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461: Elena Hayday - I Am Ready · C Tolle Run

• C Tolle Run: Hey everyone, before we get going, I want to give a quick thank you to our friends at Tailwind Nutrition for supporting CTali Run. You guys know I love products that are simple, especially when we're training hard and life is busy. Tailwind gives you your energy, your calories, your hydration, and your electrolytes all in one, and it's super easy on the stomach. I love that. Whether you're training for a fall marathon, getting out for a long run, or just trying to keep your energy steady throughout the day, Tailwind makes fueling easy. Head on over to Tailwind Nutrition and use the code TOLY20 to save twenty percent off. Hey everyone, welcome back to C Tally Run. I'm Olympian Carrie Tellison and today on the show we have Minnesota Distance Elites, Elena KD. I can't wait. We've had her On the show a little bit with Minnesota Distance Elite when I'm at live events with them, but this is her first solo episode. So we're gonna get to hear all about her story. She's been on an incredible rise over the last couple of years. She's coming off a huge breakthrough at the Boston Marathon, where she ran 224.45 and finished 13th overall. And she just took second at the USATF 20K Championships and officially signed with Puma just a couple of months ago. So much exciting things have happened in the last year or two for Elena. And if that isn't enough, you guys, she is not just running full-time. She is also working towards getting her PhD in neuroscience. Yes. She is studying the brain. She is brilliant. And we are so excited to have her on the show. We're gonna talk about her progression, balancing, high-level running with some pretty intense academics, what she's learned about herself along the way, and what she's chasing next. So let's get after it. Carrie: Excited have you on the show. Elena: Hi, thank you so much for having me. Carrie: How you doing? Tell us where you are right now. What are you doing right now? Elena: I am currently at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, which is a center at the University of Minnesota. It's actually right on River Road. So I work here every day. and then I get to like go right out the door and go for my second run, which is great. Carrie: that's perfect. You are so busy, Elena. Like I can't get over it. I mean, when I watch you race, that's all I think about. It's like, what does she have going on now that she's gonna get done with this race and have to zip home and get to another class or you know, studying, whatever. I mean, you are just on fire right now. Let's talk about that. Second at the 20K, just a little over a week ago, getting ready for Chicago. So tell me how you're feeling. were you super surprised with that? Were you not? Tell us a little bit about the twenty K. Elena: Yeah, I've been feeling pretty good. this is my third consecutive marathon build, which I've actually never done before. So I was a little bit worried going into it, thinking, you know, am I gonna be a little bit tired? Do I Carrie: Yeah. Elena: still have, you know, fitness to build on? and I would say through July I was writing a grant and Carrie: Mm. Elena: things were not going very well. and then I turned that in end of July and August. definitely rounded a corner, both in terms of, you know, time for myself and the way running was going, which is certainly not a coincidence. and yeah, all of August had great workouts going into the 20K was sort of like I, you know, I think I've got an outside chance to win this. Like I really felt like I was in really good fitness. and I think part of The things that I've been working on during this build and kind of going into the fall is I started working with a sports psychologist for the first time. Carrie: Okay. Elena: so I don't know if you've noticed while watching me race, hopefully not, but I attend at least up until this fall to run alone a lot. and part of that I think has been I have a tendency to pick out a time that I think I can run. and just do that for the race regardless of what other people are doing. And going into the 20K, my sports psychologist really challenged me to make a a goal that didn't relate to time. And so my goal was find the front pack and stick on it for as long as I can. And she was like, I think you can, you know, run pretty fast doing this, but don't make that the focus. And so my process goal was try to stick on a pack. try not to fall off the pack and if they make a surge, follow the surge again, something I've never done before. and yeah, I mean it worked out pretty well for me. So I'm I'm excited about trying to, you know, turn some new turn some new knobs and see where else I can get to in racing. Carrie: I love that. I love that you're Doing other things. I mean, obviously you are so into the brain and what the brain does, but now you're really using that for your training, you're in your racing and in everyday life. I mean, that's really cool. But in that race, there were all kinds of things kind of going on. And that's the cool thing about racing, right? We don't know what other people are doing. You have your individual plan. But in that 20K, I mean, we had Dagepha go