spotlight on Amanda!
Meet Amanda!
I have had the absolute joy of coaching Amanda since she got back into training after having her second baby in less than 1 year — she was trying to find her “spark” again, and hoping to just be able to run a little bit, stay healthy & active … she has done SO much more than that, as you’ll read in her story. She works full-time as an attorney, is a mom to 4 kids, and makes some time for herself every day — she knows that when she is able to give herself that time, she is then able to give her job and her family the best of her for the rest of the day. Amanda lights up the room with her smile and infectious laugh.
Funny story — when we started working together, we realized that we had some mutual Facebook friends. As it turns out, we both lived in Syracuse around the same time and ran for Syracuse Track Club in the same year! I was on my way out from the club & preparing to move back east, and she had just started up with them — so our paths never directly crossed, but we know a lot of the same people!! Enjoy Amanda’s story!
-Dr. Coach Megan
What is your story? How & when did you find running? Share about any big transition points in your running career.
I started running consistently in college as a way to stay in shape. At first I did all treadmill runs but gradually started running around Boston. I fell in love with how I could see the whole city throughout my runs. I continued to run through law school and as I first started working. I would follow online training plans. I loved running but I was always exhausted and could never seen to pull off the race times I was striving for. When I turned 33, I had two babies - Irish twins, 11 months apart. I ran through about half of both pregnancies but then cut back to daily walking. I figured my serious running days were done. After I had the baby, I contacted Megan and asked her to coach me just so I could come back from the pregnancies healthy. I had no larger running aspirations in mind. The first thing Megan did was slow down my recovery runs. In no time at all, I was running and feeling better than I had ever felt before. In the 2 years since my last baby, I have run prs in the 5K, 5 miler, 10K, 10 miler and 15K!
What are your personal bests?
5K - 21:28
5M - 36:22
10K - 49:44
15K: 1:08:47
10M - 1:19:08
Half Mar - 1:46:19
Marathon - 4:15:29
What running-related accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am most proud of how I ran my 15K PR at the Stockade-athon. I had trained hard all while raising 4 children, working a full time job and balancing LIFE. When race day came, there was a lot of juggling to get to the start line: my husband was away for the weekend, my older son had basketball, my baby was sick. I had an aunt volunteer to watch the kids and I made it to the start line. I decided to make all of the hassle worth it and started the race with a smile and kept the smile the whole way. I ran hard but with joy. It was such a different race experience than I had ever had. I was more focused on how great I felt rather than how fast I was running.
[note from Megan: running with joy and based on feeling landed her a massive PR, and I got to watch her finish with a huge smile on her face — that was a “proud coach” moment, for sure!]
Where is your favorite place to run? Have you done any vacation/destination races? If you could spend a whole day dedicated to running your favorite route, where would you go and who would you take with you?
I love running anywhere hot — the more sweat, the better! I ran my half marathon PR at a race in Long Beach, California. I ran with my best friend and loved every minute of it — we used the race as an excuse to see each other and travel to Vegas after!
My favorite route is right near my house. I’d want to run by myself (I don’t get a lot of alone time with 4 kids!!!), with a good book on tape.
What have you found to be some keys to success and healthy running in your career so far?
Slow slow slow long runs. This has been life changing for me. I have more energy not only on my workout or long run days, but during everyday life.
What does a typical training week look like for you? Do you have a favorite race or distance?
Run days: Monday, Thursday, Friday & 1 weekend day.
Strength class on Tuesday
Spin class on Wednesday.
Thursday is usually a workout day, and long run on the weekend.
I love the half marathon distance. It is a race you can still run somewhat fast but it doesn’t take the training time that a marathon takes.
What has been the biggest challenge in your running that you can remember?
The hardest challenge in running for me has been overcoming the mental obstacles that we all have. I still work hard at emptying the tank. I am often too scared to go out fast or push because I am nervous I will blow up.
[note from Megan: yes, we all have those obstacles! targeted mental training (like visualization, mantras, etc.) can be really helpful to work on in low-pressure settings such as workouts and long runs, and then they are more easily accessible to you come race day!]
When you are running long, what do you eat & drink? What are your go-to pre- and post-run foods?
I do almost all of my runs before 7am, and as soon as I walk back in the door, life starts again at a quick speed. My go-to is a huge smoothie with protein powder, fruit, almond milk and a ton of spinach. After a long run, I like to treat myself to a big cookie from the Cookie Shack!
Share a fun fact about you & your non-running life!
I had two babies when I was 33!
I turned 33 on September 4, had my son on September 7th, and then another son on August 17th!
Share any final thoughts or words of wisdom for a fellow runner!
Get your run done early. By the time you are fully awake, your run is either happening or done. Plus, you don’t have the day to come up with excuses not to do it!