I've heard blogging and writing is a good way to stay accountable during long training programs, so I'm putting together this blog to share what I have learned through several seasons. I’m writing this to provide small updates for anyone interested, but also for cathartic purposes and to track progress. I hope to share training tips, race reports, recipes, thoughts, observations, and maybe some laughs. I hope you enjoy. Happy Trails!
I suppose the best place to start is where I found my long distance roots. I grew up in the little town of Mora, MN where I was first exposed to running and endurance sports through a series of community events called the Mora Classic. I ran my first half marathon in 1998 and then a 35k XC ski race (I was under 18, so I couldn’t ski the 58k) a few months later and have been signing up for longer stuff ever since. However, my focus through high school and into college was on playing golf. As a college athlete, I was instilled with a commitment to training and overall health. I began early morning workouts in 2000 and am still pretty diligent.
I ran my first marathon in 2002 (Grandma’s in Duluth, MN!) finishing in 3:36:02 at age 20. Eleven months later I ran another one (Coeur d’Alene), and then 6 months later I ran another one (Seattle). Sometime during my senior year of college my roommate suggested I try to run 26 marathons by age 26. At first, I thought she was crazy. But before long I was working and living in Seattle signing up for local races and also traveling to hit the big ones (NYC and Boston). The races ticked by and I ended up running marathon #26 in Seattle on November 26, 2006 at age 24.
Since then I’ve dabbled in triathlon with some really rewarding results, meanwhile working on my marathon times, taking risks, and pushing my limits. Thanks for reading!
