country uh 19, 18 minute 5k. So like sh she was like amazing, and she I would run my my 21 minutes or my 20 minutes, and she's like, You did so good, oh my goodness, like go girl. And so, like, I was like, She's so fast, but she's like saying, like, I'm amazing for doing this. So that was the kind of energy I needed again. And so the club team at UGA started to they started to have it, all those people, they were all runners who took it really seriously in high school and did really well, but didn't go to the next level. Um, so I ran the I did like runs here and there, did the workups that they were doing, and I ran really close at the first like meet we got to do to my uh college PR. And I was like, and I'm not even doing what I was doing before. Right. I just have a better mindset, right? And um, so I was like, okay, um doing I did that for like a year, and then I was like, what about the marathon? What's this marathon thing?

SPEAKER_07 11:04

Okay, so I'm like, so you didn't do a half or anything like that. You went from five 10K, then straight, straight marathon or decision to make a marathon.

SPEAKER_01 11:13

Yeah, well that, yeah, and that was the plan, and then somehow my marathon, the marathon I signed up for got canceled, but then my college was offering one two months later, and there was a half at the time I was supposed to do the full marathon in the beginning. So I was like, so then I ended up doing a half before, but I was like at first I was like, I don't need to do a half. We run 10 miles casually every Sunday for practice in college. Like, I don't like what is three more, like I can do it. Right. Um and so I listened to a bunch of podcasts and um YouTube and all that and trained for my first marathon um on my own. I knew the importance of mileage. Um, and really I was like, I was naive but knowledgeable at the same time. I think I entered that marathon with the best, the best like mind and the best training I could have.

SPEAKER_07 12:06

Yeah, let's talk about the training as far as what did you what did you learn about yourself during training? Now you you ran collegiately, um, and there they were 5K's and 10 K's and preparing for a meth marathon is something totally different. So what did what did you learn about yourself uh through training?

SPEAKER_01 12:26

So I realized I really do love running to be running 15 miles before a class on a Friday or before game day. Right. Um but um yeah, no, I I that training block I truly fell back in love with running and just pushing to be a better version of myself and reached goals that I never thought like I'd never ran over 10 miles until that training. Just because like that was never in my it wasn't told to, so I wasn't gonna um and I just kind of learned a lot about myself and also some negative ways, like some of that underfueling, um lighter, faster stuff that didn't affect me before started to kind of go in my head because when you start training for a marathon and you're stacking on those miles, and especially if you're someone who already like kind of like eats pretty pretty healthy, like you're kind of health conscious, you know, you kind of fall and you've had a history in that, you kind of fall into that, and then of course you're gonna lose weight, and then it's it's a whole um mind game, kind of yeah, yeah. So um there were a lot of things that I could have done better that marathon, but I think I'm so proud of myself for what I did do and how I did do it, and just the mileage and um just stacking the bricks best I could and what was I just I really enjoyed it.

SPEAKER_07 13:57

And what was the hardest, what was the hardest part of of training for your first marathon? Like what was the hardest part? Was it managing your schedule? Was it uh dealing with just the the injuries or what was what was the hardest part of your training?

SPEAKER_01 14:12

Um the first one, I hate to make it sound like a honeymoon, but I think it was I was coming back to running, you know, it was my coming back to running marathon.

SPEAKER_02 14:21

Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 14:21

But um, and just being a college athlete, I had gotten really good about managing um schedule and time. And I also thrive being I'm a typical type A runner, but I it's weird because I have O C D is not a thing to me. I mean, you should see my room right now, that's why we're not in there. It's just like I'm type A, but I'm also I'm like type negative A or something like that.

SPEAKER_04 14:48

Right, right, right, right, right, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 14:51

But so I thrive when I'm being busy and uh having that structure that I used to have in college sports and just having a goal to strive for outside of school. Um, I was in school to be a teacher, and now I am a teacher. Um, just something outside of that for me. Like I just really enjoyed it. Um, I was blessed with no injuries up to that point, that whole marathon block. Um, which I did have a stress fracture in um college. Um, so I was I didn't have any flare-ups. Um I got sick a couple times, but took the days off that I needed, got my wiz and teeth removed, I think like a month before the marathon. Um I just I just took that one day off, and then it's not as big of a deal as everybody said. I did have a square face though, but but I could use my legs.

