Latest / At Your Own Pace / Episode 13 - Mental Health and Miles: @marielynneee's Story
Transcript
- MikeRunsMarathons: She is a runner, a proud pug mom, outdoor enthusiast, and considers herself a certified Swiftie and is a very passionate mental health advocate. She brings a feminist lens and a whole lot of heart to everything that she shares. And yes, she likes animals more than most people, which honestly feels correct. So please welcome Marie to At Your Own Base. Marie: You Yes. Yes. MikeRunsMarathons: Thank you so much, Marie, It's a pleasure to you ⁓ on the show. I'm really happy and to ⁓ share your story and to kind of along with where you were, where ⁓ you're at, and where you're going. Marie: For sure, of course, I'm so excited to be here. time on a podcast. ⁓ MikeRunsMarathons: That's awesome. time for everything and hopefully this won't be the last. Marie: Yeah, hopefully. MikeRunsMarathons: So I want start with some just kind of origin questions, beginning kind of with basic of ⁓ before running was a part of your identity, who were you? Marie: Mm-hmm. Yeah, so actually a funny story is like throughout middle school, high school, I was actually involved in competitive figure skating. so I feel like running was just a little bit part of my training for that. Like kind of we would do other kinds of conditioning and everything off the ice. And then as I got into college, ⁓ my schedule became a little crazier, you know, structured time on the ice and ⁓ is something that doesn't. obviously last forever, especially for someone that didn't start until they were 12, 13. That's like in the figure skating world. So ⁓ was just kind of looking for a way to continue staying fit. And I had some friends from high school that were involved in just like casual running. So I started doing that and then... ⁓ In, I think it was 2019, my best friend said she signed up for a half marathon. So I said, cool, I'm going to sign up for that too, never having done more than a 5K. And here we are. MikeRunsMarathons: Mm-hmm. ⁓ I feel you on the peer pressure part so much. when you first started running, because what I'm hearing is you you kind of are doing it kind of on and off a little bit when you were training for figure skating. I kind of did the same thing, actually. It was a marching band in high school. And one of the things that they actually did to us Marie: Yeah. ⁓ Yeah! Yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: to punish us was make us run laps. So, ⁓ yeah, absolutely, absolutely. But you that you hadn't run more than a 5K when your friend signed up for this half marathon. What kept you going beyond that 5K? Like what mindset, what mentality ⁓ kept going? Marie: Yes, our sport are other people's punishment, right? Yeah. That was cut. Yeah. Bye! Yeah! I think more than anything just like what it did for my mental health because I ran my first 5k in college and it was actually part of a mental health. I majored in psychology and one of our classes which was called health psychology, one of our projects was we were supposed to like do something basically like for mental health and to improve our health whether it was physical or mental. And basically my project was about like running and how it affected. my mental health. So I was just planning on doing like the one 5k. I wasn't necessarily planning on continuing it further than that. But I still remember like being in ⁓ and to be fair, like for this 5k, I did not follow a ⁓ structured training plan. Like I just went out and ran a little bit when it felt good. And I did most of my training on a track because that was how I knew I could measure my miles. I didn't have like a running watch at that point. So I was like, okay, four laps on the track is a mile. I know I did that. then like being at my first ⁓ and being in the corrals for that, it was part of like our big city St. Louis marathon. ⁓ I was listening to people who were doing the ⁓ on Saturday and then planning on doing like the full marathon the next day and ⁓ hearing them talk about it and hearing ⁓ a guy who was like, I'm pretty sure in his seventies talking about how like, ⁓ this will be my, you know, 20 something marathon. My goal is just to finish. And it was, it was very inspiring. You know, you have this idea on the outside of the running world that to be a marathoner, I don't know, like it has to be the people that you see on TV, like professionals. And you don't realize how like literally anyone can do this. People of all different ages, people that look all different ways. And then, As I continued with it, I think I just noticed the improvements in my mental health and just, it's hard not to be sucked into the running community that is for the most part, I think so supportive. MikeRunsMarathons: Absolutely. It's funny you mentioned the person talking about their 20 something marathon because I did a 5k over the weekend and I'm standing