hard. She pushed. She was kind of all by herself. We're she was surrounded by some guys. And then there was that pack. And not always were you up in the front of that. You were kind of all around. so how do you keep your composure then when you know you're still doing your own thing, but the pack and then there's a leader, there's all kinds of stuff going on. Elena: Yeah, I mean this is really the first race where I was paying attention to pack dynamics. Carrie: Okay. Elena: and so when I was feeling good, I went to the front of the pack and then when I wasn't feeling good, I would let someone else lead. but really was trying to focus on not letting them completely go. And there were a couple points where they made a surge that I didn't quite cover, but usually would come back to me up until the point that Rachel Rudell went at Carrie: Mm. Yeah. Elena: like eight miles, and I was like, ooh, I can't cover that one. but yeah, I I felt like you know, you're talking you've talked a little bit about how we intersect with the brain and psychology while we're racing and I tend to have a lot of like internal focus so I'll be doing a lot of monitoring the whole time. So how good do I feel? should I be going faster? Should I be going slower? How are my energy levels? And the main goal with this race was to try to push that focus more externally. And so I actually thought it was great that there was so much going on in the pack because it didn't really allow me to turn that focus inward and so I was like, I don't know how this person's breathing, this person's moving to the front. you know, I should pay attention to that instead and I I thought that was really helpful. Carrie: Find this fascinating because so oftentimes, and it maybe was the way that I needed a race, but I had coaches that would say, Turn your brain off and just run, like stop thinking and just run. But yet I'm listening to you, and there might be times, and we haven't gotten too far into it, where you do try to turn your brain off and just use your instinct and just run. But also, how in the world do you keep that confidence up there when you were saying that sometimes you felt good and you led, and sometimes you did it, and you just tried to cover moves? Like, how do you feel? Like you have that confidence or where did that come from that you can not take a breather, you know, you're not like sitting back on your heels just watching the race go before you. You're still intense and you're still in it. But how do you think that you are confident enough to be able to let somebody else lead for a little bit and not feel like you have to be up on their shoulder or touching the lead? Elena: I think that comes from kind of the month of workouts leading up to it, as well as kind of like the Boston and some of those races around there where I know that I am really good at closing and I know that I can hurt for a really long time. And so I can let somebody else lead knowing like I usually do even longer races than this twenty K. Like I'm gonna be able to kind of turn it on when I need to, and maybe that time is not right now. But I mean also part of this exercise that I was doing with my sports psychologist was that I I'm not gonna feel confident a hundred percent of the time, Carrie: Yeah. Elena: but I also have to push through that and even if I'm not feeling confident, I can move back, but I can't let them go. and Carrie: Yeah. Elena: I think I executed that pretty well. Carrie: That is really cool. And I want to talk about Boston. because I feel like, you know, those of us who know you and those of us who have watched you, you could see this this build, right? But you really nailed it there and you had a huge breakthrough in Boston. Tell us what that felt like to see two twenty four on the clock and and to be up there in the front, you know. I mean, you were thirteenth overall, I believe. And right? Yeah. Yeah. Elena: Think so. I think so, yeah. Carrie: And you know, now you're in con the conversation. Like you are second at the USATF championships. Like you are always kind of right there and people are noticing you every time you tow the line. So what did Boston do for you? Elena: You know, I've gotten this question a couple times, and it's interesting because I think leading up to Boston, I felt like a 224 runner. And Carrie: Mm-hmm. Elena: I think going into New York, I felt like a 227 runner. And before that, I felt like a 229 runner. And there were times that I hadn't run yet, but I knew based on workouts that it was possible. and so I don't feel like when I crossed the line in in Boston that it like shifted my whole view of myself. It was more like Okay, I'm nailing something here. The things that I'm doing are working. but it's also, I mean, it obviously shifted my life at least a little bit. I'm I'm now sponsored by Puma. I can say that I'm doing this yes, in July. Carrie: Yeah. Which you officially signed in August, was it? Jul late July Okay, August. Okay. Elena: In July. so you know, I'm putting a little bit more time into running now. and I think it also opened up the times beyond 224. Carrie: Right. Elena: which I'm really excited about because prior to Boston I was like, you know, I think I can be in that two twenty four to two