SPEAKER_07 15:42

Right, right, right, right, right, right. So let's let's take me take me to race day. Like take me to the first day of uh your first marathon, and there's people listening right now that have have yet to experience this, so please kind of enlighten them on your experience uh picking up your bib and etc. This is your first time participating in this marathon. Which marathon was it and how did you feel?

SPEAKER_01 16:10

So it was um the very first time they put it on, and like I said, it I was originally doing another one in Columbus, Georgia, which was a blessing disguise because I heard rumors that that one was pretty janky, pretty uh not the best put on.

SPEAKER_05 16:25

I've ran a couple of janky bases, yeah, yeah, yeah. I know the feeling.

SPEAKER_01 16:29

I got the I got the marathon bug and I went up and looked up ones near me and was like that one, and then signed up and then yeah. So it got canceled, and then found out about my college right in my college town where I'm living, is putting on one for the first time, and it's like almost all of it was on areas I ran. Um, so it was the classic city marathon in Athens, Georgia. And um for it being the first one, they did really, really well. I think they even got Lululemon to sponsor. Um yeah, it was it they've done it every year since uh, I mean, it's only been like two years. They um and I've like I would do go back and do it. They just did it um the past weekend um down there. So I was like, oh man, I kind of want to go back and do that one because I mean it wasn't super flat either. It had hills like but enough to like change it up, not enough to where you're like, this is going to ruin me.

SPEAKER_07 17:36

I I've ran the Atlanta uh Publix Half and it's nothing but hills. Yeah, it is nothing but hills. So so yeah, that to find a flat place in Georgia is is a is a good thing, um, to say the least. So you get you get to race day, you got your you got your bib. Um it's the morning of uh is there any nervousness? Any what was the feeling of you like the be the the beginning of the race as you're in your corral? Like what were some of the thoughts that were running through your head?

SPEAKER_01 18:11

Um, I think I was just like like just kind of like a surreal full circle moment, and I'm like, I think I'm just thinking about putting my past me, and I was like, she would not even know what to be thinking right now. Like you're doing a marathon, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 18:28

How many months? You just was walking, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

Yes. Um, and so I think I was just really I was really excited. My parents came, um, my fiance at the time, who's my boyfriend, came. Um, a bunch of my college friends were there, a bunch of the uh people from the club at the run club at UGA that I had ran with were working in it. So they were like, let's go while I was running. Um and it was really, really cold. I remember it was so cold, but I had the throwaway. I I listened to all the all the podcasts on what to do.

SPEAKER_02 19:09

Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 19:10

So I was prepared. So I think I just was really excited, and that's what I would want. Very naive and excited. Um, I didn't know what to expect, and I wasn't going, put it this way, I thought I went into training like sub four would be good, right? I had no concept, it was it was like the high school me going in and running the same 5k every single time. I had no concept, I didn't care.

SPEAKER_04 19:37

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 19:38

And um, yes, and so as my training progressed, I was like, okay, maybe Boston qualifying, maybe sub 330. Um, so I was just really excited. I didn't know how to feel or what to expect. Um, I was just excited to do something new and to love it again and to love racing again and not have I would get so much anxiety in college because of all the pressure of the coaches and everything. And so to just not have that and just to run and like no matter how I did, it didn't matter was like freeing.

SPEAKER_07 20:10

That's beautiful. No, I I I listen, I I the first time I tried to PR was my last marathon. And before then, I I would always run with people on their first times. Like I would love to pace with it.

SPEAKER_00 20:23

That's so amazing.

SPEAKER_07 20:24

Yeah, and then I leave them at mile 20, though. I leave them at mile 20 because the last six miles, I think that's a personal journey that you have to endure on your own. Um that was sort of my deal. And then uh, but the last one I I I went for my PR and uh I got a I got a 330. I got a 330.

SPEAKER_00 20:43

Congratulations, that's so awesome!

SPEAKER_07 20:45

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So you you found the love for this for running again. You start this marathon. Let's let's get right to the nitty-gritty as far as the Mal20 mindset. Um, did you did you meet a wall and what what Mal did it meet you on?

SPEAKER_01 21:04

Um so I didn't meet a wall, but I met a um duty calls situation.

SPEAKER_05 21:13

Yes, okay, talk about it.

