Runners Roost Mountain/Ultra Elite Race Team Athlete Amy Schneider is a two-trick pony. Since entering the competitive running field in 2008, Amy has accrued an impressive list of top race finishes, including wins at the Steamboat Half Marathon in 2008 and the Steamboat Marathon in 2010 and 2011.
After finishing the Leadville 100 and winning the Bear Chase 50K in 2011, Amy has decided to set her sights on the trails. Her focus this year is to tackle more mountain and ultra races, including another go at the Leadville 100 in August.
Maybe one of the most respectable values about Amy is her determined training style: she believes in hard work and training to produce the results you’re looking for in a race or event. Read on to find out more about this hardworking runner that doesn’t take anything for granted.
Quick Stats
Name: Amy Schneider
Age: 34
Hometown & Current: Denver, CO & Denver, CO
Professional & Educational background: Marketing and Social Media Manager at Exclusive Resorts and Portico by Exclusive Resorts. I also manage all of the Social Media channels for Runners Roost. I graduated from the University of Denver in 2000 with a BSBA in Marketing and Finance.
Sports participated in: Cheerleading
Years in current sport: I started “jogging” (I believe the ‘j’ is soft) when I was 19 to stay in shape. It wasn’t until 2008 that I was encouraged to take it up a notch.
Racing Team: Runners Roost Mountain/Ultra Elite Race Team
Sponsors/Affiliations: Runners Roost, Mizuno, Honey Stinger, Native Eye Wear
The Long Run
What are some of the biggest highlights in your racing career?
Winning the Steamboat Half (2008) and Full Marathon (2010 and 2011): Small town races are so fun and laid back. Plus the course is beautiful!
Winning the Bear Chase 50K last year: Great people, great course, and it is so fun having 3 other distances going on at the same time.
Finishing the Leadville 100 in 2011: I signed up just a few weeks before race day. It was a risky and VERY naïve move since I didn’t train for it (you have to respect the distance!). I feel fortunate to have even finished and I can’t wait to do it again in August (with 8 months of training behind me)!
What are your long-term goals? What do you want to achieve as an athlete?
In late January, I made the decision to take a year off from road running to focus on mountain/trail/ultra running. I’ve always turned to the trails to help recover after a marathon, but have never focused my training on it. I’ve run a few trail races (most recently Collegiate Peaks 25M and the Sage Burner 50K) and am having a blast! I’ll run a few more races to help train for my goal race – the Leadville 100 in August. Last year was an amazing experience, but this year, I hope to run it faster and smarter. As an athlete, I want to continue to enjoy running, improve both on the trails and the roads and continue to become a stronger, smarter runner.
Why Colorado? What makes Colorado so special for endurance athletes? What makes Colorado special to YOU?
I am a native Coloradoan and am lucky to have grown-up and continue to reside in such an amazing state. The places for endurance athletes to explore are endless. We have great city parks and urban routes, nearby trails with challenging climbs and of course the mountains – my favorite places on this Earth are just a 2-4 hours away. We are so lucky!
Middle Distance
Take us through a “day in the life,” what type of training regimen do you follow?
I am definitely an “A-type” runner when it comes to training. I will do just about anything to make sure I get my run in. I recently ran at White Ranch with a teammate from 8pm-midnight because we were both going to a wedding the next day and that was the only time we could fit it in! As I train for Leadville, my week looks something like this:
Tuesday: 8-10 miles, relaxed and easy with some climbing
Wednesday: 15-17 miles, double day with some climbing
Thursday: Hill repeats, progression run, or speed work
Friday: 6 miles, easy running to prep for the weekend
Saturday: 14-18 miles with some climbing (usually run as progression run)
Sunday: 20-25 miles with a lot of climbing (trail running at it’s finest)
Monday: 4-6 mile recover run
What are one or two things you currently do in your training that are keys to your success?
I am practicing nutrition. I really struggled with this at Leadville last year since I had no idea what I was doing. So this time, I’m trying to eat up to 800 calories on my long runs so my body can get used to digesting and using this energy efficiently.
Do you follow any specific nutrition plans? What are you favorite recovery meals, drinks, etc.?
When you’re running this much, you can pretty much eat whatever you want, but I have always been a healthy eater. I tend to eat a lot of protein so I have to make a point to take in a good amount of carbs too. Right now, I’m loving Generation UCAN mixed with Gatorade for liquid nutrition during a long run, anything that says Honey Stinger on it during a run (especially the waffles) and raisins and Gatorade post-run.
What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
My biggest challenge is keeping the mental side of racing in check. My anxiety levels before a race (sometimes days or weeks before) reached its peak last spring. I have realized that how I perform is only important to me and that no one else really cares how I do. I train hard and hopefully the race will go as planned, but sometimes it just doesn’t, which is always a valuable learning experience. It’s just a race – and I am enjoying running and racing now, more than ever.
What are your favorite races in Colorado? Why?
Steamboat Marathon – It’s a timeless race that never gets old. Beautiful course and well organized.
Bear Chase – Conveniently located, well marked and organized, and just a lot of fun
Leadville Silver Rush 50 – Leadville is one of my favorite places in Colorado and this course is so special – you feel like you’re running through time when you see all the old mines – plus the views are spectacular.
Where do you like to train in Colorado? Why?
I like to train on any of the Jefferson Country trails (Mt. Falcon is an old favorite and Centennial Cone is a new favorite). I also really love training on the Leadville 100 course (Turquoise Lake and Hope Pass) and the Barr Trail – I usually try to run to the top at least 3 times per summer because nothing ever feels as hard as the Barr Trail. I also love the Highline Canal, City Park and Sloan’s Lake.
Sprints
Favorite running shoe: Mizuno Wave Ronin 3
Favorite post-run/race beverage: Blood Mary (seriously)
Favorite post-run/race meal: Buffalo Burger
Role models: Helen Cospolich, Devon Crosby-Helms, Desi Davila
Day job: Social Media Manager
Solo runner, running partner or team/group? All of the above
Favorite Restaurant: ChoLon, Sushi Sasa, Cherry Cricket
Favorite Bar: Capital Grille
Favorite Running Store: Runners Roost!
Favorite non-running activity: Skiing, Hiking, gardening
Favorite TV Show: Breaking Bad
Favorite book: Life of Pi
Favorite movie: Anchorman
Podium
Have you experienced a breakthrough, and if so, what led to it?
My biggest breakthrough was the Colfax Marathon in 2010. I was second to Heather Utrata and ran my marathon PR that day. This was the day I believed I could be a better runner than I ever thought possible – both mentally and physically.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Never race with a watch – every time I leave the Garmin at home, I enjoy the race more and ultimately run it faster than I thought I would.
Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by? That you train by?
“Don’t stop until you’re proud.”
“You can’t cheat yourself. If you don’t put in the miles, you can’t go to the starting line thinking you’re going to pull a miracle out of nowhere. You get out exactly as much as you put in.” – Desi Davila
What keeps you motivated? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My Runners Roost teammates keep me motivated and inspired. Everyone trains SO hard and the results prove it. It is humbling to see how amazing some of the athletes are in Colorado and it only makes me want to work harder and race faster!
Photo by Joel Reichenberger; SteamboatToday.com.