Running is Jen French乌鸦传媒檚 escape.
The 34-year-old mother of two from Williams Lake, and a runner for the past 11 years, treats the activity as 乌鸦传媒渕e乌鸦传媒� time 乌鸦传媒� time to be alone, and time to think.
French is currently training for two of the biggest runs of her life: a 70-kilometre ultra marathon in Manning Park on Aug. 10 and, the icing on any runner乌鸦传媒檚 cake, the New York City Marathon on Nov. 4. She乌鸦传媒檚 also running a 35-kilometre Survival of the Fittest Trail Run May 26 in Squamish with two of her best friends, BJ Bruder and Melissa Lambert.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 kind of funny because I wasn乌鸦传媒檛 going to do any races this year,乌鸦传媒� French said. 乌鸦传媒淏J phoned me one day and asked if I wanted to do an ultra marathon and I said 乌鸦传媒榓bsolutely, no,乌鸦传媒� but after about a week of convincing I ended up saying yes.乌鸦传媒�
Her decision to register for the New York City Marathon was another gamble. For the race, ever year a lottery is held, where just 4- to 5,000 out of more than 120,000 are accepted to join another 50,000 who compete at the famous event.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 really exciting,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 the biggest marathon in the world and the hardest one to get in to. When I applied they setup an interview process, not personally, but through e-mail and through some paperwork. They ask you some questions like why you like running, how many marathons you乌鸦传媒檝e done, your times and what your goals are for this year. You kind of just send it off and you hope for the best.乌鸦传媒�
This year the New York City Marathon saw a record number of applicants. On Feb. 28, French got an e-mail notifying her she乌鸦传媒檇 been accepted.
乌鸦传媒淪o, now, I乌鸦传媒檓 doing an ultra marathon training plan, and getting ready for that,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淛ust the atmosphere, alone, will be great. I乌鸦传媒檝e been getting more into trail running and I didn乌鸦传媒檛 want to do any more road races, but I乌鸦传媒檓 pretty excited about the New York one. It乌鸦传媒檚 a big tick off any runner乌鸦传媒檚 bucket list.乌鸦传媒�
In preparation, French runs four to five times a week.
乌鸦传媒淔or an ultra, they say you have to do two back-to-back long runs, so I do a long run on Saturday, then a long run on Sunday. With the Sunday run you乌鸦传媒檙e learning to run on tired legs.乌鸦传媒�
She also strength trains twice a week, and cross trains either by swimming or by finding other activities to do.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 really busy,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 not much time for anything else, but I like it.乌鸦传媒�
For the 70-kilometre ultra marathon, French said it will be her first and a gruelling test to see whether her body 乌鸦传媒� physically and mentally 乌鸦传媒� can handle it.
乌鸦传媒淭he longest race I乌鸦传媒檝e done is a full marathon, so 42.2 kilometres,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e only done that once and it was in 2014. I乌鸦传媒檝e done 13 half marathons, but nothing as crazy as thinking of doing an ultra.乌鸦传媒�
Her inspiration and biggest motivator, she said, is American marathon runner Katherine Switzer who, in 1967, became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entrant.
乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 a huge role model for me,乌鸦传媒� French said. 乌鸦传媒淔or 70 years the Boston Marathon was male dominant 乌鸦传媒� no women were allowed to run. She had signed up with just her initials, 乌鸦传媒楰V Switzer,乌鸦传媒� and was running along with her boyfriend and her coach when the race director realized there was a girl in the race. They pushed her, body checked her, and the race director tried to take her bib.乌鸦传媒�
Switzer finished the race and, five years later in 1972, women were officially allowed to enter the Boston Marathon.
乌鸦传媒淪he pioneered it,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚f it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 for her, women wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be running marathons. I乌鸦传媒檝e loved her since I started running.乌鸦传媒�
Her family and friends are also in her corner providing much-needed support.
乌鸦传媒淚 went for a run [Monday] and came home greeted by my family asking how it went,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚 have a huge support system and if anything, it is nice that they are the ones who hold me accountable on days when I don乌鸦传媒檛 run: 乌鸦传媒楬ey, mom. Why aren乌鸦传媒檛 you going for a run today?乌鸦传媒� They see me wanting to stick to a goal and achieve it as I hope they do with the things they set out to do, as well.乌鸦传媒�
French乌鸦传媒檚 passion for running began after she had her first child 11 years ago. She started off with short distances just as a way to get out of the house for some time to herself.
That乌鸦传媒檚 when she got hooked.
乌鸦传媒淲hen I start to run harder and deeper into the loneliness, further away from the world and busyness, structure and routine of life I being to feel strangely elated, detached and, at the same time, connected,乌鸦传媒� she described. 乌鸦传媒淢ore connected to my body 乌鸦传媒� it helps me realize the simplicity of life and gain perspective. Everything that seems overwhelming in a day is more manageable after a good run.乌鸦传媒�
She added she treats running a lot like parenting.
乌鸦传媒淲hen my kids are having a bad day I tell them to breathe, relax and put one foot in front of the other,乌鸦传媒� she said.
乌鸦传媒淚 tell myself that on a long, hard run. Running makes me feel free, happy and alive.乌鸦传媒�
sports@wltribune.com
Like us on and follow us on .