twenty six range. I don't know if that's my ceiling. Carrie: Mm. Elena: but I mean based on the way that I've been working out this fall and the fact that I'm I'm only twenty six and I've got a lot more years of doing this, I think that is probably not the ceiling. Carrie: That's so awesome. I mean, it's so fun to hear. And, you know, what I think is really neat is that you kinda had this this moment, or maybe I don't know when it happened, but when you were getting ready for Boston or during the race in Boston where you're like, I'm gonna have a day. Elena: Yeah, I think both happened. I I was having a really good build up. and I don't know, I just felt good about it. I think my mom even made a comment the day before we went out to lunch in Boston. She was like, I've never seen you so calm before a race. I was like, I don't know, I just feel ready. I think I've run a lot of races where I haven't felt ready, where I've been coming off of injury, or I didn't quite have the build up that I wanted and I wasn't sure how it was gonna go. but for Boston I was like This is definitely the fittest I've ever been. with a marathon, nothing's guaranteed. Even being the fittest you've ever been, you're not necessarily gonna have the race you want, which I mean, my New York marathon really showed that. but yeah, then probably like fourteen miles into Boston, I was like, yeah, no, we're doing this. Carrie: That is amazing. I mean, it is so fun to hear. Cause it, I mean, you know better than anybody. It doesn't happen that often where you just have a day where it clicks or have a year or whatever it may be, but you have to celebrate those moments. Because we have all these moments where we're just kind of always like trying to be better, be better, be better. But I hope you celebrate Elena: Mm. Carrie: it after that one because you deserve it. We all deserve to celebrate. Elena: Yeah, I mean there was definitely a little bit of celebration in Boston. My Carrie: Mm-hmm. Elena: partner drove up from Connecticut and my parents had flown out so we all went out to dinner, but Carrie: Nice. Elena: I did have to turn in the first draft of a grant like a couple of weeks later. So I got back and it was definitely back to work. Carrie: Of course you did. Elena: Yeah. Carrie: I'm gonna get to that. We're gonna talk all about that, but I wanna kinda keep like figuring out some of the fun stuff about you. So, like, let's go back to maybe high school and college. Tell us a little bit about how you got into the sport and what has kept you in it all these years. You know, there when you I think part of the fun the fun part about your story is you had success. You're a very good runner, but it kind of now seems like the longer you go, the better you are. And so you have to sort of grind out some of those years where we don't have 10Ks and then we get to college we have a 10k but we don't have a half marathon or a 20k or whatever. So let's talk a little bit about your journey into the sport and how how you've gotten here. Elena: So I think I might have told this story to you in fact before, but certainly not on your platform. So I'll tell it now. So Carrie: Yeah. Elena: I used to be in like middle school and early high school. I was primarily a volleyball player. I did that in the fall and in the winter. And I'd also played softball before that. And my parents actually went to the like preseason meeting for track and field and told the coach that I could run A 60 second 400 meter, and he said, Great, I'd love to have her. I would put her on varsity. I had probably never run on a track before. actually, that's not true. I did like one season in middle school, and I think I was okay, but I didn't love it. I didn't come back for like the next few years of middle school. in my first year on the track and field team, I did break 60 in the 400 meters. I ran my first one actually. We had one indoor meet. It was at the University of Minnesota Indoor Track. And it was a four by four hundred meters. And I ran in lane two in trainers. Carrie: Okay. Elena: and after that my high school coach was like, Yeah, you gotta get our spikes. So we we went out, we bought spikes. That first year I mostly did the 200 and the 400, and then just kind of slowly moved up. And I don't Carrie: Mm-hmm. Elena: think even in college, I never saw myself as a marathoner. it was just kind of like I happened I felt like I just happened to get better every time Carrie: Mm. Elena: that I got moved up in distance. but yeah, so I ran through high school. It didn't go great, but I was pretty good. I never made it individually to state, just made it to state in relays. and then I ran for a couple years for the University of Minnesota and that didn't go great. I definitely was getting better, but I was not having a very good time. both academically and on the team, or rather I guess I wasn't having a good time balancing that. so I ended up actually leaving the team I think in winter of twenty twenty one. and then I moved out to Washington DC for a job. And I I guess I'm leaving out a part of my story. And Carrie, I don't know if you remember this. After I left the team, I was still in college at University of Minnesota. And I didn't know what I wanted to do with