SPEAKER_01 21:16

And that was mile 23. Oh and yeah, and so I was running and they had bathrooms set up, and again, like I didn't have any pressure on myself. So I was like, okay, like let's see. There were lines of people who were racing or running or spectating in lines for the bathroom. And I'm like, I'm like, I can't, I'm like mile 23, and I I felt so good because um uh I trained so well. I don't it was just a amazing, amazing appeal. But yeah, but I had to go, and I guess when like I was in the midst of it, my um boyfriend had called me and he was like he was like, hey, he was like, hey, like your your location. I was like, yeah, I just really, really gotta go. And he's like, I was like, like, like bad, like number two, like and I'm like, I have to like, I'm like running, but like doing the two set running, two set. Like, I'm like, I can't stop. I don't know how I made it.

SPEAKER_04 22:27

You made it!

SPEAKER_01 22:28

You made it all! I made it and I kept sprinting. The the lady like like there was like going to give me a hug, like, congrats. They put like these little the theme was like Athens, so they had like little crowns, they were putting a crown. I was like, I need the we supported party. She's like, damn there, she knew exactly what, and so I sprinted and uh I made it. I mean I have no idea because there have been training runs in this last lock where I did not make it.

SPEAKER_07 22:57

So I that was they made up that's that is hilarious because that my next question was how did you feel when you crossed the line? But if it seems as if you went straight to the bathroom, went straight to the bathroom as soon as you crossed.

SPEAKER_03 23:11

It was just out of it.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

Pretty good, pretty good.

SPEAKER_07 23:16

So, which is which is wild because when I went for my PR, my last marathon, I was I was doing great. I was at sevens all the way up until mile 23.

SPEAKER_00 23:27

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_07 23:27

And then it got spooky. Then it got spooky, and I almost took a shit on myself. It's so scary. And I had three inch shorts on, and I was like, you know what? I'm not, I don't think I'm going out like that. So I I had to slow down. Uh and that's in part why I didn't get myself three.

SPEAKER_05 23:45

So I totally understand um what you were going. I'm surprised that you made it.

SPEAKER_07 23:51

Uh I'm surprised because I I definitely made it as well, but I slowed all the way down. I had to, mm-mm. It was, I didn't want it that bad. I did not want it that bad.

SPEAKER_01 24:00

Um, I don't, I don't really like it was a few years ago. I I blacked out a little. I'm like, I'm like, I don't need to know. But um all I know is I made it.

SPEAKER_07 24:12

So once you finally, finally got relieved yourself at the bathroom, how did you feel finally crossing the line?

SPEAKER_01 24:18

How did how did you I I just had like my everybody told me they're like the whole time you were smiling. Like we couldn't believe that you were running a marathon. You were smiling the whole time. And like when I finished, I was smiling. I didn't cry. I did cry this last sub three, but I didn't cry that time, but I was very, very happy. So like I just was like, I found it again, you know.

SPEAKER_07 24:41

That was beautiful, man. Yeah, no, I that's I'm I'm excited to hear sort of you finding that love for running again is you know, everybody's why and everybody's journey is a is a lot different. And and I can and it's different sort of mediums as uh in the acting as an artist where I've had maybe coaches, even just professional directors, etc. That will be so negative, it could take the joy out of it sometimes. And you know discovering that I can totally get that and understand and really really appreciate you know you sharing that story because that's that's that's a beautiful thing to find the love for running once again, and not only to love it, let's get into the sub three. Like let's let's talk about because I've got a lot of things.

SPEAKER_02 25:31

Let's talk about how was that?

SPEAKER_07 25:34

How was that? Like, what was what was the process? You got that one down. You know, you almost had a a bathroom situation that detoured you, but you still persevered. What and how and what type of mindset did you have to say, you know what, I'm going for the sub three, and what did you do in order to get it?

SPEAKER_01 25:57

So um I finished in three hours and 14 minutes. So well under like what I had I said sub four 3 30, you know. So I was like, and I felt real like I knew like that's I knew from racing five, well, that's a different kind of pain, but um I knew I was like, I was like, I should hurt a little bit more if I'm re if I'm really racing it. Right. Um, and so I was like, I was just really excited. I was like, I want to train. Um, but um I did, I I was really proud of it. I didn't like jump back in. Um I that was probably like such a big turning point in my running journey. I didn't jump back in. I um I actually uh raced a 5k shortly after that. A month this kind of started a a trend also after my marathons. A month after that marathon. Okay. Or no, it was a couple months. I started to focus on the 5k because I'm like, my 5K time has to have gone down. And I had never I'm like, it should have to. So I was like, I had never broken 20 in the 5K in college. I kept running like 2001, 2002.