there. They're about to announce the winners and everything and this guy is talking to his friend. He's a little bit older and he's like what what marathon is coming up? What number and he goes 138 and I was like, I'm you just said that so nonchalantly like it was nothing. Marie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 20 something now, like in retrospect is like, it's still impressive. But now I know people in the running community that have done, you know, over a hundred that have done them in every state more than once. And it's like, yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: Mm-hmm. It's wild. Like the more people that you meet in the running community, you think that there's like a level that you can get to and then you find someone that's like three levels above that. It's it's it's insane. But it's so inspiring because it just as you pointed out, you know, you hear these people talk about running a marathon. My best friend and I used to live in New York City. Her best friend ran the New York City Marathon 2019 and talked Marie: Right. ⁓ Mm-hmm. MikeRunsMarathons: supporting her during the race and how inspiring it was just to watch her meet them in the Bronx and be able to provide her with, you know, that extra level of support when you're at mile 2021 and you're in the pain cave. And that really inspired me to want to kind of get in the action and be a part of that. Now, so you talked about getting started for your mental health and the class that you took. Was there a memory or some sort of moment Marie: Yeah. Yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: early in your running journey that sticks with you that kind of was like an aha moment of, know, that I like this running is for me and I want to keep doing. Marie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I wouldn't say like immediately in that first year that I was doing like the 5k, but I think a couple years later when I signed up for the half marathon, you know, because my friend did ⁓ all my ⁓ and everything, you know, that was kind of the furthest I had ever run was that kind of three, four mile mark. And I remember always thinking like, it would be cool if I could run five miles someday. Like that was just a, that was a feat that seemed out there that seemed impossible at the time. I was the kid that would like cry over running the mile in gym class. Like I, I hated it. I got anxiety all year about it. And then I remembered doing that when I was doing my first half marathon training and it being easier than I anticipated it being. And And that kind of seemed to open up like a new world of possibilities for me. So yeah, I would say that. And granted that was in the gym on a treadmill. So it was different than it feels now, but yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: Listen, I started training on a treadmill because I hate running outside in the cold and I started running probably like early fall, so it was starting to get colder. I have Raynaud's, so my hands freeze up when it gets really, especially right now because it's freezing outside. so like it literally is physically painful. So I trained for the first probably six months just on a treadmill. So ain't nothing wrong with running your first miles on a treadmill. Marie: Yeah. ⁓ Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Now, right. Now I hate the treadmill. I do everything I can to avoid it. But yeah, it is necessary sometimes. MikeRunsMarathons: Absolutely, absolutely. we talked about how running gave you confidence and helped your mental health. And ran that half marathon ⁓ and sure broadening your horizons and made you realize, ⁓ I can go further if I really trained and did this. So when you run now, if we look at right now, ⁓ what is usually on your mind? Is it a PR? Is it a... Marie: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. MikeRunsMarathons: Like mental clarity, is it something else that you're chasing that you're trying to get down? Marie: It on the day. I mean, I run first and foremost for my mental health, but ⁓ also think ⁓ PRs, especially because I think even though I'm still definitely not fast or what most people would consider fast, I'm a lot faster than I used to be. my first my first full marathon was Chicago in 2022. And I got into that on lottery and that was, it was amazing. mean, Chicago's an amazing race, but it was also survival mode. I technically finished over that six and a half hour cutoff. So like I had a medal I'm listed as a finisher. ⁓ don't think it counts as far as like having a star goes ⁓ far as attending one of the world majors. So since I've taken well over an hour. ⁓ off of my marathon time. like, from I used to have to look at marathons and kind of look for that marathon that had maybe a seven hour cutoff, now I'm, I mean, I'm happy that I don't have to do that anymore. And I can actually, I don't have to think