Mile 20 Mindset Podcast Episode 033 - Kayla Jeter

Embracing the Journey: How Running Transformed Kayla Jeter’s Life

Introduction: In the latest episode of the Mile 20 Mindset podcast, host Allen Maldonado sits down with Kayla Jeter, a remarkable black female runner and coach, to discuss her journey in the world of running. From her early experiences with running as punishment to discovering its joy and community, Kayla shares insights that resonate with both novice and seasoned runners alike.

Main Content:

1. The Early Days of Running
Kayla Jeter's story begins with her collegiate volleyball career at the University of Tennessee, where running was often associated with punishment. "Running has always been part of my life," she states, highlighting her transition from viewing running as a chore to embracing it as a source of joy. Moving to Chicago without a car, she sought to explore the city through running. This led to her creation of the "100 Miles of Summer" challenge, where she set a goal to run 100 miles from May to August. Sharing this challenge on social media attracted others, creating a sense of community among former athletes eager to push their limits.

2. From Doubt to Marathon
Initially, Kayla was skeptical about marathon running, often stating, "I would never run a marathon." However, as she continued her summer running challenges, she discovered newfound confidence in her abilities. Her first experiences with races began in 2021, and through participation in relay events like the Hood to Coast and Speed Project, she realized that running could be a team sport. "Running truly is a team sport," she remarks, underlining the camaraderie that can be found even in an individualistic discipline.

3. The Marathon Training Experience
Preparing for a marathon is a monumental endeavor, one that requires significant lifestyle adjustments. Kayla emphasizes that training for a marathon is vastly different from shorter races. "It consumes your whole life," she explains, recognizing the mental and physical demands of preparing for 26.2 miles. With the help of a marathon coach, she adopted a training plan that kept her engaged, incorporating speed work into her long runs. The transformation from being a player in team sports to training for a marathon was both challenging and rewarding. 

4. Overcoming Challenges
Despite her determination, Kayla faced moments of frustration during her training. "I almost literally threw my shoes in the lake," she recalls, expressing her struggles with missing out on social activities due to her rigorous training schedule. This led her to communicate her needs to her family to find a balance between her running commitments and personal life. By adjusting her long run schedule to Fridays, she maintained her social life while pursuing her marathon goals.

Conclusion: Kayla Jeter's journey in running is a powerful reminder of how embracing challenges can lead to personal growth and discovery. From transforming running from a punishment to a passion, to finding community and support in her journey, Kayla exemplifies the spirit of resilience. Her story encourages us to find joy in movement and to remember that every step taken is a step towards self-discovery.

Key Takeaways:
- Running can transform from a punishment to a source of joy when approached with the right mindset.
- Community support can enhance the running experience, making it more enjoyable and fulfilling.
- Training for a marathon requires significant lifestyle changes and can be both challenging and rewarding.
- Open communication with friends and family is essential in balancing personal goals with social life.

Tags: running, marathon training, community, resilience, personal growth, women in sports, Kayla Jeter, Mal 20 Mindset, podcast, fitness journey.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:04

Hey, what's up, y'all? It is your boy Alan Maldanado, your host of Mal20 Mindset. This is the running podcast for running enthusiasts for elite runners, novice runners, and those that love supporting the runners in their lives. Um, I got an incredible guest, uh, an incredible black female runner. Um, she's a runner coach, she's a Lululemon athlete, um, founder of the 100 mouth something like Kayla, Jeter, welcome to the show. How are you doing today?

SPEAKER_00 0:36

I'm doing well. Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited for our conversation. As we were chatting about earlier, the sun is out here in Chicago, so it's an extra special day.

SPEAKER_03 0:44

Come on, listen, and like, and we and with as I was teasing you off the pod. Um, so what's the weather? Uh you said it was?

SPEAKER_00 0:53

Okay, so today the high is mid-40s, which is basically spring. I feel like I've heard the the birds chirping, people are outside. Listen, over the weekend it was 15 degrees, and before that, two weeks ago, it was negative one. So no, no, no, no, what do you mean?

SPEAKER_02 1:10

Negative one, unclear. Same. How do you lose a temperature? You can't lose a temperature, no, you can't be in the red, like no. We live it especially in the deep blue.

SPEAKER_00 1:25

Like, what I don't so so did you run in before we even get into did you run in negative one? Oh, listen, I'm gonna be honest, and I'm sure we'll get into it. I there are a handful of people who I think are the winter warrior to the extreme. Some people have experience, some people do it for social media. I am neither of those. I think that temperature is too dangerous to be outside for a long time. As soon as it hits below, like we're in single digits, I'm on a treadmill.

SPEAKER_03 1:51

Absolutely. No. No, I had a I I just recently had to apologize. I had a movie premiere in Minneapolis. It was I seen the weather report. I bought my ticket. Hotel, everything, book. Shout out to my crew. Love y'all. It was one degree. Yeah, it's cool. I said, nah, I can't get on the plane, dog. You know what?

SPEAKER_02 2:16

I can't get on. I can't go to no place that's one degree like. Yeah, yeah. Because the feels like is where it's colder.

SPEAKER_03 2:26

No. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anything lower than my age, I can't go there on purpose. You gotta catch me. You gotta catch me sleeping. You gotta catch. I gotta have been stranded there and all of a sudden it dropped to that. Not on purpose. But listen. I love that. Man, appreciate your time. Um, appreciate you and what you represent as a runner, as a female, as a female black runner. Um, man, giving you your flowers now.

SPEAKER_04 2:52

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 2:52

Listen, love what you're doing. So let's I I'm excited to learn where your running journey began. Like, what where does it all start? What was the why behind the why? Like, where did where did running begin? Was it for, you know, for training, for fitness, or was it for mental clarity? What was it for?

