LOLZLetter 168.5 |Starting Running Later in Life
Learn how running took on a new meaning for these women after children
Welcome to the midweek newsletter,
The next few weeks are packed full of fun interviews with those who started running later in life. That translates to if you didn't start running in high school or college. The beauty of this newsletter is people are reading of all ages, from 16 to 82!
For some, running later in life means finding running after college.
For others, it means finding running in their 50s, and I love sharing people's journeys!
As mentioned on Monday, I decided to break up the newsletters and bring back the mid-week newsletter for this serious. Mostly because Substack told me my newsletters were too long and shorter newsletters are more easily read.
Today turned out to be super fun. All three guests mention how running has changed since having children, and they even feel inspired afterward!
Week One: In case you missed Jaynee, Claire, and Jess
Brittany D:
Unrelated to the interview, I am lucky to call Brittany my only running partner in the desert
- Hollie
I started running as a cardio thing with no purpose besides being “fit.” Most of my early runs were on the treadmill at the gym. In 2013, I signed up for my first race the night before. It was a local race, and all proceeds went to a local charity. I ended up being the 3rd female finisher.
I signed up for my first race because it benefited a good cause, but I didn’t run another race for six months after that. Later, I realized I was decent and caught the running bug. Since then, I've done: 18 5ks, 1 4 miler, 5 10ks, 4 half marathons, and one marathon.
My favorite race is The Pilgrimage Half Marathon in Columbus, Ms. I was training with a running group and improved so much leading up to the race. One of my buddies from the group stuck with me until the last few miles and helped me get through it. I set my half PR there of 1:38:49. Plus, my mom ran her first 5k there. So it was a great day!
Running has changed since I started, and I appreciate running much more than I used to. I have had injuries that took me out of running for long stretches, so now, every run is a gift. I've also been adjusting to a new routine with my spouse's work schedule and having a toddler.
But I’m always so thankful when I get the opportunity to get some miles in.
Do you wish you had started earlier?
Yes and no. I would have loved running on a cross country team in high school and having a coach. My college didn’t have any collegiate sports at the time, so that wasn’t an option for me.
Maybe starting later has allowed me to enjoy the sport more and has kept me from having more injuries than if I had started in my teens.
Morganne C:
I started running seriously when my mom and her best friend were training for a half marathon. Before then, I would join them for occasional runs during the summer when I was home from college. I didn't take it seriously and used running to keep me in shape in the down season from Army ROTC at school.
In 2013, my mom and her friend were aiming for the Rutgers Half Marathon and asked if I wanted to register with them. I thought to myself, sure, why not? I hadn't run longer than 5 miles, but it sounded fun. I followed a basic training plan from the internet and ran long runs on the treadmill at college.
I squeaked under 2 hours, and I will never forget crossing that finish line. That feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming. I began thinking of how else I could push myself in running, and it's progressed from there.
I've done five marathons and just finished my first Boston marathon. I've also done a handful of half marathons and local area 5ks. I enjoy racing but haven't been able to do it as much as I'd like. I had a pretty big gap in races from 2014-2016 due to my time in the Army and from 2019-2020 due to pregnancy and hip surgery.
My favorite race is a tie between a marathon in 2021 and a local Nashville area 5k in 2018 for two very different reasons.
I ran a McKirdy Micro Marathon in April 2021 as my first race back from having my daughter and hip surgery 7.5 weeks apart. It was also the first in-person race opportunity after the pandemic changed race dynamics. This race was a chance to start fresh as a runner and find myself again. I ended with a 4min PR in the marathon distance and a newfound appreciation for consistent training.
The local Nashville race in 2018 was dedicated to my mom's best friend. After a long battle with cancer, we lost her a few days before the race. I ran in her memory, and it was therapeutic to think of her watching over me. She always disliked the first mile of every race, so it was a good way to get through the hurt that a 5k brings.
Almost everything has changed since I started running nine years ago but in a good way!
I now work with a coach, know how to fuel properly for races, listen to my body, wear appropriate shoes for training vs. racing, and most importantly, ENJOY the peace that running has brought me. I was so clueless when I started running and had nowhere else to go but up (Hollie's add: I think we all were).
I don't wish I had started running earlier than I did. I don't think I had the bandwidth to appreciate running in the same capacity I do now.
Looking back at how I first started, I think it was for the best. I started running because of a bond with two important women in my life, and the achievement of a race is what propelled me forward.
Kerry:
I never liked running, but when I was in my late 20s, I came up with the idea to run a half marathon just to say I did. I trained, ran the race in 2:16, and never planned on running another.
About six years later, after having my two kids, I thought about doing another. I wanted to show myself I could do it postpartum and do it faster. I ran a half on mother's day in 2:07 and was officially bit by the running bug. I started setting goals, like a sub-two half and running my first marathon. So, I hired a coach, and the rest is history!
I'm now 38 and will be 39 next month! I think having my kids inspired me. I always saw so many moms just kind of give up on their own goals after kids. I started to do that myself but running changed everything for me.
Moms are allowed to do things for themselves, things that make them better in so many ways!
Since starting running, I've changed as a person. I've realized I am capable of so much more than I ever thought. I've proved myself wrong numerous times, and it's brought a newfound self-confidence. I've also learned so much about dedication.
My schedule is crazy as I work full time and have two kids with jam-packed social calendars. That means I schedule my runs/workouts around that.
I ran my first half at 2:16 and ran a half this year in 1:41. My first marathon in 2018 was 4:27, and I ran a 3:34 in 2021, which was my first BQ. I NEVER thought I would get to that point, but following other runners on social media and seeing their progress inspired me to work at it.
I have run 6 marathons, close to 20 half marathons, and countless 5ks and 10ks. As much as I love a good half, nothing beats crossing the finish line of a marathon. It takes so much training and dedication that finishing feels like something you can't explain, even better when you hit a big goal or PR!
I don't wish I had started earlier. I think running came into my life when I needed it, and this is the journey I'm supposed to be on (that's super cheesy, haha)
Finally, finding the running community on Instagram was huge for me. I remember seeing people post their first race times and then their current times, and I thought, that could never be me! But with the help of a coach, I proved myself wrong. I'm hoping to run Boston in 2023; however, I only have a 52-second buffer (hey, I planned on waiting until I was 40 to get those extra 5 mins since I NEVER thought I'd run under a 3:35). If I don't get in, you bet I'll be there in 2024. I don't plan on stopping anytime soon and hope to show/inspire others along the way that they can too.
You can follow Kerry on Instagram or her blog called runningisntskerry.com
What is Keeping Me Entertained?
Shorter for the midweek newsletter!
Podcast: Scott Fauble on Citius Mag
Running the Big Sycamore Canyon Loop Trail
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So nice to hear these stories! It gave me some motivation! I keep thinking of getting a coach again and this helped me get a positive outlook!