running, so I decided to run the Twin Cities Marathon. Do you remember this? We were on Carrie: I do remember this. Yes, I do. And you beat me and you were you passed me over by the falls. Elena: Yeah, and we were on a press call before the marathon together. yeah, Carrie: Huh. Elena: so yeah, 'cause I think they didn't have a pro field that year. They just had kind of like a local elite field. it went super badly. I did not run a very good marathon. I did break three. Carrie: You still you still beat me. Elena: Yeah, sorry. Yeah, you're right. Carrie: Ha ha ha. Elena: but I mean I guess I mean to say it didn't really make me feel like I had a ton of promise as a marathoner. but then I moved Yes. Carrie: Yeah. It was like 30 minutes slower than what you are now. 30 minutes. That's wild to say. Elena: Exactly. Yeah, I I moved out to Washington DC and I kind of just wanted friends. Carrie: Yeah. Elena: and I wanted to keep running, but I was like, I don't know how to make friends as an adult. So I found this running team called Georgetown Running Club. And my coach claims to this day, my old coach, Jerry Alexander from GRC claims that the very first rep at the very first practice I came to, he like, she's got something. So with that team I made massive jumps pretty quickly actually. I think in my first season with them I ran like fifty four thirty for the 10 miles, which Carrie: Hm. Elena: I mean again, now that's marathon pace, but at the time it was like that had been my 5k pace, right? and yeah, I had a couple years with them where I was really going upward and then I stagnated for a couple of years. and then deciding to come to grad school. I was thinking, you know, I I need a new training situation or I wanted a new training situation rather. And Linda was willing to take me on. and my first year on this team, I feel like I was also kind of in that stagnant period. I was the PRing a little but not by much. And then around fall of last year workouts just really started coming together. And I remember one specifically leading up to New York where I was doing a long fart lake and I stayed with Annie the whole time. And I was like, this is really happening. And ever since then, I feel like just every week I'm getting better and it's really exciting. Cause I know that there's Carrie: It's so exciting. Elena: there's gonna be periods in my life where that's not happening. And then of course there will be a period towards the end of my career where I'm just not getting better anymore. So I'm really trying to hold this and be grateful for the period that I'm in. And Carrie: Yeah. Elena: it's I don't know, it's good to be excited about where I'm going. Carrie: for sure. I mean it's so fun to hear and you can s you can hear the excitement, you can see the excitement when you're out there racing. But the thing that I love about you is that you are kind of this well rounded person. You have a lot going on. But did you ever I don't know why I'm thinking of this, but were you ever up in Duluth for a while studying? Or no? Was it always here in the Twin Cities? Elena: No. It's yeah, it's always been in the Twin Cities. Carrie: Okay, you never had like a semester up there. For some reason I thought you did. let's talk about this whole school thing. So you kind of alluded to it, and I think I want to dig into this a little bit because this is a a big subject, I think, for people that sort of gets pushed away. It is a lot to be a full time athlete and a full-time student. And you said it was a lot to juggle. Was it tell me about your academics? Like, was it just too like were you asking yourself too much to take on, like were you studying neuroscience in undergrad too? Like, I mean that's a big thing. Elena: Yes. Carrie: So what what was it about that? Was it just you couldn't keep up with it? was it that it wasn't you had the you didn't have the energy to study? What was going on? Yeah. Elena: In undergrad you mean? Yeah, I I think there were a lot of things going on in undergrad, to be honest. I think it was the combination of, you know, the neuroscience major was really hard. I was running harder than ever in, you know, in practice and also everyone was better than me. and I also have kind of like a lifelong history with major depressive disorder, which actually technically I In the last year I've been in remission for the first time ever. So that's very exciting. Carrie: Yay! Elena: but from like age eight on it was pretty severe and in undergrad it was pretty severe. And so, Carrie: Okay. Elena: you know, that kind of lowers energy levels and motivation Carrie: Yeah. Elena: levels. And I was asking myself to do two things, which is school and running, that require a lot of both, Carrie: Mm. Elena: energy and motivation. And all in all it was I had to Something had to go in order for me to be a healthy person. Carrie: Yeah. Elena: and running was the thing that had to go, ultimately. Carrie: It's interesting because I mean I think So many people just aren't willing to figure out what's going on. And I'm really proud of you for figuring that out at a young age. And you came back. You're s you're still running. You figured out a way to make both work. And now you're doing both. So let's talk about getting