🏃🏾‍♀️ London is Calling

The London Marathon started hours ago, which means that by the time you read this, Mary Fleming will be a 6x World Marathon Majors finisher. Less than 1% of people run marathons in the US and globally, so this is no small feat. I was lucky enough to speak with Mary ahead of the race to learn how her running journey led her to this moment. We started our conversation by joking about whether or not Arkansas is considered “the South” (I don’t think so), and ended our conversation on an even lighter note of encouragement for those who want to hit the pavement this year.

She started her wellness journey with walking and joined a couch-to-pavement program with her local Black Girls Run chapter. When she saw a woman running around the track nonstop, she was inspired to learn how to do the same. When she ran her first 5K, she had the desire to keep going. To keep her commitment and learn how to do what was best for her unique situation, she got a coach to develop custom training plans for her.

When we spoke, she was actually doing just that – taking a break from running to rest and recover from a small injury. Since she was taking a short break, I figured this would be a great time to ask about her “why” behind the miles. She first started running to improve her mental health, then she fell in love with the challenge (and medals as a reward for overcoming those challenges). But now? She’s overjoyed by helping others become part of the elusive 1% of people who complete marathons each year, by running as a pacer. She's found joy in helping others achieve their goals, just as so many people have helped her along her journey.

Community plays such a huge role in endurance sports. What started with Black Girls Run has been continued with 501 Sole Runners. Through various running groups, she's formed lasting friendships and created a support network that extends beyond the running trails (and who I hope sent her a lovely care package as she boarded her flight). For those considering taking up running, Mary offered some words of encouragement to end our talk. Check out the full episode below, or whoever you get your podcasts!