about like ⁓ requesting early start and that I, you know, I'd like to see how far I can get my ⁓ time down. I had marathon, a little over two weeks ago now, I was wanting to go sub 530. ⁓ I was 538, but granted the course was all my other marathons had been very flat marathons, ⁓ this one was very hilly. So like, okay, maybe if it had been flat, like maybe my next flat marathon, break 530. ⁓ MikeRunsMarathons: That's awesome you ran Chicago in 2022, because that was the first time I ran Chicago too. I ran with the charity. that's really cool that we actually ran that together. Marie: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it was a good day from what I remember. Like the weather was good and everything. I know a lot of people went out too fast because of that. MikeRunsMarathons: ⁓ yeah, I was one of those people trying to break a sub four and that did not happen. But that is unfortunately the marathon. Anything can go wrong at any moment during the race, no matter how big or small. you talked about your running goals or ⁓ when you to run is different based off of kind of what's going on at the moment, whether you're training. Marie: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: for a marathon trying to bring down your finish time, increase your pace, or if it's just for the mental clarity. ⁓ Is there any sort of running goal that you have that means more than a finish time? That's something that's emotional, personal? Marie: Yeah. ⁓ yeah. Yeah, I mean I think... I think earlier this year I sort of had that just because, so I've done actually going from half marathon to marathon to now talking about the ultra world. I've done two 50 Ks and part of that was because I have a fiance who I met also in the running community and he is an ultra marathoner. So I've been roped into that a little bit through him, but the 50 K I had this year was It was very tough mentally to get through. I had actually this past spring, I DNF'd my first race ever, which was a marathon, a road marathon. And part of that was because the before the race, we had to put down our cat who was 16 years old. ⁓ And I made it like 12.7 miles. Neither of us were having fun, me and my fiance. So we just kind of noped out. ⁓ And then I signed up for another marathon like a month later and I ended up, was sick, I had an ear infection, I was having vertigo. So it's kind of just hard to get back into that, know, like they say, once you DNF, once you step up, it's so easy to like kind of resort to that, like when things are going hard. And so I was around like mile 14, 15 of my 50K knowing I had... 15 plus miles to go and it was it was a really tough mental space. So that race, I mean, I did not PR at that race. I did not have a time I was particularly proud of, but having that finisher medal for that race, I think that is honestly a race that I'm probably more proud of just because I went through a lot of things mentally, emotionally to get there. So like, even though it wasn't my best time, I MikeRunsMarathons: ⁓ huh. Marie: You know, what I love most about running is that feeling when you think you can't go any further, but then you do it anyway. So I would say that that matters more to me than a particular, like PR or finish time. MikeRunsMarathons: Yes. ⁓ I completely agree with you 100%. I mean, I love what Kipchoge says, which is, you know, no human is limited. ⁓ ⁓ one thing that you learn in a marathon ⁓ you're in the pain cave. I mean, there have been many times where I have called my wife during my marathons. I like, I can hate this. ⁓ the Berlin Marathon in September. It was 80 degrees and ⁓ cloud covering. I got such bad sunburn and I called her at mile 17. I was like, ⁓ want to quit. Marie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. ⁓ my God, that sounds miserable. MikeRunsMarathons: Like, I don't want to do this. And, you know, those are the moments where you learn so much about yourself, about not quitting. Marie: Yeah. And I've been, I think I've been incredibly fortunate that I've had my fiance there with me in a lot of my races because he's a runner and he is faster than me. So he can like pace me at a lot of my events, but he's also had to listen to me complain and be dramatic a lot of times in these events. And he's kind of had to coach me through those moments. So I know I'm, I'm lucky in that regard, but ⁓ MikeRunsMarathons: Mm-hmm. Marie: You know, I've also crewed for him at his ultras, so I've seen him in less than great scenarios too. MikeRunsMarathons: You've seen him. Yeah, so you've seen it. You've seen it one way. He's seen it the same. Yeah, yeah, it's funny. I got my wife to do her first 5k two years ago and and it was really funny because I got a video of her crossing the finish line. She came up to me she was like, I love crossing the finish line. I hated everything else before that. And I was like, you know what, Touche, that makes that that that is absolutely true. And I was training her. Marie: Yeah. ⁓ awesome. Yeah. Yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: last year because she was going to try to qualify for New York. And I remember we would go out and run walk and she would she would complain the whole time. Just be like, I can't breathe. I hate this. I don't like this. Can we I want to go home. And I'm like, just get to this mailbox. Just get to this tree and then ⁓ be OK. And then we'll walk a little bit. And, know, those are the moments where you you think I can't Marie: Awesome. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. MikeRunsMarathons: I can't go on and you just take one extra step. You just put one foot in front of the other as you pointed out and get to a level that you realize you look back and you go, ⁓ I thought I was I thought that was me back there. This I'm up here now. I guess I guess I can do this. balancing running and your training. Marie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm hmm. MikeRunsMarathons: with your work, your relationships, mental health, the stress that comes up. How are you able to balance? I know you're also getting married soon, so I know that that's really stressful. Marie: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, again, I think I have it kind of fortunate because to a degree for me that all goes together. ⁓ I work in run specialty I am engaged to an runner. So like, obviously we all prioritize similar things. ⁓ we have a somewhat later start to our work days than a lot of people at a running store opening between 10 and 11. So, you know, they do that so their employees have time to run in the morning if they want to. And also like they're gonna if you request off for something like a race, a marathon, that's gonna be entirely understandable. But I'm not saying still it isn't, you know, it isn't difficult. There's still time restraints. There's still things like that. I just think the accountability is big. Having someone around that is also running and training and we can kind of rely on each other for that accountability. We met each other through both working and run specialty. So we met there working there in 2021 and yeah, now we're here. MikeRunsMarathons: That's incredible. know, that is also really good luck, you know, with being able to find somebody who's in the running community and who understands it and supports you in it and is able to do it with you, which is fantastic. ⁓ Now, I know you talked about your DNF when your cat passed away and that sounds like a really, really difficult race mentally. ⁓ Has there been a time that you can either use that Marie: Yeah. Yes, sure. Mm-hmm. Yes. MikeRunsMarathons: example or if you have another one of a time when you doubted your path as a runner and you questioned it as to whether or not you either belonged in the running community as a runner or if you were choosing the right distances or things like that. Marie: Yeah. Yeah, I would say, I don't know if I would point to any like one specific instance, but I would just say in general being a, a slower runner. I have done the run walk method for a long time. Now I have longer runs than I used to, but like when I was training for Chicago in 2022. So I joined Working in run specialty working at a fleet feet here in St. Louis. I joined like the fleet feet running club here, which I mean I was already working there. So that just made sense and I had been in that club since before I worked there. But joined the marathon training program. You know, we have all different pace groups and we were like the first ever. We were like there hadn't been a marathon training group for our speed before. Like we were the guinea pigs in terms of that pace. Previously been like you had to be at least this time to be training for the marathon And so it was me and it was two other girls Katie and Amanda and then ⁓ Katie's husband Tom who? was our coach he had been in the in the program for a long time and we we called ourselves the turbo turtles ⁓ We all had stuff from I don't know if you've heard of the running brand sprints, but they have like the fun pattern hats and stuff so we had the MikeRunsMarathons: Okay. Marie: turtle patterned hats and singlets and all kinds of stuff like that. So that helped a lot, but you I still get comments ⁓ from people in the running community. I've had customers tell me at work, you don't look like a runner. I've had, you know, seen things where people say this pace isn't running, it's walking. It makes me. ⁓ self-conscious of my own mild times, even when I tell myself it shouldn't be, even when I know I wouldn't ever tell someone that, that I wouldn't tell someone that a, you know, 13 minute pace isn't running. I still look down and I see I did a 1230 and I don't mean to, but I speed up. Like it's... ⁓ It's easy to start second guessing yourself when you hear so much. I think for