SPEAKER_04 27:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 27:12

And so I'm like, okay. So I signed up for a there was a college when I was home for spring break, there was a college near um, it's near Atlanta, West Georgia. I don't know if you've heard of it. It's like um an hour outside of Atlanta. It's like a D2 college, but you can sign up for college track meets unattached. Okay. And so I was like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna do that for this one. And um I signed up and that like sure enough, the call of- Wait, wait, wait.

SPEAKER_07 27:44

So it's like it's a it's a um so you could just be randomly off the street sign up for a track.

SPEAKER_01 27:50

Yeah, you have to make like an account through it's called Direct Athletics. I don't know if there's an age limit or not. I haven't discovered it yet.

SPEAKER_05 27:58

Hilarious. Everybody try to find eligibility. I see it. I see it. I see it now.

SPEAKER_01 28:05

Yeah, I did get a COVID here, so but I never used it.

SPEAKER_05 28:09

Got you, got you, got you.

SPEAKER_01 28:10

Um but yeah, yeah, so you can do that, and it's like the total like back in college race environment. And my mind, that marathon, healed my mind of how to race. Like, I would just in those 5Ks, I would just start being negative. Like, you can't, like, I can't do this, like this hurts so bad, you know? And during that race, I was like, I know I run better conservatively, I need to do my race and not worry about these girls. Yeah, so they kind of took off, and I was like, I'm going to pace for like a 1945, and I'm going to hit the right pace for the first mile.

SPEAKER_04 28:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:47

And so I did um the first mile, and I was like, I feel good. Like this feels good. So I just kind of I don't know if I hit the same pace or faster the second, and then the last one I caught up to the first girl and lapped her and came in and I ran a 1926.

SPEAKER_04 29:05

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 29:06

And I was like, boom.

SPEAKER_04 29:08

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm back.

SPEAKER_07 29:11

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And better. And it's it's fascinating just to see how much the mental really plays a part. Um, where you you sounds as if you were in the same sort of physical shape you were back then, but just the mentality of being positive uh puts you in a in a better space and time. So, yeah, no, that's fascinating. So you got so you get to you get this 5k, you speed through it, you you find that your pacing and your training for the marathon has gotten you better for that. Um what else did you do in regards to going from a 330 to what is your sub sub three time?

SPEAKER_01 29:50

I don't know. Well, I I was 315, and then um, but my sub three was two fifty-four.

SPEAKER_07 29:57

254. Okay, okay. So yeah so yeah, 315 to 254. Yeah. So how did you go from yeah, that's still a jump. That's still that's 20 minutes.

SPEAKER_01 30:07

Yeah, well, I'll and I'll tell you something that's going to throw some people off. Okay. Um so obviously I qualified for Boston with the 315. Yeah. So I'm like, okay, I want to train for so I I was gonna do Boston and I did apply and sign up for Boston, and um that marathon was the first marathon was in January. So I found the um every woman's marathon.

SPEAKER_04 30:36

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01 30:37

First time they put it on was in Savannah last year last year, like the twenty twenty twenty. Um and so I was like, okay, that's in Savannah. Flat ish more than the rest, you know.

SPEAKER_02 30:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:53

So I was like, okay, that's in November. That's gonna be my sub three. So I had already like applied for Boston in that following April, but that November before I was like, I wanna I wanna go sub three. Like I didn't do any I didn't do any workouts. Um I got up, I got my mileage up, but I didn't do like any like pace work, you know.

SPEAKER_04 31:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:18

Like I think one of my workouts, I had a student teach. So I'd wake up, I had to be there at like 7 15. I wake up at five and go to the gym on on two of those days, and I'm like, okay, I'm gonna casually run two miles, then I'm gonna sprint one, like just all out mile. Yeah, and then I'm gonna casually run two more, and then I'm gonna call it a day, and then sometimes I'd jog like one or two after um student teaching or like whatever. Like it was those were my workouts were just random mile ranges. Okay, okay, okay, okay. Um, so it was mainly just mileage, and I did get my my long run up to twenty two miles. Like I did that part. I did all the the main things that you should focus on during your first marathon.

SPEAKER_02 32:01

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 32:01

So I was like I was like, okay, so I got a coach for the first attempt of sub three, my second marathon. Okay. And um lots changed. Um, more workouts, uh, pace work. Um, I was more diligent, not e not e and I can see the progression each block. And so it makes sense that I've progressed. Um strength training, but not like not all the way, all the way there, but way, way better than before. I was still doing a little bit before, but um like I could see the difference it was making. Um what was I talking about?

