Resilient Running w/ RunDoyen Client Kim Mantle

In this month's episode of the podcast I have the pleasure of sitting down with RunDoyen Client Kim Mantle! She has an amazing and inspirational story that speaks to the power of pressing on and putting one foot in front of the other! This was an awesome conversation! We also talk through Kim's experience as a client of RunDoyen; she is currently coached by Lindsay Flanagan, one of our world class expert run coaches at RunDoyen! If you want to be inspired then this is a great episode for you! 

Connect with Coach Lindsay Flanagan here:
https://www.rundoyen.com/running-coaches/lindsay-flanagan/

Join the Next Level Running Facebook Group: 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nextlevelrunning

Follow @RunDoyen for IG Live sessions: 
https://www.instagram.com/rundoyen/

Check out RunDoyen if you are looking for a World Class Expert Run Coach to help you crush your running goals: https://www.rundoyen.com/

If you aren't quite ready for a Run Coach, check out the Doyen Dashers Program:
https://www.rundoyen.com/dashers/

Transcript

Jacob Phillips 0:17

This is the next level running podcast brought to you by the expert coaches at Run Doyle, helping runners of all levels crack their goals on race day by matching it with the perfect code for 2020. Hello and welcome to this month's episode of the Next Level Running Podcast. I'm your host, Jacob Phillips, and we have a special episode for you today. But before I jump into that, because I I definitely want to jump into that, hey, it it's uh it's almost time for that Boston Marathon. And so for all of our Boston runners who want to wish you luck, uh go out there, follow your plan, run the course, enjoy the energy, uh and have some fun out there. My guest this month is actually running the Boston Marathon in a couple days. And uh yeah, she's she's a run-doing client, she's a mom, she's a wife, she's a runner, and she's excited for Boston. But that's not what we talk about. We mentioned Boston, we we kind of we know she's training for it, she's got big goals there. We talked a little bit about the training there, but we today I have uh runner Kim Mantle on the podcast, and she has a tremendous story. It's a it's a it's a decade plus uh story of um triumph over tragedy, like continuing to press on even through adversity and setbacks and and just shows the importance of of running and and how putting one foot in front of the other can propel you forward. Kim is one of our run doyant online clients. She's coached by uh one of our world-class run expert coaches, uh Lindsay Flanagan. I've had Coach Lindsay on the podcast before. Coach Lindsay, if you don't know, she she was top ten in the world in the marathon in back in September at the World Championship. I I think she was top ten at the U.S. uh trials uh here recently and just a tremendous runner, but but also as we hear from Kim, she's an awesome coach. And so we kind of talked through uh not only Kim's uh story uh from you know becoming a runner and what that journey is looked like to overcoming some some some big time scares, but but also what her experience is is like with Run Doyen and Coach Lindsay. It's an awesome listen. It was a fun conversation. Like I'm cheering Kim on at Boston because I mean she has been fighting for these breakthroughs, she's been fighting for this uh for now almost uh yeah, almost 12 years. And so excited for her. Um super thankful for her time in this conversation uh for us this month. We recorded this about a month before Boston. And so we're about a month out on this uh on this call when she's got Boston coming up, and so we'll hear about that a little bit and and uh and she's kind of getting excited for that. But before we jump into that conversation, um I want to point you to the show notes below. Uh look, if you're looking for a run coach to to help you crush your running goals, look no further than rundoing.com. Uh our world-class expert run coach uh roster is filled with coaches with uh hundred plus Boston qualifiers, world championship uh you know performances, uh decades of of coaching experience. Like if you want to find a coach that's gonna help you crush your running goals, look no further than rundoin.com. We have a unique matching feature that'll help match you to a coach that fits your personality, that fits your goals, that fits what you're training for. And so check that out. If you're not quite ready for a run coach, then check out the Doyen Dashers program. Uh for only$39 a month, uh you get a training program written by one of our expert run coaches. You have access to our uh video libraries, to the online training app. Um it's it's like the the step before you have a full-time coach. I'm actually using the Doy and Dashers program right now, and I love it. It gives me some flexibility. I don't feel like I'm like uh you know, too, too, I've got to follow this to a T. I feel like I can kind of move some things around because the truth is I'm not quite ready for that full-on accountability that a coach uh would require, you know, or would ask of me. And so that Doy and Dashers program um might be a um a better step before you jump into having a full-time coach. I also want to point you to uh the next level running Facebook group um and the run doyan Instagram account. Look, click that follow button on those accounts. It's got great running uh content uh near nearly daily, um, but it's just an awesome resource if you want to keep up with the the happenings on in the running world, uh, to get advice, to get tips, uh all those sorts of things. So look just a fun conversation. Uh it's with Kim Mantle, mom, wife, runner, survivor. Great conversation. Let's jump in. Hi, Kim. Are you there?