the most part, the running community is really positive and really supporting, but you get those people both online and in person. So I think it's just easy to think like, should I really be doing this? Should I be pretending like I'm a marathoner when I walk ⁓ some every marathon that I do? But I know better. I know that's not the case, but it's, I understand why. ⁓ It's easy, I'm sure with newcomers to the sport too, seeing that kind of stuff on the internet, how easy it could be to give up. MikeRunsMarathons: Yeah, think that's probably the biggest issue with people that want to get into running that are afraid to and it's because they think I should be running a seven minute mile immediately and if I can't after my first second third run I'm a failure and I need to quit because I'm not a runner ⁓ and ⁓ See a lot of people on the internet who post that and I try to make it a habit to respond to it Because it is not because the majority of those people Marie: Yeah. Yeah. Same. MikeRunsMarathons: that are probably saying that are people that don't run. They probably don't exercise as much as you do or at all. And I always think of the quote, you'll never meet a hater who's doing better than you. I try to remember that whenever I have anybody comment on anything of mine or if I see anything like that for anybody else, because the last thing that we want, I mean, you probably have seen this working a fleet feed, the running just sport in general has exploded in the last five years. Marie: Right. Yes. Yes, absolutely. MikeRunsMarathons: And it's wonderful. There's so many more people that are running. So many more people that want to run for their mental health, that want to run to get healthier, lose weight, know, run these marathons, run races, or just run for fun. And we want to make sure that the sport is as inclusive as possible for everybody. Whether you run a four minute mile or if you run a 14, 15 minute mile, it doesn't matter. We're all going in the same direction. Marie: it Yeah. Yeah. Mm Yeah. Yes. MikeRunsMarathons: The one thing that I also love is when you do a marathon, you and the winner cross the same finish line and you get the same medal. like. Marie: Yes. Exactly. That's yes, because I love being on. I wasn't there. I was in Chicago in twenty twenty two, not twenty three when the world record was set. But I was like, I was thinking about that, that I was like, I love that I can run on a course the same day, same course as that the world record could be set. I love that that philosophy a lot. But, you know, kind of touching on what you said about like seeing that firsthand working at Fleet Feet. ⁓ One thing I always make sure to ask people when I sit down with someone is, you know, because we fit people, we fit a lot of people that aren't necessarily even runners. We fit a lot of walkers. We fit a lot of people like just in pain for work shoes, things like that. But I never want to assume why they're there. I never want to assume that someone is there not for running. So I'm always like, what are you using these shoes for? Are you running, walking? And a lot of people will get like, oh no, I don't run. And I'm like, okay, well like. I wouldn't have known that. Like, what does a runner look like? Like, I look like a runner? I'm like, I don't know, sure. Like, running doesn't have one or one type. But ⁓ one thing do also hear people say a lot is I run, but I'm not a runner. And I'm like, well, why not? Why not? Like, cause you don't race? Cause you don't, like, you're a runner. ⁓ MikeRunsMarathons: Mm-hmm. Hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm if you put one front in front of the other you lace up your shoes you go outside you get on the treadmill You're a runner. It doesn't matter what what page you are Marie: Yeah. Yeah. for sure. MikeRunsMarathons: we about running has helped your mental health, how you've kind of been to face a lot of struggles while racing and how it's you in your own struggles outside of that. And I want to know kind beyond running, what impact do you hope that your own running journey has on people who follow you or listen to this podcast. Marie: Yeah, I mean, I just, I really would like to, and I need to get better about just being consistent about posting, about running and on social media, but I just want to especially be a voice for, you know, the slower runners, people that don't necessarily feel like they are a runner or like that they belong at, whether it's a world major, whether it's just their city marathon, whether it's a 5k. ⁓ Because I know it's so easy to fall into those traps of seeing one image in the running community and assuming when posting about BQs and about, I don't know, ⁓ a lot different, you know, ⁓ qualifications and achievements, which is all awesome. ⁓ I want see that and I think that's awesome and I would... love that, but like realistically I know me and my running