One of the best parts about running is the diversity you’ll find among a group of runners. Whether it be their background, reason for running, or simply race goals, runners in general come from a variety of different places and experiences. One of the best examples of this is Abby Depperschmidt.
Depperschmidt, a Fort Collins resident running for Team Runners Roost, was recently diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She underwent surgery and hormone replacement therapy to have her thyroid removed, but you wouldn’t know that if you saw her run. Her energetic spirit and eagerness to succeed cover up any history or side effects she’s experienced from her history with cancer.
Read on to find out how Depperschmidt juggles her training and home life, and how her victory over cancer has ultimately made her a stronger person and more motivated runner.
Quick Stats
Name: Abby Depperschmidt
Age: 29
Hometown & Current: Grew up in Albuquerque, NM. Now live in Ft. Collins, Colorado
Professional & Educational background: Work for Columbine Therapy Services as a Rehab Director at a skilled nursing facility. Got a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University in Exercise and Sports Science, then earned a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from Northern Arizona University.
Sports participated in: I played competitive soccer and basketball through my freshman year of high school. At high school soccer tryouts as a freshman, I was told by the head coach that I was too small to play soccer at a high level. That actually turned out to be the best thing she could have said to me, as I went out for the track team that spring and fell in love with running.
Years in current sport: I’ve been running since I was 15. I ran 4 years of high school track and 3 years of cross country, then went on to compete for Texas Tech University. After graduating, I went directly to grad school and took several years off from any kind of competitive training/racing. I really needed a mental break at that point so I did a lot of cross training and some easy running. No speed work, no tempos, no long runs, just short easy stuff. About 2 years ago the competitive fire came back and I started working with my coach, Kent Oglesby, to get back into shape and start racing again.
Racing Team: Runners Roost Elite Team
Sponsors/Affiliations: Runners Roost, Nike, Honey Stinger
The Long Run
What are some of the biggest highlights in your racing career?
1) Placing 4th at the New Mexico high school state cross country championships my junior year of high school. This was really the race that convinced me I might be able to compete at the collegiate level and solidified my passion for the sport. 2) Placing top 10 individually at the University of New Mexico cross country invitational my sophomore year in college. This was the first time I achieved a top 10 finish in college, and it was at a race in my hometown with my parents and friends watching. 3) Placing 3rd at the Mohawk Hudson River Marathon in October 2013 in 2:55. This was 8 months after I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and I had been through surgery and hormone replacement therapy and struggled with several side effects of having my thyroid removed due to the cancer. It was definitely a bumpy road to get to that finish line, and while I finished about 5 minutes slower than my goal for that race, it was my own personal little victory over cancer.
What are your long-term goals? What do you want to achieve as an athlete?
My ultimate goal would be to meet the B standard for the 2016 Olympic marathon trials. That is definitely a stretch for me, but I want to try for it and see how fast I can get in the marathon. I have really only been training for marathons for about 6 months, so I hope that there is room for improvement! A big short term goal for this year is to get in a couple fast half marathons. I was aiming for a sub 1:20 half last year and the fitness seemed to be there, but race day was almost 80 degrees and humid. I ended up getting dehydrated, and vomiting twice during the race and jogged the last few miles. So I hope to break that pesky 1:20 mark this year! Assuming I stay healthy, I will be running the Colorado Marathon in May, and hope to run a decent time and enjoy participating in one of my town’s premier races! I am also looking at a fall marathon, but haven’t decided which one yet.
Why Colorado? What makes Colorado so special for endurance athletes? What makes Colorado special to YOU?
It depends on what time of year you ask me this question! Growing up in the southwest, I am use to incredibly mild winters with no more than a few inches of snow and temperatures not often dropping below about 30 degrees. I am not a big fan of cold, snow or ice. So if you ask me in the winter why I live in Colorado I would half jokingly tell you it’s because I love my husband and my husband bleeds Colorado pride. But in all seriousness, this state is hands down the best state to live in as a runner! There’s easy access to trails all over the state, it has an amazing network of bike paths that are also great for running, there’s a race every weekend somewhere in this state, and there is so much local support for running. I’m humbled every time I show up to a race because this state is just saturated with runners of all ages and abilities that share my passion for this sport, and on any given weekend you might get to toe the line with some of the best runners in the country.
Middle Distance
Take us through a “day in the life,” what type of training regimen do you follow?
Generally speaking, I am not a super high mileage runner. I’ll run between 60-85 miles/week depending on where I’m at in a training cycle. I am up by 5 most every morning and out the door for my first workout by 5:30. Then off to work by 7:30. I typically come home at lunch and will put in my second run if I am doing a double, or do some core and strengthening type work if I am not doing a double run that day. Then it’s back to work until 4 or 5:00. Occasionally, I will do my second run after work, but working as a PT I am on my feet a lot during the work day so my runs are usually higher quality if I don’t wait until the end of the day. Typically, I do one speed/interval type workout, one tempo or hill workout, and one long run each week. The other days are all just easy, recovery run days.
What are one or two things you currently do in your training that are keys to your success?
After my thyroid surgery last year I met with a nutritionist because my metabolic needs were a little different. She recommended I eat more protein, so I have tried to up my protein intake to help with better recovery from workouts. Also, since my surgery I have tried to be more cognizant of my bodies warning signs that I am over-training or need to back off a bit. This has helped me keep any major injuries at bay, and have more consistent long term training.
Do you follow any specific nutrition plans? What are you favorite recovery meals, drinks, etc.?