SPEAKER_01 5:10

Yeah, I'm here. Sorry, can you hear me?

Jacob Phillips 5:12

I can hear you. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 5:13

I'm doing well. How are you?

Jacob Phillips 5:15

I'm good. I'm good. Thanks so much for for coming onto the podcast today.

SPEAKER_01 5:19

Yeah, absolutely. Thanks so much for having me.

Jacob Phillips 5:22

I I I heard your story. Uh, your I think I don't know if it was the first podcast you did, you know, but the Allie on the Run podcast, and I was like completely completely blown away by the story and by everything, but also like I am nowhere near the level of podcaster that Ali is.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

And so um, so yes, give yourself some credit, man.

Jacob Phillips 5:41

I'm just telling you, like, like uh about a year ago, you know, uh, I'm a Rondoyan coach, you know, we're gonna talk about Rondoyan a little bit. I'm a Rondoyan coach. They said, Hey, would you would you like to do the podcast for us? I was like, I've never recorded anything in my life, and so my wife and I, we like went hardcore on like, well, what software do we need, you know? And uh yeah, anyways, so I'm pretty still I'm I'm still pretty novice about it, but uh so am I.

SPEAKER_01 6:03

I've only done one.

Jacob Phillips 6:04

Hey, you know, it was a good one, it was a really good one. And so um, and I don't want you to have to like you know recap every single thing that you did in there, but like, I mean, it's such a great story. Um, and then on that podcast, you know, that's that's where it's like, oh wow, you're working with Run Doyen, you're you're a client, you know, and you're working with one, you know, one of our awesome coaches who happens to be one of the best runners in the world, you know.

SPEAKER_01 6:25

And she's amazing, yeah.

Jacob Phillips 6:27

Yeah, and so we're like, yeah, so let's let's yeah. So I do want to hear your story, and I do want to talk about your experience uh, you know, being coached by an online coach and and through Run Doyen and how that works and such, but I guess just to tell our listeners, like, who are you? Like where you where you live, where you're from, what do you do, that sort of stuff?

SPEAKER_01 6:47

Absolutely. So um I live in Birmingham. I am a mom of three little girls, uh 13 and nine and seven. Um happily married. My husband is a state and local tax attorney. And so he actually loves to talk to me about running because it's like outside of the uh craziness of work, um, but he's really good at it. Um, I am a runner and I have been since, gosh, I mean, I would say since I was nine. Um and I ran in middle school and high school and college, um, small school, and then um did triathlons. And I mean, I can't remember a time when I wasn't a runner, you know?

Jacob Phillips 7:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:33

Um, so it's just always been a part of my life.

Jacob Phillips 7:36

So, so before we kind of jump into like that that progression of middle school to high school to college to triathlons to marathon, right? Like, like tell me about Birmingham. Like, what's the running uh community like there in Birmingham?

SPEAKER_01 7:49

It's actually pretty robust. Um there's a Birmingham track club here. Um, and I've joined them for some of their runs. Um, there's also there are a number of other little groups, and I have some friends that I will meet occasionally. Um, I will say I enjoy the solo run. Um so like that's my space and my time to to myself because with three kids, um, and even though I'm not teaching like full time anymore all day, it's still my my time to myself. Um, so it's great to hang out with other friends and to run easy runs, but like when it's go time and I'm doing a workout, like I don't want any distractions. I'm going, I'm doing it. Um, but the running community here is awesome. And uh I'm getting ready for Boston again um in a few weeks. So um lots of hills in Birmingham as well. So I'm getting in all those the hills um for that too.

Jacob Phillips 8:52

Well, and that's that's what I was gonna ask too. So, like what's next? I guess that's Boston. And so um, how do you feel like that training's gone?