journey, like I'm never gonna be Q and that's okay. I have my own goals and my own aspirations and it's still definitely a worthwhile journey to be on. Running is, being a and being a pug mom, those are like ⁓ the two important like things I see myself as ⁓ today, so. My pug is sitting right underneath me right now snorting so. Waffles. Let's see if I can get her a waffle. MikeRunsMarathons: You know, what's your what's your pug's name? I love that. my god, ⁓ is so cute. ⁓ Marie: She's gonna be a flower girl in my wedding. MikeRunsMarathons: I love that so much. My aunt had pugs. I think she's had four or five of them so far since I was a kid. ⁓ my God, she's so cute. Marie: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, thinks she's a runner. She thinks she wants to go outside and run, but then she can't make it very far without snorting. ⁓ MikeRunsMarathons: ⁓ yeah. Mm hmm. No, so cute. I love it. So these next two questions, one, I want to look forward and then I want to look backwards. So let's start with forward first. And you kind of touched on this because you have goals in mind. How do you see yourself evolving as a runner in the next, we could do five years, we could do three years, even a year. Marie: Yeah. one thing that I really want to get better at is strength training. ⁓ mean, I strength train a lot more than I used to, but I just want to become, ⁓ know there's a lot of aspects, both speed and just by feeling stronger on my runs that I could get better about. ⁓ I want to get better at that. I would, I really hoping that I can get back to Chicago next year. Cause I want to do Chicago again, having taken so much time off of. Marathon time now and be able to feel like I'm actually racing it and not just surviving it we'll find out about lottery tomorrow results come out tomorrow If I don't get in lottery, then I may look into a charity route as well It's been Obviously, it's been a busy year with wedding planning and everything But yeah, I mean I would I would like to the marathons my favorite distance I see myself prioritizing the marathon still ⁓ But like I said, I've done two 50Ks and I feel like probably eventually my fiance will rope me into a 50-miler because he's training for 100 right now. And ⁓ MikeRunsMarathons: That is dedication. I've thought about going into the ultra realm and then of them are trails ⁓ I go trail running and I'm terrible at trail running. Marie: Yeah. I do, my ultras have been like rail trails, like very flat gravel trails. So like that is the extent of what I will do. Like I am, and I think part of it is still that I am slower than the average runner. Cause like that's even slower on roads. I get on trails and I feel just like really, slow. feel like I'm barely running. So I let Matt, my fiance stick to the trails and then I make fun of him, make him run on roads because he's more of a trail runner than I am. I hiking, so it doesn't really make sense. You'd think I would love trail running too, but I don't. ⁓ MikeRunsMarathons: Yeah, my issue with trail running is I trip a lot. And there have been many times where I'm very surprised that I did not break my ankle with the way that I fall on land. ⁓ my goodness. Now looking backwards, if you were to go ⁓ to day one of running, let's say you see Marie: Mm-hmm, same. Yes. Yeah. ⁓ MikeRunsMarathons: Day one, Marie, starting out with running for the first time, run the 5K, you sign up for the half. If you could give that person one piece of advice from you're at now, what would that be? Marie: you Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. in yourself more don't I mean I I don't want to say don't give up as easily because I obviously didn't give up I'm still running but just like Don't listen to the pace critics, ⁓ know do you? And also like strength train and ⁓ do you can outside of like outside of just running, you know, to involve yourself in the community, which is all stuff like I eventually did. I just think like doing it sooner would have been beneficial because I spent a lot of time in my own head about whether, you know, I should be doing this and not really knowing about running and how to train and things I could be doing just to help myself feel better, massaging and foam rolling and things like that. But yeah, just. You know, believe in yourself, don't give up. Running's gonna suck at first. When you're first starting out, like, it's gonna be hard. That doesn't mean that you don't belong there and that you're not gonna enjoy it. It's just you're starting out with anything new. Like, trust the process and know you're gonna grow from there. MikeRunsMarathons: I love how those of us that are, I don't want to say seasoned runners, but people who have done these races and run for at least a little bit, their first advice to everybody is, it's gonna suck. It's so funny, like we love running, but it's gonna suck. ⁓ love that piece of advice because