SPEAKER_07 32:42

You no, you talk about as far as uh the strip training and the big things you're doing to get to to get from uh 315 to uh 254.

SPEAKER_01 32:51

And so um, and last year I lived um in a different apartment. I live on um an island and you have to drive over the bridge to get to the island. And last year I lived on the other side. So it was like a farther commute to work. So I would wake up and I did a lot of my runs and workouts on the treadmill. Oh, okay. That's what I did this long. So more of them were on the treadmill. My long runs were on outside, and it was like a good mix of treadmill and non-treadmill. And I think this time around I did way less treadmill, and I do think that along with a bunch of other things, was just a little bit of the fact, all the little things, you know, add up, especially with the marathon. So I went and that's where my fueling was definitely better than the first marathon, but like my pre-run intra fuel, intra-fueling was just not not it bad, bad. I'd give my students a zero. Uh-huh. If I was if I was great in that the nutrition.

SPEAKER_07 34:02

Right, right, right. Okay, so you so you and this is the this is the this is for the sub three you said you didn't fuel right. Or is this the one?

SPEAKER_01 34:09

The first sub three.

SPEAKER_07 34:10

Okay, the first sub that's it. Okay, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha, got you.

SPEAKER_01 34:13

Um, I raced that marathon. Um I fell at mile 18, but I'm not even gonna say that that slowed me down. Like I had a it was it was pretty big. I still have a scar, but I'm not gonna say that slowed me down. Um, because like honestly, I think it gave me a little adrenaline.

SPEAKER_05 34:31

Like it's like a goo inside you. Right, right, right. It woke you up for sure.

SPEAKER_01 34:36

Oh, because I took it over nothing, of course.

SPEAKER_05 34:38

Oh wow, oh, that sucks. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:41

I was literally over nothing. I think I was trying to throw my goo into the trash can, trying to be a good Samaritan and put it in the trash can. Unless I'm trying to run sub three.

SPEAKER_05 34:51

And just bite it. Oh my god. Yeah, that sucks. That's it.

SPEAKER_01 34:56

Like, oh, I hope no one's all that. Uh but I mean, of course, I'm running the rest of the race with blood down my legs, so it's like, oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 35:03

Right, right, right, right, right, right, exactly. Like, what happened to her?

SPEAKER_04 35:08

She's fighting for a life.

SPEAKER_05 35:13

So, okay, so so you you definitely fueled better for for the one for the sub three. Okay, okay, great.

SPEAKER_01 35:20

So I fueled better, just not quite there for this one, and I ended up running a 302, which you would think you'd be like, oh, that's so close. But I had seen how much I'd already improved, and I was so proud of myself for that. And also, like when I was finishing, I was gassed. I was like, no, that was all there was to give. That was that was it. There was some some things just didn't click that day. And it was, I honestly think most of it, yeah, a little bit of the training here and there, of course. Um, but the the fueling, I think, was like the biggest, the biggest factor.

SPEAKER_07 35:55

That was the biggest difference from that 302 um to the 254. Okay, that's the so take take me to take me to this, take me to the sub sub three race. Let's talk about how what was what was what was that like leading up for the training, and then like I I'm pretty sure you learned from your mistakes from these first two. And then what on the day, or how did you feel on the day that you like, did you know, like, oh, today's special? Like, I'm I'm I'm gonna get it today. Like, what what were what were you feeling? Like, uh, I want to know the energy that was that was poss that you possessed that day.

SPEAKER_01 36:34

Yeah, so um, well, right before that, I did run Boston for no time. We did, I just was so that was a big like random win there. I think we ran, I ran up with my friend. It was for the experience. Another that was a another regrounding, okay? Like PRing, going for sub three is awesome. But like Boston was like the love for the running. We ran like a 335, I think, like just enjoying every aspect of it. It was amazing. Good story for another time. But that I think really was like, and during that block, like I enjoyed like the workouts and stuff, but I knew I wasn't striving for a goal. Yeah. So after that, after Boston, I was like, Boston was amazing. However, the training was like, I'm like, if I'm trying to I wanna push myself, I want to I wanna see what I can do. So going um to the day of the 254, I knew that it that the sub three was happening. I didn't know to the what the to the extent, but um faith is a really big thing for me between fueling and my faith during this training block. Um like not only fueling like am I I'm gonna fuel better on race day, but fueling your workouts all throughout your training is going to make you able to hit faster paces in training. And then since you're hitting faster paces in training, you're building that fitness to um show up on race day. Um and then just giving it um to God and like letting him like and talking my workouts through him, like I can't like I can't explain it. It it built my relationship with God too, which was really, really cool. Um and it was a way to glorify him. But um, yeah, the 254 that morning I was like I think it's happening. I think it's happening.