SPEAKER_01 9:00

You know, I've had a really good block. And the I started working with Lindsay, and we'll talk about this later last January. Um, and so it was the first time really that I'd trained for a marathon properly. I'd only done one before um in Houston and uh in 2022 to qualify. So training last last year went really well. We kind of capped about 50, 55 miles a week. Um, this training block I've done more like between 65 and I think I got 83 about a week or two ago. Um, I love the higher volume. I've kind of asked for it and kept kind of pushing up. And Lindsay's been super respectful and listening and all of that, and um keeping my ideas in mind, which is great. So yeah, it's been it's been going really well. I have a little hiccup right now in the hamstring, but you know, she's been great through that too.

Jacob Phillips 9:59

So yeah, that's awesome. So like is is 83 like a lifetime high?

SPEAKER_01 10:03

Oh, yeah.

Jacob Phillips 10:04

That is absolutely that's a lot of running.

SPEAKER_01 10:06

It is, and I I mean, but I absolutely love it. Yeah, like that's great. If I didn't have a coach, like I probably would get myself into more trouble because I just want to like run. Um, and the doubles I really enjoy too. Like after a hard workout in the morning and doing like three or four in the afternoon. I mean, there's nothing like shaking out your legs. It might hurt a little bit at first, and then I feel so much better.

Jacob Phillips 10:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:32

Um, by the time I finish in the next day, I'm like ready to go again.

Jacob Phillips 10:36

Yeah. Well, like, so you know, not to put you on the spot, but like assuming hamstring holds up and weather's good, like what's what's kind of and you've done a Boston, right? So like I have. So what's what's the goal for the you know the the 2024 version?

SPEAKER_01 10:51

That's a great question. So last year, um I ran a 313.02. Um, that was my second marathon. My first marathon was a 335.52. So I had a great 23-minute PR working with Lindsay last year. Um, and when I started, you know, the coaching process, I was like, well, I really just want to run like 325 or under. And then by last March, April, I was like, actually, you know, I'd love to run sub-three one day, like not in Boston, but I do like, I feel ready. And Lindsay was like, you can 100% do that. So um, you know, I went to Chicago actually hoping to be closer to 305 to three, had a rough Chicago. Um, but I think if I have a really good day, uh, it could be I'm going for 305 or or under. So I mean, maybe all this rest this week is just what I needed, you know?

Jacob Phillips 11:46

Yeah, yeah. You know, and I think like, you know, obviously you've you've put in the work that doesn't just disappear, right? And so yeah, that that that's awesome. And you know, Chicago, it's like Chicago is my worst marathon experience of all the marathons I ran, you know, and it's like really, yeah, I just like I feel like it's so hit or miss. I mean, I had a very cold day, and and then like you have there's days where it's super hot. I mean, you know, it just it's hit or miss. And so like it seems like people either have this awesome experience or it's like, wow, that I thought I was gonna run this and I was nowhere close, and that's kind of how it was for me, you know. But um, I've never run Boston, um, but uh, but I'm definitely I'm definitely excited to track you along or track along with you there and such. But but before we kind of jump into like this idea that hey breaking three hours, I mean and all that, like uh like so tell me, like, like, yeah, what what is that running journey? Obviously, you know, you said you started in middle school, but I think there's this like and you said you said this line of like, I've always been a runner. And I was thinking about that this morning. Um, you know, I ran in college, I ran in high school, ran in middle school. And then like when you kind of get done competing for a team or for a coach or for a school, I think that's when you really become a runner because you choose it, right? Like you're now the owner and such. And so like I get it, I've been a runner since middle school, but like at some point I started to decide like, no, this is a lifestyle, this is part of my identity and such. And so I do want to dive into that, but yeah, tell me a little bit about that journey. Like, you triathlon, you like what is what does that look like? Because um, I know you like I think it was in 2019, 2018, you know, you you had some health scares. And so I'm kind of curious, like, there's different chapters here to kind of unfold and and and and uh and and look at, but like what did that look like for you, middle school, high school, college before you kind of decided I'm gonna do this on my own?