your PhD. Where are you doing all the things? I feel like I screwed up every time I talk about you because I'm like, I don't know. She's just doing so much. Like, who works with the brain? Only the most brilliant. So let's hear about it. Elena: Yeah, no, it's okay. I've been in school forever and I will be in school forever, so I don't expect everyone to get it right. but yeah, so I majored in neuroscience in undergrad at University of Minnesota. and then I did a fellowship out at the National Institutes of Health working in neurophysiology of epilepsy. and now I am back at University of Minnesota getting my PhD in neuroscience. so I am entering my third year, so I finished two full years. And the great thing about this program, which I do think is reflected in my running, is that year one is really intense. It's a lot of classes. and then you also start doing lab work, you have a big exam, actually two big exams that are part of a written exam. And the second year you start doing more lab work, you have a couple classes. I finished up classes last fall, actually, and now I'm gonna have to take my oral preliminary exam in November. And then after that, I'm pretty much just doing lab work, which is great for me. so I'll probably have another three years of this, but it is kind of becoming like a nine to five. If I have, you know, more responsibilities, I'll I'll obviously have to work more. but yeah, the first year at some point we calculated it and we were doing like sixty to seventy plus hours of work a week for school. and I would say it's simmered down quite a lot. And that has definitely helped my ability to have the energy to run, but also just like engage in workouts and kind of Carrie: Sure. Elena: want to be out there racing. Cause it it can be tough sometimes when I'm in like a really heavy academic period. Carrie: I'm sure. So you are like halfway through year two then? Is that what you said? Or you into year into year two. So now you're into year three. Okay. Elena: I just finished up year two, I'm starting year three. Yes. Carrie: so and you said this mor or right not this morning, twenty minutes ago, when we got on the call that you are at your job. Is that kind of what you call school? Or do you okay. I mean I get it. You're full time student in Elena: Sorry, yes. Yeah. I yeah. Carrie: full time runner. You're doing everything. But that's kinda what it is. Elena: Yeah, so I I work in this specific building like five days a week. I have a desk. so it it feels like a job. So for simplicity Carrie: Okay. Elena: I usually just say like, I gotta go to work. but yeah. Carrie: Yeah. That makes sense. Okay. what do you want to do with all of this? Like, what is the ultimate goal? Elena: what a good question. my Carrie: And not with running, just with your the neuroscience stuff. Elena: Yeah. So my particular interest is how early life stress and kind of elements of low socioeconomic status affect brain development and lead to later psychiatric disorders. So I'm I'm very passionate about trying to figure out what elements, especially ones that are kind of fixable elements of early development really lead to kind of adverse outcomes later and you know, what can we kind of bring to the bring to communities? in order to improve psychiatric outcomes. And I think with this specific interest, I'm probably going to end up being a professor who conducts research at a university. once you get a PhD, there's lots of things you can do. So you can go into industry, you can work for the government, like in the CDC, for example. Carrie: Wow. Elena: but considering this, you know, specific passion of mine, I think it's gonna make sense for me to do kind of like NIH funded research at a university, which is essentially what I'm gonna be or what I am doing now. So yeah. Carrie: I mean, and I think it's so cool how there has to be s a little bit of overlap and maybe I don't know how much you want to talk about this, Elena, but with your young depression that you've dealt with your entire life, is there s a reason why or is there a correlation between what you're studying and what you've been through? Elena: Little bit. That's certainly not the main motivation, but it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Elena: definitely something I've considered. Is that am I essentially studying myself? Maybe Carrie: Hm. Elena: a little bit. But I think more broadly, I did my minor and undergrad in sociology and became really interested in how power systems kind of intersect with health in the US. So for example, during the coronavirus pandemic, areas that were kind of predominantly low-income or low-resourced. Tended to have higher rates of coronavirus, but then also worse health outcomes. And that pattern is also, you know, holds true for a lot of psychiatric disorders. in fact, sorry, I don't mean to turn on my work voice, you can probably hear it. Carrie: I love it. Elena: but I was gonna say, in fact, we look at functional connections in the brain, and you can actually trace income in functional connections in the brain. obviously income is not a thing that is biologically affecting you, but something is. so is that, you know, access to food? is it, you know, less stable housing? Is Carrie: Mm-hmm. Elena: it something to do with family dynamics and stress? is it something to do with neighborhood environment? And that's kind of what I want to do for I I was gonna say my PhD, but honestly for my entire scientific career is these are things that are modifiable. Right, we can we can go into low socioeconomic communities, we can talk to community leaders, we can figure out what these communities need. and then theoretically, you know, you can help kind of reduce some of these disease burdens. Carrie: That is amazing. do you have see any correlation then with running or with physical activity, movement, com you know, just having community that is maybe going after a similar goal? I mean, what have you figured out with Elena: I mean Carrie: any of that? Elena: I I guess yeah, I don't really think about running with Carrie: Mm-hmm. Elena: with my own research, but certainly community engagement and having a supportive community is kind of a resilience factor against stress, and one that already exists within a lot of communities, which is great. Carrie: That's so cool. How do you think all this studying of the brain though has really kind of made you a world care world class runner? I mean, we talked a little bit about your journey into the sport. Clearly, you had the genes and you had the ability from very early on. It took some time to find that I guess that elite elite status that you have now. but I just wonder, you know, how oftentimes you're reading in a textbook or online or whatever, you're studying, you're doing your research. and you're thinking about how is this making me a better runner? And I I feel like it's just fascinating to hear you talk and to know that you are actually studying what goes on up here actually helps the entire body. Elena: Yeah, you know, I think most of the time I try to separate them for Carrie: Do you? Elena: better or for worse. I am a very heady person. I I get in my head a lot and I think Carrie: Okay. Elena: when I think too much about, for example, how sleep is going to affect my run, because we, you know, we do learn about sleep and I'm like, ooh, I haven't slept enough, Carrie: Yeah. Elena: then I tend to just panic about that. And so with the sports psychologist, I'm sort of trying to learn how to leverage some things about, you know, how where your mind is at can impact how you're perceiving pain. Carrie: Mm-hmm. Elena: and so there's a little bit of that, but most of the time I'm like work is work, neuroscience is neuroscience, and now I get to go have fun. And that's Carrie: I love it. Elena: the running part. Carrie: Yeah, you gotta keep it light. You really do. You're you are in a not Elena: Yeah. Carrie: necessarily heavy, I guess it is. Like what you're studying can be heavy and it is heavy, but also it's very hard. So Elena: Certainly, yeah. Carrie: also there's this you gotta have fun when we're on the run. Like no matter what, no matter what you're chasing, it could be very serious and heavy at times. But if we don't enjoy what we're doing, it's not gonna happen. Let's talk about Minnesota Distance Elite, because what an awesome group. When I was there, it was Team USA Minnesota. Chris was my teammate before he was. coach now Chris Lundstrom is your coach. I mean you have some of the best runners around you. You have some of the up-and-comers. Like what a cool group to be a part of right now. Elena: Yeah, it's super cool. They push me every single day. Carrie: He Elena: and have also really kind of opened my mind to what I can do and what they can do. I feel like everybody works together really well and encourages Carrie: Mm-hmm. Elena: each other. and yeah, when you're working out next to people who are r running times that seem impossible, suddenly they start to seem possible for you as well. Carrie: Yeah, that's what I really noticed. It feels like when you started with the group, you were there, but it was, you know, Annie and Dakota, and you could just see this gap. And those two women were kept saying, watch out for Elena. Watch out for Elena. Like they kept telling me, she's had some amazing workouts. It's it's almost there, it's almost there. And it was so cool to hear those two talk about you like that. I don't know if you knew they were doing that, but every time I would DM them before an event. That you all were going at going into, they would say, Watch out. She's looked great. Like it was so cool. No, I think all they were saying. I Elena: No, I didn't know they were saying that. That's really sweet. Carrie: love that. Big sisters. tell me a little bit about going into Chicago now because you've had this really good solid year. Like you said, maybe a little bit of a lighter load with school. So how you feeling? How's the training? You know, since the twenty K have you recovered and felt felt like you're ready to go? Elena: Yeah, you're catching me at kind of a weird time. We're Carrie: Yeah. Elena: about two and a half weeks out, so the taper starts Sunday. so I just had my biggest mileage week ever, actually last week, which was capped off by a twenty-seven mile long run on Sunday. the morning Carrie: So what was the total for the week? Elena: the total for the week was supposed to be one twenty, but somehow I grabbed a