The motivation to run can come from a host of different places. Most runners have fitness goals and race PR’s on their minds, while others have very different, and much more personal reasons.
Amanda Lee has been engrossed in the sport of running for over a decade, but 2015 will be the beginning of a new running journey for her. After abruptly losing her mom – one of her biggest supporters – to cancer in December 2014, Lee will honor her memory by “doing things as a runner that make me happy.” Lee recently recovered from a heartbreaking injury and is currently training for her marathon debut coming up in late April.
Lee’s bubbly personality off the track is quite a difference from her game face during training sessions and races. Her tenacity and love for the sport shine through, as you’ll learn reading her interview. What’s most appreciative, perhaps, is her ability to face tragedy and change that perspective into a source for inspiration: “My real inspiration is my mom. Through four years of aggressive cancer treatments, I never once heard her complain. Even when she was really suffering, she was still concerned with the well-being of others.”
Quick Stats
Name: Amanda Lee
Age: 25
Hometown & Current: Lincoln, NE / Boulder, CO
Professional & Educational background: BA in Anthropology, Middlebury College; currently applying to MSW programs
Sports participated in: Track, Road Racing, XC, Trails
Years in current sport: 13
Racing Team: Hudson Elite
The Long Run
What are some of the biggest highlights in your racing career?
Getting to race the steeplechase at NCAAs my senior year was pretty special. Even though I ran terribly, my parents were able to come see me race and it meant a lot to have them there. The other race that really stands out in my memory was the trail 10k at the 2014 GoPro Mtn Games in Vail. I never pictured myself running up a black diamond ski slope! It was the hardest race I’ve ever done and I was sure I was doing terribly, so it was a huge surprise when I finished 5th in a strong field of female trail runners.
What are your long-term goals? What do you want to achieve as an athlete?
I just lost my mom to breast cancer right before Christmas and she raised me to be a crazy dream-chaser who never gives up no matter how many times I’ve failed. To honor her memory and unwavering belief in me, 2015 is going to be about doing things as a runner that make me happy. After a series of frustrating injuries in 2014, my primary goal is to stay healthy. Along with that, if a race gets me excited and makes my heart pound, I’m going to run it.. even if I’m terribly out-of-shape. This year I’m going to make my marathon debut and try to get under that Olympic Trials standard and I’m going to run as many trail races as possible (including my 50k debut!). Sometime in my career I would really love to make the US Mountain Running Team. That’s probably my #1 dream. And, at the end of it all, I want to be able to say I never gave up and that I had a blast.
Why Colorado? What makes Colorado so special for endurance athletes? What makes Colorado special to YOU?
I grew up in Nebraska. It really wasn’t a bad place to grow up; but, after going to college in Vermont and then living in Flagstaff for 9 months, I needed to be in the mountains. I love running pretty much anywhere, but I feel most alive and like the most authentic version of myself when I’m on the trails. In June of 2012, I came out here for a weekend to clear my head and never left because, for the first time, I felt like I had found my own corner of the world. Also, being within driving distance of my parents in Lincoln, NE was very important to me.
Middle Distance
Take us through a “day in the life,” what type of training regimen do you follow?
Right now, there is no “typical” day. I’m working on coming back from a partial achilles tendon tear, so I’ve been just running however far feels right on any given day, and letting my legs tell me what they want to do. I’ll probably be ready to get back to more structure (hill sprints, tempo work, etc.) in a few weeks, but the unstructured approach is what my body and soul need right now.
What are one or two things you currently do in your training that are keys to your success?
My current “key to success” is just staying positive and surrounding myself with positive people. The rest will come in time, but I’m starting with being as positive as possible and trusting the process.
Do you follow any specific nutrition plans? What are you favorite recovery meals, drinks, etc.?
I try not to set rules for myself because I find it really easy to start obsessing. My college’s sports medicine department had minimum weight requirements (based on height), so I developed some pretty unhealthy habits to stay eligible to run. I’ve broken some of those habits over the past 3 years and I’m hoping my new crock pot helps me cook healthier.
Do you have any recommended resources to share?
I can’t think of any. My coach, Brad Hudson, is just a wealth of running knowledge. The man knows what he’s doing and I trust him completely.
What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
There are many people who are quick to point out why I won’t succeed. That used to really upset me. But, I’ve come to realize that the only people who NEED to believe in me are me and my coach.
What are your favorite races in Colorado?
I know a lot of people love the BolderBoulder, and it IS a fun race. However, the GoPro Mountain games last summer in Vail was one of the most amazing experiences I can remember. We were running up and down ski slopes, suffering more than a little, and everyone was SO happy. The men I ran most of the race with were so fun and so friendly. A few times, I doubted whether I could even finish, but these guys talked me through it and encouraged me to really go for it at the end. I can’t wait to go back! Another favorite is the Golden Beaver Trail Half in Red Feather Lakes. It’s always very small (this year there were only 9 runners!) but the course is beautiful and it’s very well organized. It’s definitely a bonus that I broke the men’s and women’s course record this year!
Where do you like to train in Colorado?
Anywhere there’s dirt and a great view. I think Walker Ranch, near Boulder, is one of my favorites and also Waterton Canyon up to the Colorado Trail near Littleton. They can both be pretty challenging but the views make it worth the effort.
Sprints
Favorite running shoe: Hoka One One Conquest for training, Hoka One One Huaka for racing
Favorite post-run/race beverage: Pretty much any kind of porter or stout
Favorite post-run/race meal: Homemade granola bread… My stomach can’t handle much after racing
Role models: My mom. She was never an athletic role model, but she was a wonderful woman and I hope I’m something like her.
Day job: Assistant to an attorney for disabled veterans
Solo runner, running partner or team/group? all of the above, depending on my mood
Favorite Restaurant: Curry ‘n’ Kebob
Favorite Coffee Shop: The Cup
Favorite Bar: Southern Sun
Favorite Running Store: Flatirons Running
Favorite non-running activity: climbing rocks
Favorite TV Show: Fringe
Favorite book: The Little Prince
Favorite movie: I don’t really have one, but I know my boyfriend would want me to say Jurassic Park
Podium
Have you experienced a breakthrough, and if so, what led to it?
I experienced a pretty big breakthrough while training for my marathon debut this fall. Unfortunately, I tore my Achilles on a muddy trail run and didn’t make it to the starting line, but I know I’ll get back to where I was eventually. I think the most important factors were developing consistency, finally trusting my coach 100%, and choosing to be happy (in life and in running).
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Last spring, after a particularly rough workout, Brad (Hudson, my coach) told me “Relax. It’s just running.” That didn’t seem like hugely important advice at the time, but it has really helped me get through my injuries this fall and helped me to not stress when I missed a run while I was taking care of my mom.
Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by? That you train by?
One of my college teammates repeated “Calm. Strength.” to herself during races, and I’ve used that along with “Strong. Fit. Fierce.” It’s just a good reminder to myself in every situation that I’ve done the work to prepare and to stay calm when things pop up that I have no control over.
What keeps you motivated? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My teammates are, no doubt, very inspiring. They help me keep going on a daily basis. But my real inspiration is my mom. Through four years of aggressive cancer treatments, I never once heard her complain. Even when she was really suffering, she was still concerned with the well-being of others. The day before she died, she woke up and said to me “Baby, can I do anything for you?” Wow. It really puts things in perspective.