SPEAKER_01 13:32

Yeah. Um, so you know, as I told Allie on the run at nine years old, um I ran the mile run, right? For the presidential fitness test. And I kicked all the boys' butts and I ran like 640 something. And I was like, wow, like that was really fun. I didn't really feel like I was giving it everything I had. Um, and then I just kind of kept running. At the same time, I also started swimming competitively. So I discovered like I was really good at long sustained efforts and I love moving my body in that way and became more confident as a kid in my ability to do that. Um, just more confident, I would say, in general. Like I was like, well, I found something that I'm really good at good at and became passionate about it. Um, and then joined the middle school cross-country team, which truthfully, at first, when I saw the cross-country like signs, I'm like, is this cross-country skiing? Or like I had never heard of cross-country before. Yeah. And so then started running cross-country and track and just fell in love with it and then ran in high school. Um, and then ran at Birmingham Southern College here in Birmingham. Um, we were NAIA when I started, um, and then went to Division III. So I ended up with a scholarship before I left, which was awesome. Yeah, it's awesome. Um and then I guess after that I went to Emory to grad school and kind of kept running, you know, a few days a week, swimming still too. Um, and then after that, went to grad school at Alabama. I was a professional student for a long time.

SPEAKER_02 15:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:15

Um, and uh did that for a while. My husband did that with me. We say that was like one of the most fun times of our lives because we got to compete together on a team. Um, and then we went to DC um so he could keep going to school too at Georgetown, um, and ended up in New Orleans. And all that time I I just kept running. Um, and truthfully, because I found that I felt better physically um and mentally. And then, you know, we had kids. Um, and as soon as I had my first daughter, that's really when all of my health issues started. And so, you know, I think there's a lot to be studied in terms of women's health and what happens when you have a kid. Um, for me, it's almost like it set off all these autoimmune issues. So within 10 days of giving birth to my first daughter, um, I had developed all sorts of colitis, um, got really, really sick, lost a ton of weight. Um, I mean, obviously I wasn't able to run during that time. Um, and then slowly picked it back up. Um, went and I guess I don't know if I said I got Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Then after that, I um I developed disordered eating as well as part of that. And I think many runners face that anyway. And so, you know, I fell into that trap where also I was like, oh, I'm getting faster, you know, like the more weight you lose, you're like, oh man, like I'm the fastest I've ever been in my life. And I wasn't doing workouts, I was just running.

SPEAKER_02 16:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:57

Um, so like I ran a 11950 half marathon, and I was like, oh, like wow, like this is awesome. I, you know, I do really well with this. And then of course I had the inevitable like calcaneal stress fracture, hard stop, you know.

Jacob Phillips 17:12

Yeah, the body breaks down.

SPEAKER_01 17:14

Oh, yeah. And so I mean, I learned that, and as a result of the disordered eating, you know, I had infertility issues. And then um, when we did get pregnant with my second child, that's when I had the brain bleed and the stroke. Um, yeah. And so as a result of that, you know, we did, we were able to have our baby girls, they were both healthy, my second and my third. Um, but I did have to have brain surgery to remove that cavernoma um in 2019. And so through that whole time, like I actually ran during these pregnancies. I was still able to run. I mean, not in the same way that I am now or did before. But for me, it was like it was a way to release some of that anxiety and to give me some control or sense of control because I felt like I was losing all of that.

SPEAKER_02 18:08

No doubt.

SPEAKER_01 18:08

Um, with the health scares. And so after I had the brain surgery, I was like, all right, let's get back to this. You know, let's see if I can get my body healthy enough to run. Um, and it it truthfully, I mean, it took a couple of years before I was like, okay, maybe I'll be able to fulfill this dream of running a marathon and maybe I could qualify for Boston, um, and all that. So it was it was a long journey and running has kind of always been there, but in a different way, you know what I mean?

Jacob Phillips 18:42

Well, yeah, I mean, you're you're talking you said the half marathon, the sub-120 was like after the the birth of your first daughter. So we're talking 2012-ish, around there, somewhere like that. We're talking that's a that's a tough decade that's coming down the pipe, right? Like with what you're facing. And now you know, you run what did you said, 313, 312 last year at Boston. We're talking 10 years later, right? Like right, a lot of people would have given up. My mother had uh two brain aneurysms when I was a child and had two brain surgeries, and like the recovery, you it can't be you can't be loud because you get headaches easily, and like like the recovery from that, like I can't imagine you said 2019.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

2019. I actually had two. So I had a surgery in April, and then I had um a cerebral spinal fluid leak as a result of the surgery. So we had to fly back out to Phoenix, and I guess it was August 2019. Um, so it was a slow process, and like I lost vision in one of my eyes, so I couldn't see for a long time. I was like, is this gonna come back? My gait was totally off, you know. Like learning when you really think about it, it's like, gosh, I totally learned how to re-walk, you know.

