Name: Jennifer P
Hometown: Deer Park, NY
Family: My boys- Angelo (husband), Julian (6 yr), Rocky (10 year old spoiled cat)
Why do you Run? I really started running to loosen up my shoulders from swimming. Then as to manage my moody digestive tract and manage my seasonal affective symptoms. Now it’s mostly social. I like to have a running goal in the spring and fall. It makes me follow a plan and stay disciplined.
Favorite non-running workout: My favorite non-running workout is swimming, cycling and yoga. I like to vary generally I think. It keeps me interested.
Where is your favorite place to run and why? I don’t have favorite place. I view running as a means so socializing so wherever that gets me chatting with a friend.
What is the one thing you absolutely need to run? My shoes and watch. Sometimes I forget to charge my watch so definitely my shoes.
What is your favorite post-run indulgence? Donuts and beer! I have been trying to lower my cholesterol these days so I am sure those items aren’t exactly heart healthy. :P
Favorite running song that gives you strength? Whatever it Takes from Imagine Dragons. I have a memory of hearing it during Jeannette’s 100 miler in the pitch black at one of the aid stations. I was thinking about my son looking up at the stars in Alabama. Now I think of that wonderful race weekend – the hilarity of the crew and the awesomeness of Jeannette.
What was your favorite race and why? Grandma’s Marathon this past June was wonderful. Everything about it seem to fall into place.
What is your bucket list race…I purposely keep my bucket list and goals narrow and achievable. I would love to complete a half iron triathlon. I am mostly excited by the thought of road tripping with friends.
At what point did you start to call yourself a “runner”? I started out swimming, then triathlon-ing and yoga-ing. I think I became a “runner” when I decided it was easiest to put on shoes rather than go to the pool, a class and put on all the cycling gear. Maybe in the last 5 or 6 years when I ran my first marathon in 2012. Until then I was non-committal to one sport. Maybe it was finally finding the group that welcomed me like my trail running group in Philly. Now I am wholly devoted to MRTT. I was welcomed with open arms.
What do you tell yourself to keep going during a tough run? I tell myself during any “low” that it's a nutrition deficiency. I eat something. I remind myself that it’s just one run, one event, one incident out of many that it won’t last. And it doesn’t.
What have you struggled with during your running journey and did you find a solution?
When I am off season, like right now, I struggle with getting back into the habit of running and reminding myself that it feels good. I remind myself that the temporary lack of desire to get back into it is just part of the ebb and flow of my relationship with running as with all things.
What three things do you most want to accomplish (running or non-running related)?
( 1) In 2019 I would like to do a half iron triathlon.
( 2) I would like to keep up with something Marian wrote about Jeannette while she was training for her 100-mile race that she could run 20 something miles like it wasn’t anything. I would like to be that, not necessarily for a specific race but just knowing that I could be out with friends on a Wednesday night, buckle down the next two days and run 20 + miles on Saturday and still go to the farmer’s market afterwards. It makes me feel very cool and accomplished, even if I am the only one that knows it.
( 3) I would like to maintain balancing the fun I have when I am covered in sweat and mud with friends or my myself with family time. It's a strong draw for me to want to come back home and be with my boys. It guilt being away from them when I am training, which is why I elect to run at ungodly hours so I am back at home as “mom”.
