The road to 26.2
Being a witness to friends accomplishing their goals is a really fun seat to sit in. You support and love them through it, trying to carve out time in your own life to make their life easier. We do this so they can essentially feel supported throughout the experience and cross off their life bucket list. I take being a friend seriously so of course when I learned Cate was going to do the marathon, IT WAS GO TIME!
As Cate was hitting the pavement, her friend group was creating a plan of what to do to make sure things were easier- need a running buddy for the waterfront trail? We’ve got you! Need dinner made? Consider it handled. It was a well-oiled machine that was fun to be a part of. I had the chance to sit down with Cate and explore how she decided to run the marathon, and how she crossed the finish line. Sit back and enjoy an athlete- the audio of this interview will be on LOKA in a few!
Cate attended the 2022 Marathon as a professional hype woman for our friend Allison. The intention was to go and support the runners and of course, take part in the beautiful day that is Marathon day. At mile 16 is when the idea of running the marathon hit her, “Allison showed up on Mile 16 and I was so inspired that someone can put one foot in front of the other and look like they are having fun doing it.” This ignited something within Cate and allowed her to feel like this was something she could do, she decided she wanted more of this. She put her name in the hat and said “fuck it, let’s see what happens.” It was in December she found out that she was accepted into the lottery and would be running the 2023 45th anniversary of the marathon, “It was the 45th anniversary of the marathon, which is 54 backward, which is a number that is very near and dear to me because of my dad.”
The journey on the pavement started on May 1st, she started slow and steady, not pushing herself to the point of exhaustion but rather deciding to take it moment by moment. “I tried to do a mile and my body was in shock, I just kept saying, what is happening but I just kept talking to myself and saying this is a reset and your body is so intelligent, you can do this.” The next few months consisted of training Cate had created from a printout from her friend Casey and utilizing the Nike running app. She would take runs and slowly was building up on her pace. There was even a point when Cate thought I am not sure I can do this, “I decided to do 16 miles on a treadmill, I was on that treadmill for 3 hours. The runner’s world was scary for me, I didn’t fit the bill of what I thought a runner looked like physically. I did a solo journey and this treadmill felt very solo, it made me question everything.”
It didn’t feel like things were clicking until about 5 weeks before the marathon for Cate. She had made the decision to stop drinking and took herself to a local wine shop to review some NA options, she got to talking and it just so happened that someone who worked at the shop was a run coach. It felt like it was a true sign and a must-do for Cate. “Marina felt like home and a missing part of my journey. Her motto is very much about being in tune with your body, to view this as a mediation. She made everything feel like it wasn’t scary and that I could do it on my own.” Cate felt the accountability piece clicked with her coach, it allowed her to feel the confidence she needed to finish this race. Over those 5 weeks, Cate continued to chip away at the miles and felt like she hit her stride. During that time she continued to hit her long weekend runs while calming her breath and finding a way to show up for herself.
Now comes the big week, Cate looked at the race as another way to celebrate and create a new chapter in her life. She invited her friends and family into town and was determined to find some ease in the week, while looking ahead to the big day, October 8th. Nerves were had, shake-out runs were accomplished, she was hit with a quick sickness but listened to her body and slowed down where she could. “I made a pause for myself, I took the day off work. I was going through all these things, the checklist: I have my race outfit, I have this and that but I needed to have more transition time, so I had to pause before the big day.” Cate woke up for race day feeling good, she took the train down and was feeling the energy from every direction. “It’s such a cool experience because everyone is hyped but still figuring it out. It was a peaceful moment but you could feel the excitement on the train.” As she made it to her running section, Cate remained present, taking in the moment. She made friends, she listened to the music, she was taking in the energy from Chitown, and she was ready for takeoff. “I felt like I was a part of something bigger than myself.”
Mile 1 become mile 2, 3 and 4. Cate said it was easy to catch the pace, the people cheering and the crowds created a vibe. As the “Marthaon moms” we had created a list of people who would be supporting Cate along the way, we laughed because somehow Cate kept missing the people, running past them. “It was mile 8 when I saw Kenny, he showed up. It was a beautiful moment of ‘Oh my God it’s you’. It gave me the juice to keep going.” Cate had created affirmations in her phone to keep going, little sayings like “Look Up,” which allowed her to look up and spot a few friends in the crowd, the universe had her back. As an outsider to this, it was a beautiful moment to witness Cate on mile 16, the moment she decided this race was her’s just one year before. Mel invited her entire family over and it was an honor to see her family watching her run this mile. “When you are running past I knew I couldn’t stop because I had to stay strong mentally.” Cate knew after mile 16 that this was almost over. When she ran into Chinatown, she felt the support of the community. For her it became a moment of more self-talk, reminding herself and her body that she was strong and able. “I saw people stretching and I knew if I stopped it would be hard to keep going, so I just kept saying to myself, you are showing up, your muscles are working, you are strong, you are able. I knew if I stopped and sat on a bench, it was going to be a no.”
For the last 6 miles, Cate noted that it was the crowds that reminded her that this was “light work.” It was in the last few miles that she met a literal angel. She noticed a man that was running around her pace had ripped off his vest and seemed like the race was getting in his head, she knew they had to connect, “My goal was to finish before the pace car, I said to this man, the pace car is over there. We are winning.” They continued the race together, running and walking the rest of the way and learning more and more about their paths and how they both ended up in Chicago, IL on a perfect fall day to cross this off of their life list. At one point they said, “Let’s finish this together.” From strangers to teammates all in a matter of moments. “I had put in my dedication on Mile 21 to the people I have yet to meet with my angels and guides.” He then shared with Cate that his name was Angel…UNREAL!
Cate and Angel crossed the finish line together, with a time of 6:18.
The goal was set, and accomplished, and brought something out of Cate that allowed her to know anything is possible. She has put her name in for the Berlin Marathon 2024. “I think I am going to continue showing up for my body and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.” I can say as her friend, her day became a core memory for me in this life.
With love always,
Your favorite marathon mom
Marathon Moms