Jacob Phillips 19:52

I you rebuilt yourself. Yeah, you rebuilt yourself as a and we're talking within five. I mean, it's been five years. Yeah, I guess that that I mean that's that's that's amazing, right? And then so you had these surgeries in 2019, you're relearning to to walk basically, to get your bait back, to run. When do you race again? When's the next? So this is 2019. When's the first race?

SPEAKER_01 20:15

It was Houston. Um, and so I guess it was probably about October. I had a couple of friends in New Orleans who were like, Yeah, we're gonna run the Houston Marathon. And I was like, Yeah, I wonder if I could do that. Like, why not? Right. So I just signed up and I started training with them, and I don't know what plan they were following. I was just doing whatever they were doing. I mean, I wasn't really taking fuel, I didn't know what I was doing, you know. Like I would pop a gel every now and then. Um, and then, you know, 10 days before the Houston Marathon is when the attempted carjacking happened.

Jacob Phillips 20:53

Yes, crazy.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

Right. So I got shot in the arm and then really sort of considered not running it. And then, like as those 10 days kept building and I was able to continue running, I was jogging. Yeah, I'm like, you know, I'm I just I feel like I have to do this for myself, you know, like um I need a win, you know. Yes, I've done this and I feel like I could finish it. If I could qualify for Boston, it would just be amazing.

SPEAKER_02 21:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

Um, so I went and gave myself permission to kind of go toward the half marathon, you know, when we got to seven or whatever that split was. Yeah, yeah. My friends, I mean, I remember, I can remember the blue sky, the green trees. And they both looked at me on both sides and they were like, What are you thinking? And I was like, I'm going, I'm gonna just go for it.

Jacob Phillips 21:46

Doing it.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

Yeah, let's just do it. And so, of course, they weren't terribly surprised at that point because they're like, I mean, you're so stubborn, like, you're gonna do it. And um, gosh, I mean, Jacob, like going across that fence. finish line and like seeing the time and knowing that you're qualifying for Boston.

SPEAKER_02 22:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

Your first marathon after like years of health struggle and then what had happened 10 days prior and it was like it really was one of the most memorable, yeah, empowering, emotional, just awesome moments of my life. I mean, outside of having my own kids and getting married and all that. It personally, you know, something that's just about me, it was, it was unbelievable.

Jacob Phillips 22:31

Yeah, you you kind of wish you could bottle that that that that experience up and sell it, right? Because like the world, the world would be a much better place, right? Like, so like outside of just the fact that you were shot, like I mean, like there's there's a lot of um oh my gosh, my life just flashed before my eyes, right? Like and so like how I mean how do you recover from that in those 10 days? I mean like was like like I like in my head I'm like would I even be physically able outside of a gunshot wound, right? Right. To to run the next day or would the like just be I feel so heavy I feel like you know like what like when was your first run in this like 10 day period?

SPEAKER_01 23:06

Um I would say three to four days afterwards after it happened. But I the part of this that was so hard is I was terrified of being outside by myself running in that community because this happened down the street from my house, you know?

SPEAKER_02 23:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:24

And I was getting up every morning and running in the dark to Audubon Park. And so my friends were unbelievable. They would come to my house in the morning instead of me meeting them at the park someone would come and get me and run with me so I wasn't by myself.

Jacob Phillips 23:42

And so driving is terrifying right yeah like I didn't want to get in my car.

SPEAKER_01 23:46

Like my husband had to drive everywhere you had to pick up our kids I mean I was afraid there was so much fear and trauma around that um but feeling like when I was running the anxiety would come down for just a minute you know like and I was surrounded by my friends I wasn't alone um and I felt more connected to myself and I felt safer in a weird way running. I mean that's always kind of been my safety zone.

SPEAKER_02 24:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:14

And so I just returned to it and I mean flying there like there were I don't know like I had a lot of anxiety but it's almost like for those three hours and 35 minutes it wasn't about that. It was about me and sort of that resilience and all of that and then seeing that I could do something um pretty spectacular even though all the stuff had happened to me. So I think it was a just an amazing experience that anyone can kind of if if like somebody like me who's gone through this kind of stuff can do it really like you can do it too, right? Yeah 100% yeah I mean and it's not to say that there was an anxiety and there was um and it's not to say it went away after that you know like I still had to deal with that. But running is a way that I've been able to manage anxiety. And I would say my anxiety is the lowest it's been in a long time.

