Beginnings

Kalli Titus ’25, a varsity track and cross country runner, discovered her love for running through training for her high school races. However, when Titus’ mom mentioned running marathons and half marathons, Titus began to train for longer distances. After running four half-marathons, Titus prepared for the marathon primarily on her own. 

“I mostly just train alone. I ran alone for the entire marathon training. It sounds bad to say, but I’m a lot faster [than my mom]. We never run together, but it’s fun for us to go to the race together,” Titus said.

For her first marathon, Titus and her mom traveled to Florida to combat Iowa’s harsh winter. There, Titus had a positive experience running with her mom, noting how marathons create a different atmosphere than her high school races. 

“[Races] are usually really positive, which I like. No one’s ever negative before a race or anything,” Titus said. “They’re always really excited because you have to sign up for a marathon, you have to train for it and pay for it. [Many] people get their start in cross country, but people tend to be a little more excited for the marathon, because they put so much into training for it.” 

Like Titus noted, Megan Boehme, a spanish teacher at West, got her start in distance-running from high school running. 

“In high school, I started with mid-distance, and I loved that. In college, one day, I signed up for half [marathon],” Boehme said. “I really didn’t have any prior knowledge or experience doing anything longer than cross country in high school, [which was] 4k for girls. I had run probably seven miles maximum before that. It was an impulse; it sounded like fun, so I signed up, and that’s what sparked it all.” 

Since then, Boehme has found distance running to be a source of both necessary personal time and as an avenue for finding community. Recently, Boehme has competed in 10Ks locally and across state lines, including Run for the Schools and one in Chicago at the Edmonton Soldier Field. She has also competed in longer races, such as a half-marathon in Cedar Rapids and the Chicago Marathon. Boehme finds that having a race to train for motivates her to continue running. 

“I try to [have races scheduled] because that’s what keeps me consistent. If I don’t have something to work towards, that’s when I let myself fall off a little bit,” Boehme said. “I’m okay with dropping [out of] a race. I’ve had to do that in the past because of injuries, or life gets in the way. But if I sign up for a race, I want to do that race.”

Balance

Like Boehme, Audrey Crawford ’25, who began running this summer, sometimes struggles with balancing running with other aspects of her life. 

“Sometimes it can get tricky with [schoolwork], since I started out with shorter runs and then progressing a lot longer. It’s a little tricky time-wise, but as long as I plan ahead, like having a scheduled time, its easy,” Crawford said.

Crawford, a varsity tennis player, finds that running cannot always be her top priority, despite how much she enjoys it.

“On the days I don’t run and I’m playing tennis, it’s not a drastic difference, but tennis definitely does limit how much I can get out there,” Crawford said.

Boehme, like Crawford, tries to schedule time for cross-training, which combines one’s primary sport — running — with other physical exercise.

“[I run] three to four times a week, and then training with just other parts of my body that aren’t as strong as my legs are. I try to do some arm workouts and core workouts,” Boehme said.

Community

One of the reasons Crawford persisted in her running training program was the community and influencers she saw online.

“I saw online that [running] was trending a lot — a lot of new people were posting about [their] running journeys or starting running. It looked really aesthetic. So I was like, ‘why not?’” Crawford said. “Then I found that it’s a really fun time, listening to music and being outside. I decided to track my progress and make a better schedule, though, so I could see better improvement.”

Crawford, though she initially ran by herself, has found the running community to be a valuable part of her experience as a runner.

“[I run by myself] because it’s a time for me to l focus on myself and listen to music. I don’t have to worry about things around me. I like running alone a lot but recently I did a race in Utah, and people are overall really, really fun and supportive,” Crawford said. “It’s such an uplifting and people were super kind.”

Like Crawford, Boehme finds the running community helps push her in competition.  

“When I run the Chicago Marathon, I run for a charity, and it is amazing. We have a hospitality tent [where] you get treated like royalty, so that really helps,” Boehme said. “I’ve done only shorter distances when it’s a smaller race. For those, it’s way more mental within your own self; you have to have a lot of self motivation and determination to get to the finish line. There have been races where I go by myself. I drive myself to the race, and then I also drive myself home from the race. Compared to the Chicago Marathon [with] more people involved, the hype is a lot better. There’s more energy. It’s easier to get to the finish line when you have people constantly telling you how good you’re looking, giving you advice, pushing you to the end.” 