couple extra miles, so it was one twenty three. Carrie: Okay. Elena: and That long run was it was in South Dakota because we were at a wedding the night before. and wow, that wind was blowing me around, which is probably great Chicago prep. Carrie: Yeah. Elena: so that's all to say I got that in my body right now at this exact moment. I'm feeling pretty tired. However, Carrie: Okay. Elena: I have not had a bad workout since August. so I think even though I'm feeling tired, my body's ready to go. And I think if you asked me in a week, I would be like Carrie: Yay! Elena: Heck yeah, I feel good. So yeah. Carrie: Well, and that's part of it. You know you have to get tired. I mean, that's just part of Marathon Builds, is you gotta work through that and now you're getting to the peak and now you get to maybe settle in a little bit. who helped you with that twenty-seven Elena: Yes, exactly. Yep, exactly. Carrie: mile run? Elena: I I don't know if he's gonna like me telling this story on this podcast. But okay, so I have a partner named Sebastian Carrie: Uh-huh. Elena: of almost six years, and we were out for we were out in Sioux Falls for his friend's wedding, and he was a groomsman. Carrie: Okay. Elena: and so I was, you know, not drinking, wanted to go to bed pretty early. He's a groomsman, you have to drink a lot of beer, right? Carrie: Yeah. Elena: And so he agreed when we our S VP'd for this wedding to bike That long run with me, because I looked at the calendar and was like, that's gonna be peak week long run, right? And so his friend gave us a bike and he Carrie: Ho ho ho. Elena: got up really early, started at like 7 30. He's so hungover. And he's like riding and he's like, I think something's wrong with this bike. And I was like, what do you mean? He was like, the handlebars feel loose. And I was like, What do you mean the handlebars feel loose? And Carrie: no. Elena: Around like mile 12, I stopped to use the bathroom and he's like, Alina, look at this. And he literally lifted them off the bike. And we're doing a loop, a 19-mile loop in Sioux Falls, and I was I don't know, man, I think we gotta finish it. so yeah, Carrie: No hands. Elena: well, so he he could put them back on, it just didn't like screw in. So it was it Carrie: my gosh. Elena: was kind of spooky, but he did give me my bottles, so he was a huge help. But I do not think he had a good warning. Carrie: And you know how he knew how important that run was for you. So and two, Elena: but yeah. Yes. Carrie: like, don't mess with her brain. Let her just get through this run. Don't act crabby. Don't do any of that. Elena: Yes, exactly. Yeah. In fact he was like fifty meters behind me 'cause he was like, I don't know how much I can steer. I don't want to hit you. You're three weeks out. so yeah, it was it was quite the morning, but he's Carrie: my god. Elena: fine, he didn't crash, so we're all good, got through it. Carrie: I think it's fascinating when you guys do that with your partners because I did a little bit of run running with Charlie, but I didn't have to go for 27 miles, right? One time we did 24 400s together and he did twenty-four two hundreds. but do you talk? Do you have music? Like what are you guys doing out there? That's a long time to be together. Elena: Yeah, well in this case he was like fifty meters behind me. Carrie: 'Cause he's fifty meters back. Yeah. Elena: So I actually going into it trying to sell him on it, I was like, We can play your favorite music, like this will be fun. and that did not happen. But in the past, yeah, sometimes we'll talk. he's he also might not like me saying this, but he's getting a little bit into running. So I was out Carrie: 'cause he was a tennis player or is a tennis player, right? Elena: Yes, so he was a tennis player, D1 tennis player, and now he's coach. Carrie: Okay. Elena: so he will hit in on practice, but he doesn't compete in tennis anymore. But he's dabbling in running and I was out there for about a week and a half actually before the twenty K because he lives in New Haven. Carrie: Mm-hmm. Elena: and he did a couple of my doubles with me and I kept trying to talk and chat and then he finally was like, Hey, like we're going Carrie: We can't talk. Elena: too fast for me to talk and I was like, That's fine, I'll talk at you Carrie: That's so cute. That reminds me so much of my husband. And I will tell you a lot of times our runs ended up with him just peeling off and not telling me. He'd be like, going home, or I would just know. Okay, he's heading home. That's enough. Your fa Elena: Yeah. I will say every run Sebastian was with me the whole time. So he's got a lot of natural running talent. I wish Carrie: That's so cool. Yeah. Elena: that he would just take it up fully, but he's on his own journey. Carrie: Yeah. Yeah. There's a lot of athletes in your families. That's pretty cool. Everyone kinda gets it, I think. Elena: Yes. Yeah. Carrie: do you have a big goal for Chicago? Is there a time that you're shooting for? It's flat, it's fast. A lot of people think about that. I don't know if you're willing to share, but maybe it's just to compete. I don't know. What do think? You wanna give us a little insight? Yeah. Elena: Yeah. It's a tough question. I I usually don't pick a time