SPEAKER_06 38:28

So when you crossed that line, what how'd it feel?

SPEAKER_01 38:31

Uh I cried. I cried. I was like and then um but I was just like I didn't like it was just it was surreal and it was um you know I was like I was like on a good day, 255. Very, you know, me too, also I'm or I'm like I'm like pushing, I'm like, okay, on the most fantastic day ever in the entire universe, 252. And so um, and I'm like like in my mind, the there was no option but sub three. It was just how far are we gonna go under sub three and how good are we gonna feel doing it? Um, so like I don't I guess I was just like not taking no for an answer that day. And um, it was beautiful weather. I had friends racing, that's a really fast 5K. So I had friends racing the 5K. One of my friends was racing the half, so I ran with her up to mile nine, and then she took off to kill her uh half marathon.

SPEAKER_04 39:35

Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 39:36

And yeah, I remember us going out and we were going out a little bit. I was like, I need to chill. This is of course I'm so great right now.

SPEAKER_05 39:45

Right, right, right, right. Um You are about to get off the drive. I still got uh I got 13 more of these things to keep going. Yeah, I give it a shit.

SPEAKER_01 39:52

And I was like back at I was like, I think I was at like mile 12 or 13 or maybe 14. I get a message from my coach and she's like, slow down a little bit, or like she's like, take precaution. But like I was like, I was like, okay, no, I'm I'm I'm at this pay, this tastes still is good now. But now if I start speeding up a little too soon, that's when that's when I need to this is like running is such a community sport, and I I mean I started to struggle a little bit, but that struggle went away when um this man was running, and I could, you know, when you're running a race and like you're sinking up and you're like, okay, they're definitely aiming for around that pace. Yeah. And so he go, he's like, he's like, what's your goal? And I was like, it was like I was like, sub, I was like, sub three, but 255 on a good day, like I'm hoping to get around that. And he was like, he's like, me too, let's go. And so me and him ran beat all the way to the end. And actually, I ended up like, I was like, it's it's mile 24. We gotta go. We gotta go. And so like I'm obviously not saying that, but you know, and I'm like, uh come on. And he was like, he's like, go, go. And so he was go without me. I love it.

SPEAKER_04 41:10

I love it.

SPEAKER_01 41:10

But I guess he like stayed pretty like with me in distance because um after I finished, I found him, he's like, he's like, I held on to you. He's like from a distance, but I held on to you and you pushed me. And I was like, Well, the last seven miles before that, I don't know if I would have hang hung on to that pace without you. And it was just some random guy that I didn't know. It was such it's such a community thing, it's really, really beautiful.

SPEAKER_07 41:36

It is. I I I talk about that all the time, and that's that's sort of um in the conversation that I had um on a pie right before you hopped on was uh the difference between you know going for a PR and then the other the other race being I'm just running to run. And I was I was so happy that I ran you know my first sort of 13 rather marathons with no pressure. Yeah, that's awesome. Because when you're PR and it's like everything is a blur, you can't really embrace the race in all humanity.

SPEAKER_00 42:11

You're like, I'm hitting this time, this time, I'm getting my jail.

SPEAKER_07 42:14

Oh yeah, yes. So you you know, so it's it's beautiful to see, even within that, you were able to find someone to connect and really uh get that power of race day, which is the community. And I think that's what makes running special. Because although we it's an individual sport and a lot of times people are doing their mouths by themselves, race day is when you know all of the love kind of gets um it is directed to the runners in a way that you don't experience any other way. So no, uh that's that's beautiful. Um so my next question is uh I always it it always sounds like an autocall. And um like for those that are listening that are maybe on the fence or considering running their first marathon, what would be your biggest tip?