Jacob Phillips 25:16

So yeah yeah yeah you know and I think like that's the story. The story is like it's like adversity overcome adversity overcome and like that's life right because like if it wasn't if it wasn't this it would be something else right and and like and I think that's like that's something to be really proud of right like a lot of people would have thrown in the towel right and you've kept showing up I mean like I'm thinking about this idea of like 2012 PR fittest I've ever been in my life and now we're talking 12 years later I'm chasing this this barrier. I'm gonna break this barrier right like like like a lot of people would have given up right and so that's that's a really cool story. And and so I guess like you know there's a couple things like I think about like one is like the fact that like so I've got two boys I've got a five year old and a seven year old right and so um and like running has like completely like like I do it because I want them to see hard work and I want them to see you know setting goals and and an active lifestyle and such but like it's also hard being a parent and fitting in time for 20 mile long runs and training for Boston and such. And so like how do you get it done? Like how do you manage uh obviously uh being a wife being a mother um probably managing that whole household right like how do you how do you do I I know what my wife does right and so like like how do you how do you do it? How do you fit in? How do you make it work?

SPEAKER_01 26:29

Um it's a little bit easier now that I am able to not work at the moment outside of the house. I mean I to be honest Jacob I don't know how I did it when I was working from seven to four thirty and then taking care of the kids until Matt got home at seven or eight I mean I know I was getting up at four and working out before then. Now it's a little bit easier um because I usually do my runs after my kids go to school unless it's a track day we got to be off the off the track before school starts. So it's a 4 a.m day it's just gonna happen. Those long runs on the weekend, you know, my husband's home so that works well. So I just get up early usually and go and get it done. But I think the other piece here though is um and my husband and I really have talked a lot about this and it's important to us for our girls to see that mom and dad can have real dreams and passions um and that I might not be here and I might be traveling for a race. But I think you know something that's interesting and you said this is like you have kids, right? And they play like their form of play is movement like they are playing sports or they're running around chasing each other or wrestling and that doesn't change as we become adults. I mean even though we don't prioritize it all the time we all really need that form of play in our lives to be healthy mentally and physically and you know for for me it's running like that is my playtime. And my kids know that they see that in me they know it's so important. They have conversations with me about races and um you know I had the opportunity to go to Sydney actually in September for the world age group champs and Matt and I have been talking about that too. It's like yeah I we want to go but if we can afford it I want my girls to be able to go and experience that with us you know that's super cool. I mean so I I do think um making it a priority for yourself I know there are so many like time restraints and work and family and all of that but if it's important to you yeah you're gonna prioritize it you know you're gonna find a way to make it work.

Jacob Phillips 28:53

Yeah and I I think the chances are you're probably gonna be a better parent and spouse with that anyways right like you know and so um yeah 100% and and so um so so this this thing is 100% agree with everything you just said there. I mean that's spot on I and I think like the physical health we saw during COVID just how important it is to stay physically fit and active right but then the mental health side of it too right like like I am clearer and sharper when I've moved um when I've gotten effort you know when I've sweated when I've if I just lounge around all day it's like it's just cloudy right and so I mean it's yeah it's it's it's it's crazy how much better life is with movement. But um so the Sydney thing like what what what race would that be? Or what event would that be?

SPEAKER_01 29:41

Is that like a marathon a half marathon track like the Sydney marathon so um it's the you know I think this year in Chicago is the world age group championship. So it's like a race within a race kind of thing. Yeah um and so it takes place every year for age groupers or masters as you would say like once you're 40 and over you know like this is an opportunity for you to race like other people in your age group. So I wasn't sure I was gonna actually meet the qualifying time or standard just because you know in Chicago I had some epic cramping um situation which you know I actually have learned a lot just since that so um I wasn't sure I was gonna make it but I got an email I'm like what like this is awesome. Let's go so I might do it and uh yeah I think I've done some really cool races already like got to Gate River and doing Boston might do Peachtree again this summer in Sydney and then we're we're in the lottery for New York so we'll see what happens.