I don’t really follow any specific nutrition plans or diets. I try to limit processed foods, and eat a diet that is centered around whole foods. Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains. Nothing too crazy. I also take iron supplements because I found out last year that my ferritin levels were incredibly low. After hard workouts, my favorite thing to have is a smoothie made with almond milk, Vega One protein powder, an assortment of fruits and greens, and ground flax seeds. My stomach is often sensitive to a lot of solid foods after hard workouts so this concoction gets a good mix of proteins, carbs and fats that also sits easy in the stomach!
Do you have any recommended resources to share (books, seminars, websites, coaches)?
I work with Kent Oglesby of Anaerobic Management coaching services and have been really pleased with coaching style. Also, shameless little plug for my husband, Craig Depperschmidt, who is also a PT. He works at Rebound Sports and Physical Therapy in Fort Collins, and does a lot of great work with the runners in the area, including myself. He also writes a blog monthly for the clinic that has lots of great information on injury prevention etc, and the clinic is frequently hosting seminars on running and sports rehab and training. You can find all that information on the clinic’s website. Also the Runners Roost store here in Ft. Collins does a great job of hosting presentations on various running related topics. All the Runners Roost stores are great resources for runners in Colorado!
What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
After having my thyroid removed last year because of cancer I have struggled with increased fatigue and difficulty sleeping, which has definitely made it more of a struggle to juggle training, work and personal life. I have learned to take my easy days extra easy, which has helped a little to lessen the fatigue and improve recovery. But I think more importantly, I try to not to dwell on a bad workout or race because that’s just part of being a runner, and keeping a positive attitude makes it a lot easier to deal with adversity. Through the whole cancer experience, I definitely learned to appreciate just being able to run, no matter how slow it was.
What are your favorite races in Colorado?
My all time favorite race is Evergreen Town Race in August. It is a beautiful, fast course with great competition! I also enjoy the Loveland Turkey Trot. It’s kind of a tradition for my husband and I to run that race every year. I think we’ve run it 6 of the last 7 years, and the year we missed was because we were in Arizona for PT internships.
Where do you like to train in Colorado?
Fort Collins has some great trails in the foothills just west of town that I run on as much as possible. I love to do my long runs in Lory State Park. I do hill workouts frequently on Centennial Road that runs just east of Horsetooth Reservoir and has some pretty steep sections. I do a lot of my tempo type workouts on the Poudre and Spring Creek bike paths. I can run all the way around town and never have to stop at a stoplight!
Sprints
Favorite running shoe: Right now I am training in the Nike Pegasus. I have tried a lot of different brands and styles over the years, but these seem to work the best for me! For shorter races if I want something a little lighter, I will wear the Nike Lunar Racer.
Favorite post-run/race beverage: plain old water initially, followed by an electrolyte replacement drink called Ultima.
Favorite post-run/race meal: I am a big fan of treating myself to brunch after my long runs. An omelet, with hash browns and fruit is a favorite if I have time to spare to make a big meal or go out to eat after the run.
Day job: Physical Therapist/Rehab Director at Columbine West Health and Rehab Facility
Solo runner, running partner or team/group? I prefer to do my long runs and harder workouts with a running buddy or group. Sometimes that is hard to do though because a lot of people don’t want to run at 5:30 in the morning with me. I can sometimes get my husband out of bed with me for those early morning workouts! On my easy days, my 2 dogs make for great company. Their excitement when they get to go out for a run with me is contagious!
Favorite Restaurant: Ingredient in Old Town Fort Collins. They use primarily local vendors for their food and their menu changes each season. I’ve never had something I didn’t like at this restaurant.
Favorite Coffee Shop: I love how many great, local coffee shops there are in Ft. Collins so this is a tough question. I’d have to say my favorite is Wild Boar. Great coffee in a really relaxed atmosphere!
Favorite Bar: I am almost 30 and am yet to find an alcoholic drink that I truly like. But I’d have to say that Coopersmith’s Pub in Ft. Collins has a great outdoor patio that looks out over the main square in Old Town so it’s fun to go there in the summer. And I hear they have good beer :)
Favorite Running Store: Runners Roost of course! They go out of their way to help you, and provide so much support to the running community in Colorado.
Favorite non-running activity: playing with my dogs, hiking. I also enjoy cooking, and experimenting with recipes to find ways to make them healthier and still taste delicious.
Favorite TV Show: Big Bang Theory and White Collar
Favorite book: To Kill a Mockingbird
Favorite movie: Monsters Inc. I am kind of a sucker for “feel good” movies!
Podium
Have you experienced a breakthrough, and if so, what led to it?
I did experience a breakthrough after I started working with my coach, and saw my 5k and 10k times improve. Prior to starting with my coach, I was running 5k’s and 10k’s over a minute slower than what I did in college, but those times started to come down and get closer to my college PR’s. It helped to have a coach there for speed workouts to hold me accountable to hitting paces and keep me honest on the rest and recovery in order to get the most out of workouts. I haven’t really had a big breakthrough at the longer distances yet, hopefully that will come soon! I think the key to breakthroughs is being able to train consistently without out any significant injuries in order to get the cumulative effect.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
I had a very beloved coach in high school. He very quickly learned that I had a type A, go getter personality so he would remind before every race to not put any pressure on myself, just go out and have fun. The races where I actually heeded his advice were the ones that I did the best.
Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by? That you train by?
Getting diagnosed with cancer in your 20’s definitely puts life in perspective. Life can change in an instant, so I really try to focus on the positives everyday. Learn from the bad days, and relish the good days because you never know when it might change.
What keeps you motivated? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I am a very intrinsically motivated runner. Most of my motivation comes from my own desire to challenge myself, to see how fast I can get, and find out how I might be able to take my running to the next level. I also tend to find inspiration from people who have persevered through adversity, be it running or other areas of life. I always love a good underdog story!
