Welcome to The Runner Diaries, where we’re sharing a behind-the-scenes look into a week of training with runners of varying ages, paces and GPS coordinates. Get The Runner Diaries delivered to your inbox, here.

This week, we have 33-year-old Elizabeth Carey, a public relations guru and runner who just recently relocated to Seattle, Washington. The former Division I athlete and post-collegiate sub-elite is currently figuring out the best way to juggle her full-time job (and side gigs) with her new status as an age grouper and recreational runner, all while training for ultra marathons in the process.

THE RUNDOWN
Name: Elizabeth Carey
Location: Seattle, Washington
Age: 33
Training for: Trail and ultra races—including Backcountry Rise
Training plan: About eight months ago, I hired coach David Roche, whose, “Some Work All Play” philosophy and Trail Runner columns about training appealed to me. Although I have been a professional coach and worked with a range of athletes, I cannot coach myself.
Part of any running communities, clubs or training programs? Oiselle Volée, SWAP Team
How long you’ve been a “runner:” Since joining the high school track team in the spring 1999.
Weekly mileage: 35-55 (ish)

RUNNER’S STATEMENT

Running is my lifeblood. It’s a constant, evolving presence in my life—one that introduced me to  confidence, health, my best friends, a career, heartbreak, and hope. It’s become more ritual than routine—a daily spiritual practice, an exercise in self awareness, a river I revisit.

As a former Division I athlete and post-collegiate sub-elite, I’ve struggled with my identity as a current age-grouper and recreational yogger. This is a privileged, superfluous perspective. I cannot forget that running and racing is a gift. So I continue to chase both fitness and the confidence to compete wire-to-wire. With a focus on feel and flow, I’m exploring new trails and distances, ignoring splits.

Sunday | Day One

9:30 a.m. — Wake up to the sound of laughter and kids running down a hall. My husband and I stayed with friends after going to a season opener football game at the University of Oregon. The kids aren’t ours, but they are cute. We get up and hang with the family.

10 a.m. — Smoke from nearby wildfires is so dense I wonder if I should run the 8 miles that’s slated. I’ve run through this summer’s unprecedented smoke all over the Pacific Northwest, but this is the worst I’ve seen, and I can feel a burning taste at the back of my throat even as we just sit around. I’ve got a headache (half hangover, half need-a-coffee) anyway, so email my coach to see if I can swap today’s run for tomorrow’s rest day. Continue reading “The Runner Diaries — Elizabeth Carey” →