Jacob Phillips 30:49

That would be a turnaround just like a party pace kind of like run if I get the get the trip get the experience like you know it's it's uh I mean it's New York City right and so right it's so um so you've got Boston coming up and then obviously you you talked about maybe a summer road race here and there Sydney you know hopefully getting into New York well like through that like I know you uh you work with Rondoyan right and so I'm a Rondoyan coach you worked with coach Lindsay Flanagan she was I mean she's been phenomenal top 10 in the US top 10 in the world I mean like a phenomenal runner um but like so as as an online running client you have an online coach and so like outside of just these rare occurrences you probably don't get to meet Lindsay face to face it's it's via final surge is via email maybe zoom call tech whatever you know whatever um that that setup is for each client athlete right and so like tell me about that like what led you to go find a coach I mean like that what like like at some point you had to say okay it's time to take this a little bit more serious than I've been taking like what led you to find a coach it's a great question um so I did Houston qualified for Boston knew I had some time after that um we made the move and then when I knew I wasn't going to be working full time I was like just became curious about like what could I do if I actually did the training properly um if I had someone talking to me and coming up with a plan and figuring all this out.

SPEAKER_01 32:17

So I started exploring and um there are some coaching groups here, you know physical groups as you say that you can meet with and that kind of thing. And I think they do final search or v dot um online as well. And then I also looked on the internet and Ron Doyen was one of the groups that came up um immediately so I kind of explored and I was like wow this is a pretty robust uh group of coaches you know like these are professional athletes and so as a part of my whole research I did the matching um was matched with Lindsay and then what's great about um you all is that you offer a consultation with a coach right so I did that in October I guess of 2022 and met Lindsay and asked her a bunch of questions um and she talked to me and you know she was like well if you're interested you know we can start like in January. Yeah um and so I kind of thought about it in early January I was like I don't know my gut said let's go uh with Ron Doyen and let's reach out to Lindsay. Um so I did and I mean it's been just such a root like a cool progression. So you know she uses you all use final surge and so I have the workouts in there um and you usually have them like a week in advance. So you kind of know what's coming up. And then the way she sets it up, you know, is like if something's not working or if you're injured or whatever, you just send her a message to Final Surge and say hey I can't do this this day or um can we switch the workout to Friday or I'm nervous about this. And in the plan that I'm on we we also communicate on the phone about once a week and that has been unbelievable just to like talk through workouts maybe you know at first I was really anxious about the paces you know yeah I've never I haven't done workouts like this since college you know yeah um I love running but I was a little bit stressed out like seeing some of these paces and so she would kind of uh quell my my anxiety a little bit about that kind of thing. Um and so I think the online thing has worked really well I mean as an adult I think you know you're either motivated to do this and if you're paying to do it then I don't know like my thought is as a uh as an adult you're gonna put in all your effort and you're gonna commit to this thing right yeah yeah um and so it's I think it's been a great platform. I mean talking about Lindsay specifically like she is genuinely like one of the most positive people I've ever met in my life. Um and I kind of felt that in October and I felt like I could feed off of that energy. Yeah um clearly she's fast as hell she's tiring uh she's got a ton of experience that I continue to learn from every day. Um and I think I don't feel like and even as a professional runner like she's relatable she's approachable you know she's so empathetic and flexible um and she I don't I mean it's just been unbelievable to have somebody of that caliber taking their time to like talk to someone like me who's just like an everyday I love the sport kind of girl you know yeah um and to know that that's accessible to really any of us.

Jacob Phillips 36:03

So so I I've got a few questions that you know just just uh kind of like more fun questions but and then more advice you know that you could give the masses maybe and so like yeah so let's start with the advice. So like what advice would you give someone who's on the edge or thinking about getting an online coach like they're training for maybe they're trying to qualify for Boston they're trying to do it on their own or they're printing off a plan online like what advice would you give them to to maybe take the leap and get that coach?

SPEAKER_01 36:30

Absolutely I mean I I would say everyone needs a coach um you need a coach not only just for plans you know anybody can go to get a Hal Higdon plan or something else off the internet um but it's not individualized to your coaching needs. It's not adaptive when things come up and they will come up it just happens. And so it has been unbelievable like game changer like would never go back as long as I'm competing and marathons like I could not imagine doing this on my own and actually seeing um the progress the evolution that I've seen yeah um and so if you're on the fence like really money wise I'm like it going out to dinner is so expensive. Like like we just don't go out like twice a month. Yep and you're able to do something that is absolutely instrumental in your like success as a runner. And you know yes it's online but I think that's great because it gives you the flexibility to do things on your own and you also have it there and you're able to communicate with your coach no doubt anytime you need to. And in my case with Lindsay as I'm sure it is with anybody like you all are so responsive. You know like you get back to us quickly it's not like you're like oh I don't know what to do about my workout you know in a couple of days because you're gonna know um immediately.

