PR Coaching Athlete: Uran

I’m introducing one of my athletes today: Uran. We have been working together for several months now, and she will soon be running the Her Tern Half Marathon in July!

Uran been a very diligent athlete, and I look forward to her text after each run telling me how it went. Recently we’ve had a few break-through workouts, and I can’t help be excited for her! I’m also looking forward to see what she’ll be able to do at the half marathon!

Tell us a little about yourself: family, work, where you’ve lived, etc.

I’m originally from Atlanta, Georgia, but I lived between there and Costa Rica – where my dad is from – until I was five. We settled in Atlanta permanently after that, and I stayed there until I moved to Homer, Alaska three years ago. I work as a Controller (Accountant), and my partner Jimmy flies float planes. I am a stepmom to two awesome little boys – Bryce (11) and Joe (3).

How did you get into running?

I tried and failed to enjoy running for years in my 20s, but I really didn’t hit my stride (hahaha) until last summer. I started with just a walk/run app that finally moved into all running, but with just a year under my belt, I’m still just a beginner! 🙂

Highlight a few races with times and how they went.

I really haven’t raced much until this year, but here are this year’s 5k and 10k times:

Migration Run 5k – 28:22

Homer Spit Run 10k – 59:34

What motivates you in your running?

Pizza. Just kidding – sorta. I’ve learned to really love running in the last year, and now its like I need it to stay sane. Even on the hard interval or tempo days, I know that just getting out for a run will make me feel better. It’s also a nice time to just zone out, and have a chunk of the day where I’m not thinking about anything but the task at hand, which is hard for me to do in any other setting but running.

What are your running goals?

THE HER TERN HALF MARATHON. That’s why I originally contacted Michelle for coaching, at least. I’m also doing the Lost Lake Run in August. Beyond that, I think I’d maybe like to work on getting faster for the shorter distances, but I haven’t really thought about it too hard. I’ll do what Michelle tells me to do – I’m nothing if not coach-able. Haha.

What was the strangest/coolest/weirdest thing that has happened (or that your saw) on a run?

In early spring, the moose were thick down in town where I live, and I almost literally ran into a young bull moose. That was pretty weird. I wish I had better stories, but I think I tend to be less aware of my surroundings than I probably should be.

How do you reward yourself after a hard run or race?

A new piece of running gear. I’m slowly building up my stash of good shoes, socks and pants. Try as I might, I can’t ever seem to break away from running in cotton t-shirts, so the race day shirts end up being their own reward!

What are your upcoming races?

The only two I have coming up are the Her Tern Half in Anchorage and the Lost Lake Run in Seward. There is the Kenai River Marathon Relay in September that looks really cool, but I need to make more running friends if I want to try and make that happen. 🙂

I still have spots available for coaching if you have any interest in working with me to coach you to a new PR, run a new distance, or just have someone keep you accountable. I write very personalized plans for each one of my athletes and truly get to know you as a person and runner to help you become more successful. You can read more about my coaching services HERE or contact me via email {prcoaching.michelle@gmail.com} with any questions!