SPEAKER_01 43:15

That is such a good question. Um, I would say now if we're talking like mental, I would say to make sure you are enjoying like the training. If you're not enjoying it, you're not gonna expect to enjoy it on race day. Like it's not you've got to enjoy the grind. You've got to enjoy waking up. And if you're doing it just to run a marathon, then you have to you need to adapt your training to how you're going to race. So if you're just doing it to run a marathon, do it, do your training like you're gonna enjoy, and also prep for that marathon. If you're doing it to PR, you need to adapt your training to enjoy training for that PR. Um, find the beauty and that's not to say there's Yeah. But it's like that's where your why comes in and gets you down. So definitely like establishing that why as your base and then knowing yourself and knowing what is going to make you happy on like marathon, the beauty of the marathon, it really is a girl. And Ray Says the celebration as cheesy as it is. So like the journey is the majority. Like I think about it and I'm like, I I miss I miss the training. Like I miss it, but I know like I can't do that all the time.

SPEAKER_04 44:38

Um I wouldn't I would be broken.

SPEAKER_01 44:42

But um yeah, so but and then physically yeah, physically I would say stack the miles. Miles. Trendle miles count. Walking, walking counts.

SPEAKER_04 44:57

Walking count isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 44:58

Walking count. My first marathon, that's something I left out. The day that I would do those little speed miles, I might have ran like five miles those days, but then I walked like four in between classes. So I counted those four miles. I counted them in my first walk. So it's like that get those miles up, get the long run up, um, is what I would say physically. And don't worry about all the nitty-gritty until you decide that you like that marathon. You might go and do it and not like it. You might you might have a better taste for the hash. And that that's totally that's imprecedent soft. Then you have to go even faster.

SPEAKER_07 45:36

Yes, it is. Yes, it is, yes, it is, man. All right, so let's get to the last segment of the pie, which is uh my knees out speed question. Knees out is my my running crew, uh, the knees out coalition. These are one-word answers, but you can definitely elaborate if you feel. Um you answer knees out as yes and knees in uh as no. All right. Um so were there ever any any points in training where you thought about quitting but still showed up for yourself?

SPEAKER_01 46:10

Um knees in.

SPEAKER_06 46:14

Okay, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01 46:16

I don't think I had it as an option.

SPEAKER_05 46:19

I know, I know the feeling. I know I know the feeling. It's like it ain't even it.

SPEAKER_07 46:24

I can't even I can't even choose that. Um if I wanted to. Now, do you believe that everyone has at least one marathon?

SPEAKER_06 46:34

Um is a marathon more mental or physical? Exactly. I I always throw people off on that.

SPEAKER_07 46:48

I just that's make it that's how I make sure people paying attention. Um, but please elaborate. What do you think? It's mental or physical.

SPEAKER_01 46:56

Um, that's so hard because it can be so both. Like I I I think everybody, if they're they mentally could go out and run a marathon. Now, would they want not walk away with some injuries or some sickness or illness? Maybe that's very different. I don't know. Right, right. But mentally, I think everyone can train themselves mentally to run a marathon. How it happens and how you feel it's gonna be completely different, regardless.

SPEAKER_07 47:29

Okay, okay. So you've got it, you've got a couple marathons under your belt. So I'll I'll I'll ask this question being that would you run an ultra marathon?

SPEAKER_01 47:39

Please out.

SPEAKER_06 47:41

Okay, all right.

SPEAKER_01 47:42

Um it's in the back of my mind.

SPEAKER_07 47:45

Same, same. I'm I think I'm gonna do a 50 next year. I think we'll start with a 50. Yeah, I think I'm gonna go. I I like the idea of running in nature, so I kind of embracing that.

SPEAKER_01 47:55

I love the idea of eating a sandwich while I'm bracing it. Like one.

SPEAKER_07 48:01

There's something with that, they can have a bunch of food on throughout the race. Yeah, yeah, they got that.

SPEAKER_05 48:09

It's a Taco Bell one, I think, that you just eat like taco bell. It's crazy. Oh my gosh, it'd be mile 23 of my first marathon all over again.

SPEAKER_07 48:18

Right, right, exactly, exactly. So, my last question is do you believe running can change a person beyond the 1,000 knees out. Yes, yes. Well, listen, um, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much for sharing your story. Um, getting a sub three is nothing, nothing light. It is extremely impressive. So um, I know you have grab my UR. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Um, you are a superhero and appreciate you again for joining the pod. Everyone out there, please follow and subscribe. This is another great episode of Mal20 Mindset. Peace, y'all.