SPEAKER_00 3:09

Yeah, I mean, I think for me, running has always been part of my life. I grew up playing sports. I played volleyball collegiately at the University of Tennessee. I played professionally overseas. I coached. So running to some degree was some type of movement that I was used to, right? But in those settings, it was always for punishment. So for me, the the why or interest or spark of running is really when it became something I choose to do for joy or discovery. So when I moved to Chicago almost, gosh, 10 years ago, um, I moved here, didn't have a car, wanted to see the city. Best way I think to see any city is by foot, right? And during that time, I worked down on Michigan Avenue, super close to the lake. And I started this challenge called 100 Miles a Summer, which was really a challenge for me. And when I shared it on socials with my community, I had a couple of people like, hey, we want to challenge ourselves to a lot of former athletes or collegiate athletes, excuse me, who are looking for that competition and way to push themselves. So I was like, okay, four months, 25 miles a month, roughly, 100 miles from May 1st to August 31st. This feels like something that I could challenge myself. It's also a goal that I can set and work towards. And from there, you know, nine years ago now, um, that challenge has been really been the driver to me getting into running. It's the way that I've discovered inner landscapes within myself, any city I go to. And uh it's become a much larger part of my life than I could have ever anticipated.

SPEAKER_03 4:35

Come on, talk about, listen, like likewise, I always talk about how I would be at award shows and just different events that I'm supposed to be doing something completely different than be in the corner with somebody talking about running, completely forgetting on why I'm even there. Like, wait a minute, I'm like, oh, I gotta go announce somebody. Like, oh, this is this is this is crazy. Like, like, like this, I'm completely distracted by running, or I'd rather focus on running. So, so speaking of that and how it changed your lives as far as how did you go from, you know, this this thing that was a punishment, which I I played basketball in high school, and I I should have joined a cross-country team the way he had us running. Um listen. So we we we start running, how do we get to marathons? Like, how do we did we start at like 5Ks, 10Ks? I know it was a sort of challenge, but the whole race community and sort of races, how did it spark this thing that I want to run a marathon?

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Yeah, I mean, to be honest, and those who know me or have known me back then before I ran my first marathon know. I have been quoted several times saying I would never run a marathon. I would, and we all we all have, right? I would never do it. Exactly. Why would anyone put themselves through that? And I'm just thinking about the race itself. I wasn't even considering the training block. But what I discovered, I think summer after summer through 100 miles of the summer, you know, I discovered so much confidence in myself, in my body, and my ability to reach new goals, hit paces I didn't hadn't seen before at all, sustain those paces. And I didn't really get into racing um until 2021, 2022, 2021. Um, I did like half marathons, and for me, running so felt very isolated during that time. You know, I had a group here in Chicago that I ran with seven on Sundays socially. We do a Sunday run at 7 a.m. Um, we would do a Tuesday workout, which is like an awesome. If you're ever in Chicago, come to Blue Bridge Tuesdays. It's an awesome workout.

SPEAKER_03 6:42

Okay, in the summer. In the summer.

SPEAKER_00 6:46

Yeah, yeah. Cause we ran this morning and it was it was warm. It was warm.

SPEAKER_03 6:51

It was it was 20 degrees. It was 20 degrees. If it's 45 now, it had to be a no. TV.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

So yeah, so like running for me during that time felt very individual. So it wasn't until I was part of these relays, really, that I was like, oh, running truly is a team sport. So I was part of a Hood to Coast team out in Portland where they run from Mount Hood to the coast 200 miles. We had 12 people. Uh, the year after that, I had done Speed Project, six women with Lululemon, um, running from LA to Vegas. And it wasn't until after that I ran my first half marathon. And I um remember thinking to myself, like, wow, yeah, yeah, like the team sport for me was was so much more enticing and exciting, like this, the exchange, right? Like coming from volleyball, coming into a different world where yes, I'm individualized in the machine, but put in a team setting, that's where it got super attractive to me. But when I ran my first half marathon in Toronto, that was 2021, I think. Yes. No, 2022.

SPEAKER_03 8:00

And was it what it was it was it cold in Toronto?

SPEAKER_04 8:06

I definitely needed throwaways.

SPEAKER_00 8:08

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was cold. Yeah, it was cold. Like, you ain't got it's all right. Yeah, it's all right. But I run hot. Like I'm I'm a natural. So I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. So I grew up in the Midwest. And my family's in New York. So I'm used to the cold. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:23

No, yeah, no. 45 is summertime to you. I got you. I got you. I got you. A hundred times. I got you. I got you. Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 8:30

So when I ran that half marathon and I finished, I said to myself, I could keep going. Like I felt like there were still five or six miles in me after that, that um half marathon. And in that moment, I was like, okay, I think I'm actually ready to do this, not only from the physical demand, but honestly just the total lifestyle change it requires to even prepare for the start line.

SPEAKER_03 8:53

So that's that's my next man, perfect segue to my next question as far as training for a marathon. You know, running a half is, you know, there's there's that. You know, running a half is is is nothing short of uh of a big accomplishment. But training for that marathon is something completely different. And what did you learn about yourself? And what type of training did you did you get into? Like I often say back in the day when I first started, not this even sound like I started so long ago, but it feels like it in regards to how much information is on social media now about marathons versus 10 years ago where you didn't really see as much. And it was, again, those conversations in the corner at these award shows where I'm like getting, oh, like the war stories. Like, okay, so you did okay. Seriously. All right, all right, you got the anti-chafement. I didn't even know that. Didn't even know the anti-chafement. Thank you for that. Like you would just exchange jewels, and that's how you got like your running tips. So, how was it for you as far as preparing and training for your first marathon?

