Thumbs Up Thursday...Rachel

This week's spotlight is on Rachel from Running In Real Life (here).  Once you read her interview head on over to her blog and say hello!


Jodi:  How long have you been running?

Rachel:  5 years

Jodi:  Why did you start running?
Rachel:  My friend Kim was getting into running and convinced me to sign up for a 5k. I'm not really sure why I agreed to do it, I thought running was awful! I started running with her and could barely make it a few blocks. I kept at it though and by the end of that first 5k I was hooked! I have always been drawn to things that are a challenge for me, and running is definitely a challenge! When I started I was so slow, but I loved competing with myself to improve at each race.

Jodi:  How many years have you been racing?
Rachel:  5 Years - that first 5k got me started and I haven't stopped yet!

Jodi:  What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Rachel:  The Half Marathon. I love the challenge of that distance, yet I don't have to spend all my free time training. I am also much better at being slow and steady than running all out like a 5k requires.

Jodi:  What is your favorite race memory?
Rachel:  Finishing under 2 hours at the Chicago Rock n Roll Half marathon this summer. I wasn't even trying to do that! I was in the middle of marathon training and not really aiming for any particular time. My previous PR was 2:09 and I blew it away. I still get butterflies in my stomach thinking about it.

Jodi:  What is your least favorite race memory?
Rachel:  My very first half marathon. I had been very stressed out from both my husband and I changing jobs suddenly and moving to a new city. I was severely undertrained and didn't know how to fuel or pace myself. To top it off, it was cold, windy and sleeting the whole race. I was miserable by mile 3 and walked quite a bit. I still finished, but I hated every minute of it. Luckily, I am too stubborn to give up after a bad experience and have run many half marathons since then!

Jodi:  What is your proudest running moment to date?
Rachel:  Besides the sub-2 I talked about above it would be finishing my first marathon this fall. I trained through a hot and busy summer and made it to race day uninjured and excited to go. It wasn't as pretty as I had hoped it would be, but I did it! I also get an immense feeling of pride seeing my friends and other runners achieve a goal they had been working towards.

Jodi:  What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Rachel:  I don't have a Garmin and I go back and forth with listening to my iPod, so I would say a good pair of Saucony shoes. I like to keep it simple.

Jodi:  What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Rachel:  Strawberry Banana flavored GU.

Jodi:  What is your favorite post race snack?
Rachel:  Beer! Luckily I live in Wisconsin where many of the races have beer at the post-race celebrations. :) Bananas are good too.

Rachel with a celebratory beer

Jodi:  Do you have a favorite quote?
Rachel:  "If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." - John Bingham

I like to remind myself of this quote whenever I am feeling not good enough. It doesn't matter if I am not as fast as I would like to be - I am still out there running and that is all that matters.

Jodi:  Finish this statement: When I run I feel _________.
Rachel:  alone - but a good alone. I can zone out and forget about the stress of everyday life. I like to take in all the scenery around me and not think about anything. If I ever get crabby my husband tells me to go for a run - he knows I will be in a much better mood once I get back.

Jodi:  Who do you admire most and why?
Rachel:  My dad. He has battled diabetes and epilepsy his entire life. While it affects his quality of life on a daily basis he doesn't let it bring him down. I get a lot of my stubbornness from him. I think being stubborn is good when you are a runner.

Rachel with her mom and dad post marathon

Jodi:  What is your current goal?
Rachel:  To keep up my fitness throughout the winter and try to improve my half marathon time once the spring comes. I would like to do another marathon next year as well.

Mile 10 stretch during the marathon

Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Rachel!  Best of luck achieving your current goals!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Rachel YOU inspire ME!!