goal until Carrie: Okay. Elena: about a week out, which maybe seems crazy. but the last two marathons, Chris Lundstrom and I have, you know, had coffee like the Friday before and talked about how the workouts are going, how he sees the race playing out, we'll go over the course. So I don't know if I wanna throw out a time right Carrie: Yeah. Elena: now. I'm definitely in shape to PR, for sure. so I mean Carrie: Okay. Elena: obviously being in shape to PR does not guarantee of anything. but yeah, I think I'm in a good spot. So I'll see what he thinks I can run. This is my first marathon that's had pace groups. Carrie: Yeah. Elena: so that'll be a thing that we have to discuss as well. but ideally I would love to be in a group and not run this one by myself. Carrie: that's so exciting. Okay, well I know you gotta get going, but we have to just do quickly our run dot rapid fire questions because you know I love them. We've done them plenty of times at our live shows. so are you ready? Elena: Sure. Carrie: I've dug a little bit. These might feel old, but I've dug a little bit, okay? Elena: Okay, I'm ready. Carrie: Bagels with PB and J or with cashew cream cheese. Elena: Ooh, cashew cream cheese. Carrie: I don't know where I read it, but I read it somewhere. Do you know where you put that? Elena: It's true. I I might have put it on like my twenty twenty four Olympic Trials bio. Yeah. I think Carrie: the Olympic Trials bio. Yeah, that's where it was. Okay. Elena: so. Carrie: Now we've kinda talked about this, but would you rather watch tennis or football? Elena: Tennis. I Carrie: I do. Elena: have a huge issue with C T E. I can't watch football. Carrie: yeah, I didn't think about that. Interesting. Okay. Would you rather do hill sprints or 200 meter repeats? Elena: Two hundred meter repeats. I hate hills. Carrie: Really? I love them Elena: Yes. Carrie: actually. And I should do them more, but anyway, that's not it's not about me. Okay. Do you like to be the hunter in races or be the hunted? Ooh. Elena: Hunter, for sure. Has anyone ever answered hunted? Carrie: I don't know. I might have to go back and listen, but there are people that like to lead. That's for sure. Elena: That would be crazy. Yes. Carrie: So I mean maybe they like to lead but have a big lead, so they're not really hunted. I don't know. That's always scary though. would you rather study or run? Elena: Right. Carrie: Okay, are you sure? You like you seem to like school though. Elena: Yes. Carrie: It's a long time that you're in it. Okay. Would you wa rather listen to rock or rap? Okay. Would you rather wear the new car carbon plated shoes or the ones with the new foam? Elena: Ooh, wear them for what? Carrie: Races? Elena: No, then carbon plated. Carrie: Okay, okay. pasta or rice? Elena: Right. Carrie: Dogs or cats? Elena: I don't want my parents to hear that, but Carrie: Okay. Joggers or jeans. Elena: jeans. Carrie: Ooh, mountains or beaches. Elena: Mountains. Carrie: Okay, two more. Marathons or half marathons? Elena: Half marathons, surprisingly. Carrie: show that sixty meter sixty second speed. Have you cracked sixty seconds? Yeah, you did in your first no? Okay. Yes. Elena: No, I yes, I did in high school, but I haven't since I have graduated high school. I think I've run like sixty-six in practice recently, but Carrie: Okay. Elena: I I would really love and I gotta convince Londo on this one, I really wanna do an all out four hundred and one year I wanna jump in the Minneapolis of Miles, 'cause technically right now my mile PR on the track is five fifteen and that doesn't feel right. Carrie: Yes. my gosh. You're wild. Like that's wild to want to do an all-out 400. I could see the mile, but the all-out 400? Hmm. I'm coming to watch that. Okay. Yeah. Elena: I just wanna see. Carrie: Okay, last one. Would you rather run the flats of Chicago or the hills of Boston? Elena: Think flats of Chicago, so it's good I'm doing it. Carrie: we're so excited for you. Thank you for your time. I know you gotta get back Elena: Thank you. Carrie: to your work and your studying, but just congrats on everything. It's been a real joy watching your journey and can't wait to continue to watch it. Elena: Thank you so much. C Tolle Run: Thanks so much for joining us today on C Tali Ron. I was so excited to hear Elena's story, and I hope you are as well. We give her all of the best wishes and all of the great energy going into Chicago this year. If you would like to recommend our show, we would love it. You can subscribe to our show. You can leave us a rating and review on ctollyron.comslash review, and you can share it with everybody. A big thank you to Tailwind Nutrition for supporting the show. Remember, you can use a code TOLLY20 for 20% off, and a huge shout out to Rundot for sponsoring the show and to Andrew Hart. Carly and Sarah Bernie for producing not only CToliron, but also the Run Dot and Try Dot podcast. Hey, you can also go back and listen to any episode or watch any YouTube episode at ctolyron.com. I want you all to cheer loud for Elena. And also I want you to check out Elena's Instagram at Elena underscore heyday. And you can find us at CTolyron or at Carrie Telefson. Thanks so much for joining us today. And don't forget to get after it.