GRC Team - Nov 2022 Newsletter

Athlete Feature

Mindy Olson

How did you become a runner?

I ran cross country for a few years in high school, and ran a little bit in college just for exercise. For some reason, a year out of college I decided I wanted to run a marathon. I'm still not sure where that came from! I trained with a free plan from the internet. I ran long runs based on time because I didn't know what my pace was and I didn't carry any fuel - just stopped at drinking fountains along the way. I ran the 2001 Chicago Marathon and then figured I would never do that again. Seven years later my husband, Ethan Domke (another Get Running athlete), suggested that we should train for a marathon. Again, I'm not sure where that came from! We ran the Oklahoma City Marathon and have been running marathons ever since!

What does a typical training day look like for you?

A typical weekday training day starts very early for me. I am out the door to run before 5 a.m. in order to be back in time to get ready and eat breakfast with the kids before they need to go to school. The coffee pot is always programmed to be just done brewing when I come in the door from my run! I sneak in my strength workouts after the kids are in bed. Luckily Ethan prefers running in the evenings and I prefer the mornings so this schedule works well for us.

You had a change of plans with Indy. Tell us more about your decision making with that & how the race went!

We had signed up for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in November of 2022 after having great experiences there in 2018 and 2019. It is a pretty convenient drive and a flat and fast course. I always start checking the weather way too early prior to a race, and, like usual, the weather changed from perfect to horrible to fine many times over the weeks I was checking. However, the week prior to the race the forecast showed that it was going to be windy, and it became clear a couple days before the race that it was going to be very very windy. We were planning to leave on Friday, and on Thursday we briefly discussed if we should try to find a different race. On Friday morning when the forecast was not only for wind gusts of 50mph but potential thunderstorms, we decided to pivot to the Crossroads Marathon in Salina, KS. Since we were planning to drive, it was pretty easy logistically to make the switch. The Crossroads Marathon was in its first year and it was forecast to be pretty cold, but we figured that it gave us the best chance to meet our goal times. So, instead of heading east we turned west! The race went pretty well. It was well organized and chilly at the start but great weather! Ethan ended up running a PR and I was a few minutes off my previous best.

Do you have another race on the horizon?

I am planning to run the Carmel, IN marathon and we will both be running Boston this April.

What's your proudest running moment?

This is a tough question. I was proud of my Crossroads Marathon performance because I didn't give up in the second half. I was running almost completely by myself because it was such a small race and at some point it became clear it wasn't a PR day, but I kept grinding and finished strong.

What’s your “why” when it comes to the daily grind?

I run because of how it makes me feel. I feel better both physically and mentally when I am running consistently, and even when I don't feel like getting out of bed in the morning when it is dark and cold (a lot of days!) I know I will have a better day if I just get up and go. It is also fun to chase goals even when I don't reach them!

Is there a piece of advice you'd like to share with the Get Running Team?

My only advice is to just keep going and stay consistent. Any run is an accomplishment, even if it wasn't the time result you were hoping for. Also, thank you to Neely for the great coaching and training plans she has put together for me the last couple of years. I have had some very satisfying results and am still pushing for more!

Race Results

NYC Marathon

  • Adam S - 3:47

  • Miguel A-P - 3:48

  • Heather C - 3:53

  • Todd F - 2:48

Other Marathons

  • Ethan D - 3:01 (PR!)

  • Mindy O - 3:12 (PR, 2nd Place!)

  • Shannon P - 4:00

  • Caitlin Y - 3:57 (PR!)

  • Katie B - 3:33

  • Kristin F - 4:22

Half Marathon

  • Neely G - 1:12

  • Lauren F - 1:20

  • Maura K - 1:27

  • Danny P - 1:50

  • Katy S - 1:38

  • May S - 1:31

  • Caitlin Y - 1:41

  • Kara F - 1:25

10K

  • Maura K - 35:59

  • Taylor B - 44:41 (Turkey Trot)

  • Lauren Y - 41:11 (Turkey Trot)

5K

  • Danny P - 24:20

  • Katy S - 20:54 (Turkey Trot)

  • Katie B - 35:34 (Turkey Trot)

  • Amy L - 21:17 (Turkey Trot)

  • Ashley M - 21:31 (Turkey Trot)

Other

  • Julie H - 55:08 (Run for the Diamonds, 6th!)

  • Tess C - 59:30 (12K, Turkey Trot)

  • Jaclyn P - 56:13 (12K, Turkey Trot)