Jacob Phillips 38:05

Every every time there's a notification on final surge it dings on the phone right and like yeah and and and the the you know the thing I love about having a coach because you said I think everyone needs a coach I'm with you because one that that how higden plan doesn't talk back when you ask it a question right like it's it's printed right it doesn't ask right but I also like I always was like like super proud when I nailed something to tell my coach about it right like there's there's someone on that journey with you that's just as invested you know and like you know like obviously they're not putting the miles but like like when you PR she's got a PR too right and so I think that's I think it's just a cool thing to be part of and it's just a cool collaboration.

SPEAKER_01 38:41

So what's your what's your favorite workout that Coach Lindsay uh prescribes okay so um actually this past Saturday this was probably my favorite it was definitely one of the harder ones I've ever done um but it was a 16K um sort of on like faster than half marathon pace with like a probably five to 10 seconds at least slower than marathon pace float. So I was trying to hit like between 630s 640s and then 705s to like 710s. So it was continuous it's like 10 miles. Yeah it was I love a workout with a float I don't know like and I love the sort of continuity of that it was hard it was challenging um I regrettably did it on a track um but it was it was amazing. So that's one of my favorites yeah I love a 10K repeat like a I mean sorry not a 10k repeat a uh like 1k repay repeats on the track um love the longer marathon pace sort of efforts those sort of things on a Sunday or a Saturday like a long long workout um so what's opposite of that what what what's like your least favorite you see it scared and you think ah I know it makes me better but I don't want to do this.

Jacob Phillips 40:04

What's that?

SPEAKER_01 40:05

Um gosh I'm trying to think if there's something I've really disliked. I think the shorter stuff like really short scares me a little bit um but I know it's important for developing that speed that turnover quickly yeah I know it's gonna help me um that and then she doesn't prescribe strength training like it's not on my plan but I know I got to do it. So yeah that's not my favorite um but usually workout days I'm doing that and I know I'm getting stronger is going to help me for Boston.

Jacob Phillips 40:37

Yeah um but that's that's my least favorite training part yeah yeah mine too mine too I I hate I hated fast fast I love I love marathon training because I love that marathon effort that's just like it's hard but it's like it's it's yeah I love it too but yeah so that's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 40:54

Well so I just we got a few minutes anything that you want to tell the listeners out there any advice any any message anything before we we uh we go I think um find your play right so find what brings you joy and curiosity and just explore that I mean I think that's if you're doing what you're passionate about and what brings you joy then you know there's no harm in that right like you're only going to be a better person and I think for runners for marathoners um there's so many parallels to life right yes um and so I really I feel like um there's mental clarity in running um there's community there's connection to you and to other people um and so give it a try and find a coach who is relatable get matched um with a coach as I did and really like use that as an opportunity to elevate um your confidence and your running um you're not gonna regret it so no doubt yes so well said I agree 100% Kim thank you so much I know you had spring break last week uh this coming week this coming week so enjoy spring break thank you um I'm gonna track you in Boston and so we're gonna be uh we're gonna be we're gonna be cheering you on from afar and uh yeah good luck thanks so much and uh thank you for the story because I think people are gonna find it inspiring I think it's gonna they're gonna it's gonna help them push forward uh when they might have a trial or a struggle right so thank you so much for today I appreciate the time thanks so much for having me Jacob yeah good luck in Boston thank you bye bye bye bye and that does it for this month's episode of the Next Level Running podcast I want to thank Kim Mantle so much for her time and her energy and just for yeah just for continuing to inspire as she presses on towards her running goals.

Jacob Phillips 42:55

I want to wish her luck at the Boston Marathon and I want to wish all of our clients and runners out there good luck for the Boston Marathon it's such an awesome event and we're super excited for it. Make sure to check out the show notes below we've got some uh got some some links there for you to check out hey appreciate you joining us for this again Kim thank you so much for your time uh go crush Boston until next time have a great running thank you for joining us here on the Next Level Running podcast your source for training advice from the expert coaches at Rungoyen If you're ready to take your training and race it to the next level head over to rungoyen.com and get matched into your ideal code who will provide you with a highly customized online training need for question your goals and race