SPEAKER_00 10:00

Oh my gosh, I love this question and everything that you just called out because the visibility not only of the sport, but for non-homogenous communities was not there when you ran, right? Like, so it really was like the Hal Higdon training plan, the one guy who was like your neighbor, you always saw him get up to run. He always was doing something you didn't know. So, as far as the preparation for me, you know, I think coming from a professional sports background and getting into a sport that I don't necessarily excel in initially, and to this day, my friends always remind me I'm a Ferrari, not a Prius. I'm built for speed, but I can go the distance. So I know for me, if I'm gonna go into a space where I don't feel 100% confident, I'm gonna tap into the resources that I have. Like I'm not gonna go in blind. Um, so I had a marathon coach that I worked with, and he came from a soccer background. So he understood my desire to run fast, my reigning in to have to slow down, and also structured my run. So it's a little bit more gamified. So we would do speed work within a long run. It wouldn't just be go go out easy, run six marathon paced miles and then finish, right? Like I need something to keep my brain engaged, coming from a high um intensity and fast-paced sport. So I tapped in with my coach, Jason Lubig, he was amazing. He's uh to this day helps me a lot. And um, I think as far as the lifestyle change, it bec it consumes your whole life, right? Like and it's not just because of the demand of the distance, because it's the preparation of it. I think people can train, you know, four or five K, 10K and a half, and still have a high demand, especially if you're racing those distances. I don't know if anyone's ever tried to race a 5k before or race a mile. It is very, very every workout, you're redlining. Every single one, you know? So I don't want to take away from the shorter distances, but just the demand of 26.2 miles and the build that's necessary to have your body adapt in a way that's safe and healthy for you to be able to take on that impact and that stress consumes your entire life. And I remember I struggled with it my first time. Um, I was actually working towards that half marathon. I flirted with the idea of running a marathon that summer. And I found myself like on Saturday mornings by myself, really frustrated that I was missing out, hanging out with my friends. None of my friends ran during that time. I almost like literally threw my shoes in the lake. I called my coach, I was like, I'm done. I'm running half marathons. I'm done. Like I'm so I'm over. No friends. I'm like the six mile 16, and I'm like, what am I doing? Why? Why? And um the second time, the second time around for me, I I had to sit down. So I have three sisters, two of which live in Chicago. And I was just really frustrated that I was missing out on time with them because whether it was dinners on Friday night or they would go to the farmer's market Saturday morning, I was just really frustrated. So I was like, hey guys, I'm gonna go for this marathon again. I need y'all to support me and not make me feel like I'm missing out. Still invite me. Let me say no. But also, like, what adjustments can I make, right? And I have a schedule that's flexible that I can do my long runs on Friday. So I'm a long run Friday girl. It's still part of my work week and I can take up that time on Friday and still enjoy my weekend. So I did a 20-week build for my first marathon, um, got kind of got off the tail end of running that half and went right into it. And honestly, I just haven't fallen too far out of a training block since my first marathon. I've just kept a steady routine. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:29

Wow. And so my next question would be what what would be the hardest thing you would say as far as is it the time management? Is it managing injuries? Is it, you know, your fuel intake? Just because um I had a good friend of mine's coffee on here tell this sort of um very dangerous story about him not fueling and it being something that accumulated over years because he's been running for the past 15 years, and him not properly fuel fueling caught up to him to where he like went paralyzed on the subway and lost all control of his body. So what what what part of training for you was the hardest? Was it just managing the time?

SPEAKER_04 14:10

Yeah, um I think the hardest part for me.

SPEAKER_00 14:22

I don't know if if if I have one specific part only because I feel like I wouldn't really prepare to respect the demand in the distance because of the way that I built into it, right? So I did team relays, I did half marathon, and then I went to marathon. So I was familiar with what it would require. I think for me the most consuming part, which is something I love, is understanding the science behind it all. Like really understand the physiology and what's happening and why it's important. And, you know, reds or being underfueled is a very common conversation within women in running. And so that's something that I think even myself now, I could be so much better, not only on my in-race nutrition, but the nutrition around my runs. And it's something that I I suppose it's that's that continues to be my challenge then is how to properly fuel to not only perform how I want to, but to recover the strongest. Cause you hear about proteins, of course, are the building blocks of muscles and help repair, and carbohydrates are really important to replenish and electrolytes at certain times are are important as well. But what is the right combination of fueling that's going to work for me that isn't always going to be beige, which I say is oatmeal, bananas, toasts, bagels, you know? And and I think that's actually the one place I would love to see, including for myself, more people of color providing expertise and insight, especially within the endurance space, is the nutrition side of things because that's even a broader conversation within the black and brown community.

SPEAKER_03 15:52

Yes. No, I agree. So I I'm I'm I'm getting a nutritionist on here, ASAP. Um please. And I'll I'll be listening very intently. No, say, no, listen, as you said it, I'm just like, yo, like for real, just because uh it's it's it's been fascinating doing this podcast because I've had several female runners that um get on here and talk about had them having eating disorders and how running has helped them get through that. Um some from the collegiate space as well, and then they would just kind of tell the horror stories of that being sort of not imp the importance of fueling something that they didn't really get from their coaches, um even on the collegiate side. But so my next question is so you you you've designed and prepped and got yourself ready after this half marathon, focus on this marathon. You got through the training. Um let's talk about the first race weekend. Like, because that's something that uh for those that are listening that haven't been a part of it, like it's it's it's special to get to your first expo and kind of get around the energy of runners that are this enthusiastic to go beat themselves up for 26.2 miles. Like, what was it like for your first time being a part of that? And what was your first marathon as well?

