Dorothy Beal

I have this thing with running...

This Just Happened!!: A Chat With Kara Goucher {Courage To Believe}

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I literally just got off the phone with Kara Goucher and I’m smiling from ear to ear.

Pinch me.

Did that really just happen?

Kara is in Nashville this weekend for the Rock N Roll Nashville Marathon. She had a few moments to spare before a shake out run with around 400 Nissan employees {who will be running the race this weekend} and before her Race Day Tips Seminar at the Nashville Convention Center!!

Kara Goucher 2

If you are in Nashville for the marathon or half marathon Kara’s seminar is from 3-4 p.m., and then you can meet her at the Nissan booth and get her autograph from 4-5 p.m.!

If you are like me and are no where near Nashville here are a couple of things Kara will be sharing at today’s seminar.

  • Be conservative in the early miles of the race. Go out slow and finish stronger.
  • It’s okay to walk. The goal is to keep moving forward. Once you cross the finish line you will be changed. It doesn’t matter how you get to the finish line, just that you get there.

 

Here are a few of the things Kara and I chatted about. As you can tell I like to ask the very important questions {favorite color} that you won’t find on Runner’s World or another running website {wink}.

DB: Favorite color.

KG: Pink, definitely pink.

DB: What is your life mantra or race day mantra?

KG: I like to pick a new one before every race or training season. This year before Boston it was courage to believe.

DB: Since you bring up Boston do you think you will return there to race next year?

KG: I’m not sure I will go there next year but I am in no way deterred from racing there. I will run another Boston again.

DB: You and Shalanne have such a unique relationship and friendship. Last year I had the chance to talk to Shalane before Marine Corps Marathon and she said that both of you push each other to be better runners. On race day you are happy for each other but you both want to win. Since you ladies train together I would imagine that you both know each others strengths and weaknesses and could exploit that on race day. How do you also keep from getting jealous or letting what happens during a race NOT affect your friendship?

KG: I get asked this often. I do know her strengths and weaknesses but that doesn’t mean I can use it against her on race day. She likes to hurt early on, I don’t. I don’t like the pain. I can kick at the end, no matter the distance of the race, she can’t. It doesn’t mean that I want to hurt from the start of the race or that I plan on doing that. It also doesn’t mean that she will have that extra kick at the end of the race. Four years ago we weren’t close friends so maybe I would have seen what she had done and wished it was me, but now I love her. I want to win, but I really am proud of her, and she is of me. We joked that if one of us medaled at the Olympics we would cut it in half because it was half each of ours. We have a very strong respect for each other so we are able to celebrate each other. We also know that we want the same thing and that at the end of the day only ONE of us can have it.

DB: I think that’s true friendship when there is no hidden motives and when you can honestly say that you are happy for each other no matter who performs better on that day.

KG: I agree. I love Shalane!

DB: What do you think about while running?

KG: I’m usually with Shalane so we just chat away about whatever is going on in our lives. If I am by myself I let my mind wander, I’m usually thinking random thoughts – like what am I going to have for lunch!

DB: Are there any more kids in your future?

KG: I’d love to have another child but I will most likely wait until after I am finished competitively racing. It was much harder coming back to racing after having him than I thought it would be. Colt will be much older than any sibling he may have.

DB: How did you pick the name Colton? I have to share that I have a son named Colton too. My husband picked out the name before you had your Colton and I knew once I had my baby people would think I had named him after yours. My husband said I was crazy – that no one would make that connection – but sure enough – the day he was born I already had people telling me it was cute I named him after your Colt!

KG: You can tell them I stole the name from you!! I had about 50 girl names picked out and only 1 boy name before we knew we were having a boy, so my husband suggested we wait on names till we found out what we were having. Once we knew he was a boy – we liked the name Cole. One night I just said – I want to name him Colt. We decided to name him Colton but call him Colt! So really it was just a random turn of happenings as to why we picked that name.

DB: Is there a book that has impacted your life or one that you just really love?

KG: I love the Great Gatsby, I re-read it every year. I am equally excited and scared for the movie. I don’t want them to mess up the book, but I hope it is good.  I love reading – I go back and forth between serious books and then books that I call *brain candy* – I recently read The Dinner and then followed it up with a Jodi Picoult book.

DB: Do you have a specific race distance you love or that is your favorite?

KG: Ahhhh I love racing. I really like the 3K. I also love the mile and then well I love the marathon too. The marathon is a an art. I do love the track though and hearing the bell and knowing it’s time to kick it in. I also love the roads because anyone and everyone can race on the roads. I think I just like racing – all distances – I love them all.

DB: Has it been cool to be a part of the Innovation for Endurance campaign with Nissan.

KG: It’s been amazing! It’s really fun to interact with more people and fans. I had never been to the Boston Marathon expo and this year I went and signed autographs. Innovation For Endurance has helped bridge the gap between the fans and myself. It really brings me a lot of joy to be a part of it and to meet so many different runners and people.

DB: Lastly, how do you deal with the *Doubt Demons* as I like to call them?

KG: This is really important because it’s something I struggle with often. My mind is always talking me out of what I am capable of. This is where my mantra comes in to play. When I am struggling in a workout I say to myself the mantra – so for this season – COURAGE TO BELIEVE. When I am in pain I repeat it over and over to get through the workout. When I start to feel this pain in the race – I think back to the time that I was in pain and got through it – or had a break through workout – or just conquered those demons. I think acknowledging that you have been there before and that you can go there again helps to silence them. It something I work on through out training.

 

Kara was as I expected – super nice, easy to talk to, and the type of girl you want to be friends with!!

 

If you had the chance to interview Kara Goucher – what would you ask her??

 

Connect with Mile Posts or Nissan Innovation For Endurance!

 

 

Fine Print: I was not compensated for this. These are not exact quotes – I’m am writing Kara’s words to the best of my giddy as a child memory.

 

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Dorothy Beal