you would not expect that from people who love something, ⁓ but it is so ⁓ Marie: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and I still absolutely have runs that suck even now. Like it's not gonna be 100 % enjoyable all of the time. It's just something that you, you know, it's gonna get better. Like with anything, when you start out, it's gonna, you're probably not gonna be amazing at it right away. MikeRunsMarathons: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Absolutely. No, no, you're absolutely true. That is 100 % correct. I remember, I mean, my goal when I first started running, because I would get on the treadmill and press start and the treadmill would just go for 20 minutes. And I just wanted to run that whole 20 minutes without stopping. And that took me months. And it, it was terrible at first, I couldn't run more than like 20 seconds. And then it builds up from there. I remember I tried to run my first 10K on a treadmill and I would always stop halfway through and I would tell myself, there's no way that people would run for six miles completely without stopping. Everybody has to stop in between and pause and get a drink or catch their breath. And ⁓ what I taught myself for some reason that ⁓ the entire beginning and ⁓ eventually devolves and it gets better and it still sucks at times, but you find that it doesn't suck as much as it used to. ⁓ Marie: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. For sure, yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: This next segment is ⁓ quickfire questions. I call it the hot seat. So, you give me your answers just off top of your head. I think I probably know some of these answers already, but I'm gonna say them anyway. ⁓ Trailer Road. Marie: Okay. Okay. Right? MikeRunsMarathons: Favorite running shoe brand right now. Marie: Asics. Just cause of the super blast. Yeah. Yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: Okay. Good shoe. Good shoe. Sweet or savory post-run meal. Marie: that on, normally I say sweet, but like after every marathon I've ever done, we've always gone for pizza. So maybe savory should be the right answer. ⁓ Yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: Hmm. OK, OK. And what is the one piece of running gear that you can't live without? Marie: ⁓ I guess I shouldn't say shoes. I should say like something else like, Socks, good socks, because everyone underestimates the importance of good socks. And I always tell people, like, when I'm working, you know, at a running store, I'm not trying to sell you on a specific brand necessarily. Just don't wear cotton, because cotton socks are gonna suck. Like, you're gonna get blisters. MikeRunsMarathons: Okay, yes. Yeah, I just finished a run the other day and I tore up the top of my foot because my socks were too thin. Now, the final portion ⁓ of podcast is to ⁓ answer two questions that I ⁓ going to take back and it with other people. And the first is what I call the motivation library. And so what I want you to give me ⁓ is... ⁓ Marie: Yeah. Okay. cat. MikeRunsMarathons: one quote or a mantra or a line that gets you through the tough miles. Marie: Do what you think you can't do. MikeRunsMarathons: Hmm, I like that. I like that. And then want you to picture yourself running Chicago in 2026. You're crossing the finish line, right? What song do you want to play as you cross that finish line? Marie: Okay. Yeah. Yes. ⁓ that's a good one. I don't know, maybe because of the recent album release, I'm gonna say the life of a showgirl. I titled, I think the day after that album came out, I titled my run on Strava like the life of a runner girl. Yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: Okay, okay. There's nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that. ⁓ my goodness. love that. I love it. Well, Marie, that's all the questions that I have for today. I really want to thank you for your story, ⁓ your heart, your miles that you went through with us today. You know, the way that you show up for runners and for individuals from mental health advocacy standpoint and for the community with the people that you help with their own running journeys. Marie: Okay, sounds good. Of course. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. MikeRunsMarathons: is really special and it's really inspiring. You really remind us that running doesn't have to be perfect in order to be powerful ⁓ that it can just be ours individually and that our own stories are just as important as anybody else's. ⁓ I'm really grateful for you to join me today on Your Own Pace. Marie: Yeah. Yes. for sure. Of course. Thank you so much for having me. MikeRunsMarathons: Of course. Thank you so much for tuning in to At Your Own Pace. Whether you're walking, jogging, racing, or just dreaming about started, you belong here Until next time, keep running your story one mile at a time, and I will see you in the next one. Bye.