SPEAKER_00 17:17

Yes, so I do want to tell the story of how my first marathon even came to be. So after the Toronto Marathon, which was mid-October, I was in New York for New York City Marathon, just cheering, experiencing the weekend around. And a good friend of mine, Charlie Dark, who's a founder of Random Crew in London, and he is a Lululemon ambassador as well, came up to me and he goes, I saw you ran the Toronto Half Marathon. I was like, Yeah, he's like, You ran strong. I was like, Absolutely. He goes, So do you want to run London Marathon? I'm I'm assembling the Black Avengers. And I was like, Whoa shit, how can I say no to that?

SPEAKER_01 17:47

I love it. I love it.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

And I was like, well, I guess I run in London. Like, that's it. I love it. Yes. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:56

I love that. Come on.

SPEAKER_00 17:57

Yeah, and I mean, and like, especially for Charlie, he um, if you if you have not yet spoken with him or are familiar with him, he is one of the founders of the run crew culture. Um, him and and Mike Say of uh Bridge Runners. So you want to talk about history and and culture and the transition of running, like a phenomenal person to speak with. And I'm really in love with this, too. Charlie, appreciate you. Love you. So my first marathon was a London marathon in 2023, which is wow, beautiful, very special, which is very special. You know, it's it's it's a world major, it's hard to get in, it's international.

SPEAKER_02 18:33

I'm still trying to get into London. I'm still trying, it's been two years in London. Holla at me. Come on.

SPEAKER_00 18:39

Yeah, yeah. It's uh in in I think also special with that is London was the first international solo trip I'd ever taken. So there was a lot of feelings around the opportunity of going back.

SPEAKER_01 18:51

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:53

So um my uh my three sisters and a couple girlfriends and friends joined with like everyone turned it into a trip, obviously.

SPEAKER_01 19:00

Yeah, we all going. We all going to London. Oh yeah, you just gave us an all an excuse. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:08

I'm resting my left. Yeah, yeah, we running it. We I mean, she doing it, but we we all gonna be there. We all exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 19:19

Yeah, so my my first race weekend, I think I just remember being excitedly anxious, like not nervous. My training block went really well. I felt really strong. My only goal, and my only goal, even when I'm looking for a certain time, is to finish uninjured, strong, run strong, and with a smile. I want to finish every race at least. I can be I can be beat down. Because when I ran in New York City, I was like, I will never do that again. But when I woke up the next morning, when I woke up the next morning, though, I was like, I'll do that, I do that again. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 20:00

Like it's yo, weird. Yo, every time, every other marathon, it'd be like, man, why, why, why? Why like why though? Like I could be doing so much, so many other things.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

Man, what but I'm here I am, but here I am again.

SPEAKER_02 20:24

Here I am again.

SPEAKER_00 20:25

Like And like what I loved about London once it started, so I also like grew up watching Harry Potter, of course. So like there was like this, it's a beautiful journey of what I call like from the Shire to the city.

SPEAKER_04 20:36

And yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:38

I just felt like I just had such a good time taking it all in. And um, yeah, it's it's it's it's hard when people ask me my favorite marathon because I'm I've run six and I've done two ultras. But it's hard. My first experience was amazing. You know, I ran the entire time. I didn't say it was easy, but I ran the entire time. My fueling was really smooth. I had fun. I was able to like hang out.

SPEAKER_03 21:02

Before we get there, I want to I want to speak about like race day morning. Oh just because I feel like I think that's something that is very unique to the running community. A marathon morning is spirit is spiritual. It often feels um like refugee camps in certain marathons that you go to.

SPEAKER_00 21:29

You mean like on site. Like once you're once you're at the start.

SPEAKER_01 21:32

That's what I mean. I'm talking about marathon morning where like everybody's freezing, everybody's huddled up.

SPEAKER_03 21:39

Like that, like that's when you know people love this. It'd be it'd be four o'clock, five o'clock in the morning, no light nowhere, thousand porta potties, and people excited, ready to go. Like Ready, it's ready. It's three o'clock in the afternoon. It's five in the morning. We are in freezing, wearing nothing but clothes. We're about to throw away in 30 seconds. Talk about that. Your first time experiencing that. Like, what was it like in London as well? Because New York is a whole nother thing, but London, I'm so curious to know.

SPEAKER_00 22:20

Oh, in comparison to New York, London is literally high noon tea. Like it was so smooth. It was so it was so lovely. Like New York is a different beast, which we need to circle back to on another conversation because whenever it's so funny, I was running over the weekend, and I'll get back to your question. And I was at a water stop, which it was even weird. There was one out there, and I overheard a conversation of runners talking about New York City Marathon, and you would have thought they all went to their trenches, and you could just see the look in their eye. They're like, yeah. And I was like, oh no, I get it. I've been there. I've been there. It's different. But but I'll get I'll get to London. So my first great morning. Um so getting there is really honestly seamless for me, at least because you take the tube there. They're public transit very similar to New York is very easy to the start line. So and everyone that's up that early is all going to the same place. So that was really helpful.