Crawford notes that seeing others’ pursuit of running inspires her to do the same. 

“There’s this one couple I love watching. They do crazy extreme 80 to 100 mile weeks. But it’s fun to watch them, and they share a lot of tips for how they run,” Crawford said. “There’s also a girl named Rene that does a lot of run clubs around the US, and she’ll also share a lot of running tips and running content. She’s super aesthetic, so it’s really encouraging.”

Boehme, who also watches running content, notes that though one can find inspiration from elite runners, warns beginners to follow diverse runners. 

“Online, follow other runners, not just all the pros and not just the really fast people, follow people who are slower than you or at the same pace as you to get realistic expectations for yourself,” Boehme said. 

Likewise, Boehme notes that many of the influencers who make running content don’t represent the average runner.

“If you see influencers online, they’re going to have all the best gear, the most expensive, which isn’t realistic for a majority of the population. There are dupes for everything [that] work just as well,” Boehme said. “The only thing I don’t have as a dupe would be shoes, which is usually my highest priority, because my feet are one of the most important parts of my body. But everything else, whether it’s a running vest, a fanny pack, sports bras or bike shorts, you can find dupes that work just as well for a fraction of the price.”

Tips

In addition to finding dupes for running gear, Boehme advises beginners to take their time building up to longer runs.

“Do little increments. Keep increasing. If you are thinking about [running], just jump in. If you run, you are a runner, it doesn’t matter how fast you are,” Boehme said. “There have been times in my life where I’m so slow, and it’s easy to be really hard on yourself and compare yourself to how fast other people are. But at the end of the day, unless you’re an elite athlete, it doesn’t really matter. Everybody’s getting the same medal. Just do your best and compare yourself to yourself.” 

Crawford agrees, believing building up to longer distances helped her stay consistent in her training.

“Have a plan. Make sure you have a set distance you want to go for,” Crawford said. “When I first started running, I did short distances so I made sure I liked it. I don’t want to do a really, really long distance and hate it and then not run again for two weeks. I would run for half a mile, then walk for a tenth of a mile and then run, [working] up to longer distances. Don’t start yourself out too fast, and don’t expect results too fast.”

Along those lines, Titus notes that taking her time and prioritizing fueling well helped her get through the longest runs. 

“Break [runs] up mentally. When I had to do my longest runs, I would do six miles, run in my house, get some water and then do six more,” Titus said. “You’re still running the same mileage, but mentally breaking it up helps. If you want to run longer, don’t psych yourself out, because it’s just running, but a little bit longer. Fuel more than you think, because once you get dehydrated or your glucose runs out, there’s nothing you can do, so you’ve got to start eating and drinking earlier.” 

Crawford has felt similarly, advising all runners to take their time with fueling and stretching.

“I learned it the hard way, but a lot goes into making sure I’ve drinken water that day and what I eat afterwards,” Crawford said. “For example, if I come home from a run and I eat mac and cheese, I’m not too hungry next day. I’ve also noticed that incorporating more muscle group specific type lifting, like focusing a lot on hip flexors and mobility has made me less sore after running or helps me increase speed.”

In addition to fuel, Boehme stresses the importance of rest while running long distances.

“Sleep is huge. When I’m active, it helps me sleep. If I don’t work out, it’s so much easier to stay up, and I still have to get up at the same time, versus if I work out I’m gonna be so tired,” Boehme said. “With nutrition, make sure you’re not having malnutrition, that you’re not eating enough. If you are doing major long distances running over an hour, whatever your body tells you during your run, you will feel fatigue if you’re not actively taking calories in. So keep making sure that you’re not just eating well, but eating enough to actually support your body.”

Boehme’s final tip to runners is to embrace the effort, noting that it improves her overall outlook on life.

“I truly think that I’m a happier and better person when I’m running, because your brain is happier when you’re an active person, when you exercise,” Boehme said. “After a stressful day, the one thing I look forward to running.”