SPEAKER_05 23:16

Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:16

Once I I think I timed it honestly just right. And I I believe the race started around nine. It's not late, it's not a super early start. And because it's a it's a direct shot on the tube, you don't need to do a ferry to a bus to the whole situation, right? And you're also not dealing with gate like savings time. Like it's yeah, it's really seamless. So I got to the start. I think the most um challenging part is because there's so many corrals, you just need to pay attention to where you need to go. My biggest tip I would have for anyone that's looking to, you know, run the marathon, any marathon, especially world major, and then London, is just get there early enough to like stand in line at the porter potties, to have a snack. Like give yourself the time to take care of you. Because by the time, you know, I waited, I got to the porter party, I was going, they're like, all right, corral, I think I was like red. I was like, oh shoot, I need to go. And I'm like running to get to um my starting corral. And then I like turned, I threw my jacket, I turned the corner, and we were off. So that was actually a lesson I learned my first, my first ever half marathon was in Chicago. And I did not fuel well. I didn't even know what a starting corral was. I was like, oh, the race is at seven.

SPEAKER_04 24:32

I was like, oh, the race is at seven.

SPEAKER_00 24:40

To this day, my sister's like we thought I was like that chat. Yeah, yeah. Why would I need a bag? Like, I'm just gonna run. So showed up, just me, like three, two gels and like vibes. Everyone else has water and snacks. I'm just like panning in the starting crowd. Like, are we gonna headphones, half charge? I ain't even like I crossed that finish line by the grace of God. Like, I had so many unks patting me in the back, like, come on, girl, you got it. I was like, I will scream at everybody, just let me get so I learned that feeling left thing very early on. Like, we don't play, we don't, and we give ourselves time. But that start, I think it's it's the embodiment of we are all in this together and we're all struggling together, but we're also going to get through it together. And I think what's really, really beautiful about it is even if you go to your starting corral alone, which is one of my biggest, I think, notes for anyone that's training for a marathon is even if you train with a group, still do a couple long runs by yourself because you're gonna run the race by yourself. And I think it's very important that you know how to emotionally regulate or downregulate, how to, you know, go through those mantras, how to coach yourself. Because when you're with your training group, especially in groups like New York, where it's like 200 people, you have your your pace leader, you have, you know, the girl you see every weekend, which is amazing, but you may not have that on race day. So so it's important that you know how to be your own coach. But when you're in that starting, you know, starting space of a marathon, you're like, you look at the person next to you, you're like, all right, well, like here we go. And it's just like this unspoken like, oh my gosh, I can't wait about that we're about to do this. But also, what an incredible celebration. I don't know. I haven't chased like a super aggressive number to feel very, very, very nervous. I think my best marathon in Berlin was like 347. And I just that was super fun, right? But um, I haven't put my and mostly because I I enjoy this, right? I don't want to become something that I feel anxious to attempt. But even then, you know, you're gonna meet people, people are gonna support you. And just knowing that, you know, that start line really is a celebration of getting through that training. Like that is the first one to celebrate.

SPEAKER_03 26:55

Yeah. No, like listen, like I I've um I've ran 14 and uh it wasn't until the last marathon that I ever tried to PR. I've always ran with people their first time. I love helping people run their first marathon. And then I get them to 20 and then I leave them. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 27:13

You go ahead or do you fall back?

SPEAKER_03 27:15

Oh, I leave I go ahead. I'm out. I'm out. I lead, lead, lead of dead bodies. I lead of dead bodies. That's kind of ruthless. And and there you you have to rise.

SPEAKER_01 27:26

And still I rise.

SPEAKER_03 27:27

Like, like, like, like so it, but I think that's where the race begins. I think that's a personal journey. And as you mentioned earlier, as far as being able to manage your own internal thoughts, I think that is what I really enjoy out of the marathon is the battle with myself and whatever I'm going through, because I could tell you about Chicago. Chicago was a story in itself when I ran that. It always is for people. It it oh my oh Lord, Chicago. You got it. You Chicago, you got it. You got it. But, anyways, my my next question is as far as speaking to the mentality of getting through the battle with oneself, let's get to the nitty-gritty, the Mal20 mindset. Let's get to that point of the race where it's you versus you, you hit the wall. I often say it's the bully from fifth grade with a backpack full of your childhood traumas, and he smack you dead. And and one of them, one of them gonna fall out, and you gotta have to deal with one of those childhood traumas. Chicago was got hit dead in the face. Dead in the face, Chicago. So, what was it for you in this first marathon? What mile was it, and what were the thoughts going through your head?

SPEAKER_00 28:43

So mine was actually mile 20 and a half, only because if I remember correctly, that's where random crew cheers. And so my sisters were there. So I was like, just get to my sisters, like just see them, just hold on. And I couldn't agree with you more. Mile 20 is where the race really starts. Or I mean it's really like 16 and 18. But it's like the mental battle. Like that's where you have to really show up and challenge you. And for me, I mean, that's where just like the fatigue settled in. That's where my hip flexors started to get tight. That's where I was like, what are we doing? You know, like six miles is so far, but so close. And so in those moments, I don't know if it's because going through previous experiences like the speed project or having to honestly go through life things. So both of my parents have passed away. My dad had a heart attack, and my mom died of cancer. And I was my mom's caretaker until her last breath. And so for me, like running, this isn't the hardest thing that I could ever do. And that's that's where I think running's framed a little differently. It's like this is something I'm choosing to do at the end of the end of the day. It's just running. Like it's just running, but also it's become so much more. So in those moments where I'm exhausted or I'm over it, or I'm ready to just be like, girl, just like walk. I literally call upon my parents. I'm like, pick me up. Please just pick me up and be my wings and put one foot in front of the other because I know the metaphor, you know, the life is a marathon. It's it's true, but I think until you really go through a training block, you condense that life experience into 20 or less weeks, right? Like you have your highs, you have your lows, you have your setbacks, you have your triumphs, you have your celebration, you have your disappointments, you have your grief, you have your celebration. And for me, mile 20 and a half, once I saw my sisters, it was kind of like, all right, it's me, my parents, and God. Like, let's figure it out. Like, we gotta get there somewhere. Yeah. Because, you know, that that that bright light that I was looking forward to, which was my sisters, saw them, had a great celebration, but then I was like, oh no, now we we really have it.

SPEAKER_03 30:48

That's done. That's done.

SPEAKER_00 30:50

Right, right, right, right.

SPEAKER_02 30:51

That's it. That's had the moment. The moment is over. You still got six more miles to go. Six miles.

SPEAKER_00 31:00

Six miles is so far. Like, I don't think people understand once you've run 20, how far six miles is.

SPEAKER_03 31:08

Six miles. Yes. Like, you're so close. You're like, no, I'm not. And and the cold part about like the LA Marathon, if you haven't ran it yet. I ran it last year. Oh, you ran, so you where the little that where when you see the finish line? I've been here looking for a Whole Foods to turn around to so close.

SPEAKER_04 31:24

I'm like, where is the So where is it?

SPEAKER_03 31:29

Yeah, it it it is it it is definitely messing with your mind seeing people finish, and you on the other side, like, oh, all right, that's that's coming around the corner, and it's not. It's not. You got about six moments to go.

SPEAKER_00 31:42

And it's a finish long stretches, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:45

Yeah, so so my so my next question is as far as did you get over the wall or did you carry the wall to the finish line? And how did it feel when you finally crossed the finish line for your first marathon?

SPEAKER_00 31:59

Man, I mean, I I definitely feel like I carried the wall. Absolutely. And I I think I even used some of its weight to push me forward because the one thing about London Marathon is once you pass 20 and a half, you're getting into the city, you go. I don't, maybe Canary Wharf, I may have just made that up. I don't know. You go down this hill and underneath the bridge and you end at like Buckingham Palace, right? That final stretch is like 300 yards to go. You're like, that again is not close. Like, why are we counting down so far away?

SPEAKER_02 32:32

Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 32:33

And I coming from the volleyball world. What we do it, right? I was like, I played college volleyball. We would work out in a practice facility all the time. I know how far 100 yards is. Like who thought this was inspiring?

SPEAKER_03 32:53

Like, yeah, no, no, I know. I know, I know.

SPEAKER_00 32:55

Yeah, that's why I I think for me, like closing in on the finish line, I felt this an overwhelming sense of pride, not only for me, but for my parents, and what it means to be a black woman and running, what me crossing that finish line represents, especially in a country and then a city of London. Um it's it's incredible to carry yourself so far, yes, in life, but then within this physical feat. And the feeling that everyone experiences, whether you're a sub-three marathoner or you're a seven-hour marathoner, is that there's literally nothing anyone can tell you that you can't do. And it's the culmination shore of those 26 miles, but it's the training that you committed in, and I say this even to people who feel like they can't stick to habits or they can't commit to a change or setting a boundary or putting up a barrier. Like if you run a marathon, you know how to put guardrails around your life, but you choose what's important. And I think that's the application of the marathon to life.

SPEAKER_03 33:59

I I agree. So that that goes into my next question as far as how do you feel the marathon changed you as a person after crossing the finish line? How do how do you feel like that has affected you outside of just running?

SPEAKER_00 34:13

Yeah, I mean, it's to not to be cliche, but very much to what I was just speaking to, it's made me feel limitless, right? Like growing up, one never getting into any type of distance running outside of like rage running around a track when my mom told me I couldn't go to a dance or something. And then I know I didn't run cross-country. Like, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 34:35

Rage running is hilarious.

SPEAKER_00 34:37

Listen, which happens at the top, it's still an option.

SPEAKER_01 34:40

You know what I mean? Oh, no, no, it definitely is. It definitely is. No, I love it. I just never, I never coined it as that. I'm like, oh, I gotta go do some rage running. You can get on my nerves today. Exactly. I love it. I love it. I love it.

SPEAKER_00 34:54

Great, it's great. It's a healthy, it's the healthiest way to process.

SPEAKER_03 34:57

It is. Imagine. I just could I'm I'm all I'm just thinking about is your mom looking outside and doesn't look at her running. Like, oh, she's mad, mad. Right, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 35:07

I'll keep flying at the track. Unbothered. Like, couldn't hear less, actually. Exactly. All right. All right, mom. Oh man. Yeah. So I feel like, you know, it's it showed me I'm so much more capable than the limits that I not only put on myself physically, but that of which the world makes me feel exist because I'm not represented in those spaces, right? Like I'm 5'10, 175 pounds, broad shoulders, like everything about me gives sprinter, right? Which I think is my strong suit. And when I go to spaces and even talk about running and then ultra ultra-marathoning, they're like, well, how do you, you know, stay strong and run? And it's not like a question of my ability. It's just it people don't look like me in that space.

SPEAKER_05 35:56

Right.

SPEAKER_00 35:57

And so from there, I was just like, I I really feel there's nothing that I can't achieve if I put my mind to. And especially the way that I approach any goal, especially a physical in life, is always through the lens of my experience as a professional athlete. I take it very serious. Um, I, you know, activate my entire team. I have a massage therapist, I see my physio regularly, even when I'm not. I strength train, like I live the marathon on life every of life every day. And it's just, I think the biggest takeaway of crossing that finish line was just the confidence it instilled in me.

SPEAKER_05 36:30

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03 36:31

So my my my next question is, is you briefly mentioned as far as you know, massages, the recovery of it all, and just the idea when you decide to do a marathon, you have to really understand you are becoming an athlete and you have to treat yourself, you know, as such. So my next question is, is what would be the biggest tip you would give? I always say it sounds like an autocall, but somebody's listening right now that is on the fence of becoming a runner or running their first marathon, what would be your biggest tip to them?

SPEAKER_00 37:07

Oof. I think becoming a runner or running running your first marathon. I think the two things you need to prioritize above all else is sleep and strength training. And I don't care if you're doing 5K or beyond, especially for the aging population. I think the nutrition gets a little nuanced and the training, of course, is important, but sleep as a whole is so important to our overall health and well-being. Um, especially not only from the stress of training to recover, but the lifestyle of stress that we all incur from our day-to-day interactions, our work, our exposure to our phones. You know, that stress really compiles and it comes out in weird ways, right? Like you may have had a great training block, but you go or training week, but you go for your long run and that stress that you had from your job, or you know, it kind of stuck with you the whole week and then it took away from your appetite, and now you're underfueled going into a long run, right? Like, so I think sleep and and stress management are essential. And then strength training, I just as we get older, we lose our power, we lose our strength, we lose we lose bone density. When you're running, you're putting, you know, three to five times your body weight on your joints, you're stressing your body, you're moving in ways that you haven't in a long time. And if you're only loading those joints when you're in motion, you're not best equipping yourself to feel strong in movement, right? And especially if you're looking to get fast, power development happens under load. So you have to put, you know, your body underneath that. And those, I think for me, have been really pivotal to my success in marathoning and beyond, coming from a high-intensity sport and strength training since I was 13. Like my I love me in the gym were besties and will be until my my last days. I I've learned so much of my body in that space, but also it's made me very durable. So I can take on a lot of miles, especially during a time where people are running back-to-back marathons, which I would not recommend. But yeah, I've got to be a good one.

SPEAKER_03 39:12

From a perspective, I ran four and five months. Um, and that was just me being the rock star after the the yeah, the first marathon I ran, I broke my foot. I broke my foot, and I I felt like I got I got beat. I felt like I got bullied. I felt like I got beat the boogeyman, and I had to, I had to come back and slay the dragon. So I was like, oh, I'm doing four and five months. Jumping out of the plane. Never I ran the first one, broke my foot, got beat down, and was like, nah, nah, nah, I don't like how that felt. I'm running four or five months. And I and I trained up, man. I was I was training in Spain, and it it it really um it really brought a whole nother focus out of me. I was filming a movie at the time, so I was doing 15-hour days, running at 2 o'clock in the morning in Spain as a maniac. Um but but fueling and strift training, you know, coming from like I would always be in shape for different roles and like I was like different it depending on the character, always the physique, the the physical a aspect of it was important. So training and it it definitely builds your body to withstand the the pounding because I don't know if I was I would have been able to do that that four and five months if I wasn't. I was training to be a um I was for my TV show where I played a pro wrestler. So I was strength training like a a wrestler while doing those five marathons. So I was actually like 180. I was I was heavy, heavy, very muscular. So it was it was a it was a different type of race, but um the the strength training was essential that I was able to even get through those marathons. So great, great tip. Um so you've ran six, so this is uh always a fun question. Can you remember a story of like a funny moment or crazy your craziest moment in one of these marathons? Out of the because every race is different. Every race is different. Like I lost my phone on one, that drove me crazy. Like, what was like, yes, I lost it at Chicago! I lost it at Chicago, lost my phone in Chicago, Mile 12. Gone.

SPEAKER_00 41:35

Oh, you're right by my house. Listen, there's nothing crazier than running a marathon and seeing your apartment two blocks away at the halfway point. Oh, yeah. I was like, we could just go to brunch instead of.

SPEAKER_03 41:50

Like nothing happened. Right. So what was the craziest for you?

SPEAKER_00 41:55

Okay. I don't know if it's crazy necessarily, but I I think one of the most memorable moments was when I was running in New York City. So similarly but different. So 20, because that first marathon to second marathon progress that people find, myself included, is real, right? Like you go through your first training block, it's all new. Your second one, you know what you're doing. So I cut off like 15 minutes in my time, 15 to 20 minutes, right?

SPEAKER_03 42:28

Nice.

SPEAKER_00 42:29

And then I did New York. So I did three in one year. And I was just like, why not? Like we're already in shape, let's just keep it rolling, knowing that I only had one A race. So New York City Marathon, um, where my family's in Queens. That was my third one of the year, and my sisters were there, and they were they'd been in London, so they had experience cheering, right?

SPEAKER_03 42:48

Yeah, they they turned, they, they, they, they, they ready. They ready. They're they ready.

SPEAKER_00 42:52

You would think. So what my sisters did not what my sisters did not understand was languaging around cheering because when they were in London, they were with a run crew. So I knew to look for rundom and I was familiar with where they would be, right? Yeah. So the language, which is very important for those that are cheering for their friends for any race, to differentiate not only right and left, but runners right or runners left. Meaning when they're coming down a course, which side of their body will you be on?

SPEAKER_05 43:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:27

And so New York City Marathon.

SPEAKER_01 43:31

You and your sisters get on my nerves. I can already care.

SPEAKER_00 43:34

New York City Marathon. I've I've been up since 5 a.m. I've journeyed over to Staten Island to be at the camp of marathonners. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_05 43:44

Like, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:52

So I'm meeting them. They should be very fresh and sharp. Mimosas, right, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 44:00

They just set this, they just sat the glass down. They just set it down.

SPEAKER_00 44:03

Yeah, yeah. Mile 16 coming off of Queensro Bridge, which everyone knows who's running New York City is a very quiet, kind of like you just hear footsteps and prayers. You hear the reason.

SPEAKER_01 44:18

That wind off of the lot of come to Jesus moments happen on Queensboro. Yeah, yeah. That bridge, that bridge, it bring out it bring out something in you. It does.

SPEAKER_00 44:29

It does. 100%.

SPEAKER_01 44:30

Yes, it does.

SPEAKER_00 44:31

But as you know, coming off that bridge, you can hear the roar of the crowd and everyone making that turn. So I was like, okay, I know my sisters are gonna be past 16. Not only are they there, but my family, my aunts who live in New York are there as well. I would love to see them. Like they've never seen me race. So my sister had texted me. So I glance, because you know, I'm, I don't know, running a marathon. So I just glance at my watch to see where they're gonna be. She's like, we're gonna be um, we're gonna be here, right? Like that's the way she said she said it. Like, we're gonna be at 10th or whatever avenue it is, right? And I was like, yeah, runner's right. She goes, No, the we're not on your right. And so, like, I'm like running and texting her. So I see in my So the last thing I see coming off of Queens Road Bay Bridge on my phone, on my watch is right. So I go as far right as one. I could like ding ding ding ding the barrier. Like I am right, right, right, like all the way.

SPEAKER_04 45:34

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:35

My sister, my younger sister's six one. Kayla. And I turn and I see her all the way across on the left. And she's like, like we're like arguing for half a block, and she's running and I'm running, and she stopped. And at that part of the race, there's no clean space to stop. So I run like 10 blocks, and then I just stop. And I just and I'm just like chilling. So I'm stopped, and everyone's like, Are you are you okay? Do you need anything? Like, what's going on? And I'm like, no, I'm just like, wait at my sisters, what are y'all up to? How's your day? And everyone's just like, is she having a psychotic break? Like, we're not really sure. So my sisters end up running 10 blocks, and when she got to me, she's like, I told you we'd be on whatever side it was. I was like, so we just like arguing the new this race. But that I think was like one of my funniest, like it's a it's it's such a core sister moment to me having any type of argument during a marathon. But that's in the middle of the marathon. Yeah, in the middle of the marathon. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:35

You gotta get at each other. That's that is hilarious.

SPEAKER_00 46:38

She's my younger sister, so it tracks even more.

SPEAKER_03 46:40

Oh, I love it. Yeah, it makes sense. That sound that sounds like the perfect, the perfect marathon moment for real. Um no, this is this has been fun. So let's let's get to the last segment, which is um the knees out speed question. Knees out is my running crew, the knees out coalition. Shout out to everybody. Um yeah, so these these questions are speed questions, so you can answer yes or no, which knees out means yes, and knees in means no. And of course, elaborate. Uh the first question is Were there ever any moments in training that you wanted to quit, but you still showed up for yourself?

SPEAKER_00 47:21

So do I answer it knees out or knees in? Is that how this goes?

SPEAKER_03 47:25

Knees out if it's yes. Knees out is yes, and knees in is yes.

SPEAKER_00 47:28

Sure.

SPEAKER_03 47:30

Okay, all right, all right, all right. So the next question is Do you think everyone has at least one marathon? I love how everyone, every I I yeah, I I I it's very rare when anyone responds immediately on this question.

SPEAKER_00 47:54

Everybody like I will say need that, which is yes, correct, but with an asterisk.

SPEAKER_03 48:01

Okay, okay, okay, okay. Elaborate, elaborate. What do you mean?

SPEAKER_00 48:04

Please, I was hoping I was hoping you let me. I think I think everyone has a marathon in them. I don't feel everyone should run a marathon based off of I'm thinking very physiologically, heart condition, joint condition. Okay. Like, and that that's not specific to body frame or size. I just think there should be some baseline testing before you put your body underneath stress, especially given the increased number of deaths that we've seen within marathons for seemingly healthy people. Everyone can't do it, but I think you should definitely consider the stress it's gonna put on your body before you do.

SPEAKER_03 48:48

Yeah. Good, good answer. Good answer. That's a good one. Um so the next question is do you and it's sort of a trick question. Um, is a marathon more mental or physical?

SPEAKER_00 49:02

Knees out. Yeah, I think it's way more mental than it is physical. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 49:07

Okay, yeah, okay, all right, all right. And you've you've you've ran you've ran several you've ran, I believe, two ultras, correct? So uh I'll reframe this question just because I had a uh a woman on here that that ran it not too long ago. Would you run the Death Valley Ultra?

SPEAKER_00 49:30

Um like speed project, that one?

SPEAKER_03 49:34

I guess that it was like one it's like a hundred and thirty degrees or something like that. Like okay ultra. Would you run that one? Yeah. Are you are you all right, all right, all right. Light word, light word, light word, light word, light word.

SPEAKER_00 49:49

I mean, that's all, you know, just heat adaptation and having the right gear and and crew. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 49:55

Okay, okay, okay, all right. Lastly, my last question do you believe running can change a person beyond the mouth?

SPEAKER_00 50:02

Knees out 100%. Yeah. It will change you. There's there's no other option.

SPEAKER_03 50:07

Yeah, I agree. I agree. Man, listen, this this has been a fun conversation. Shout out to your sisters. I hope they're their uh their marathon day etiquette has gotten better. Because we definitely appreciate the support. Like either either way, it's it's it's appreciated. If you like, I will definitely, I will have to do a pod with just supporters at one point so they could just talk about just the nuances of actually being a marathon runner supporter, just because it the race, like the different stories of different people that have came and supported me and how they've had to hitch rides, go just just do craziness to get to certain spots. I think that's also fun, too. So listen, everyone out there, please follow and subscribe. This is another incredible episode of Mal20 Mindset. Peace, y'all.