June 18, 2025 • 17 mins
Denali Strabel returns to the Steep Stuff Podcast for a deeply personal conversation about her journey back to the Broken Arrow 46K Skyrace after a five-year hiatus. The Alaskan mountain runner opens up about the transformative path that led her here – through pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and the heartbreaking loss of her twin sister.
From the moment she arrived at the race venue, Denali's connection to this special place is palpable. Since 2008, she's been drawn to these mountains, first for college training camps and later with her sister when they craved elevation. Her 2019 race proved she could compete with the best "down in America," finishing fifth and feeling like her career was just beginning to soar. Then came pregnancy and the pandemic, dramatically altering her trajectory.
What emerges in this conversation is the portrait of an athlete reborn through challenge. "I wasn't fueling right," she admits about her pre-motherhood approach. The demands of breastfeeding while returning to training forced a revolution in her relationship with food: "I eat a lot and my body is strong." Working with coach David Roche, she's redefined success on her own terms, building back gradually from nerve damage and hormonal challenges through a quality-over-quantity approach.
While dreams of making Team USA flicker in her mind (especially poignant given one of her final conversations with her sister), Denali approaches this race with beautiful perspective. Her strategy reflects the wisdom gained through life's obstacles – patience on the first loop, then "catch the carnage, don't be the carnage" on the second. Most movingly, she carries her sister's ashes to spread on the mountain, merging her competitive ambitions with profound personal meaning.
Join us for this intimate look at motherhood, grief, comeback, and the enduring spirit that drives mountain runners back to the places that challenge and heal them. Follow Denali and the strong Alaskan contingent as they take on Broken Arrow and demonstrate what's possible when passion meets perspective.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What is up, fam?
Welcome back to the Steep StuffPodcast.
I'm your host, james Lauriello,bringing you another Broken
Arrow 46k preview episode, thisone with Alaskan-born mountain
runner one of my favorite peoplein the sport, I have to be
honest with you Ms DenaliStrabel.
Denali joins us just as she'sstarting to ramp things up for
(00:20):
her 2025 season.
I know this is going to be an Arace on her calendar that she's
going to come out.
She's out there now to gocompete out on Saturday.
Denali's got some experience atthe 23 K, so this is going to
be a second loop.
She'll be running around themountain, which is pretty sweet.
Yeah, super excited for Denali.
It's going to be a really funto follow her race and just see
(00:41):
what she's.
You know what she's going toaccomplish on race day.
So, guys, I hope you enjoy thisone.
It's a personal favorite ofmine.
Denali, like I said, uh, thisone's near and dear to the heart
.
Um, as Denali, you know both asa mom, you know, coming off the
backside of postpartum, um, anddealing with the tragic loss of
her sister, um, you know she's.
She's out there, um, andcontinues to fight, and it was
(01:03):
just such an inspiring human.
So, without further ado, noneother than Denali Strable,
denali Strable welcome back tothe steep stuff podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
How's it going?
It's going well, just settledinto.
Um, we're actually right by thestart line, finished start line
area.
So just got in here last nightand we're acclimating Well, uh,
yeah, things are looking great,I love this area.
So just got in here last nightand we're acclimating.
Well, yeah, things are lookinggreat, I love this area.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, it's beautiful.
It's absolutely beautiful.
I know this one's kind of nearand well.
Actually, maybe we'll startwith that.
I think it's a good startingquestion.
I know this race is kind ofnear and dear to your heart,
that you've spent a lot of timeout here training.
I know it's very important toyou.
Maybe talk about, like, justwhat the area means to you, the
race means to you, things likethat.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Yeah, I've been coming to this area since 2008.
First started off as anelevation camp with my
cross-country team in college,and then my twin sister and I
would travel up here whenever wewould miss the mountains when
we were moving down, living morein Modesto area, and so we
would come up here a lot.
(02:04):
So I have I have photos atKing's beach for over a decade
of just us hanging out andplaying, and I went to this race
in 2019.
That was probably one of mylast big efforts before I got
pregnant and before COVID, so itwas just such a fun time.
(02:24):
I kind of come into these racesas an underdog.
No one really knows who I am.
I usually race in Alaska, sothe 2019 race was something like
that kind of solidified me aslike, okay, I can run with these
girls down in America and Iknow I don't run a lot down here
, but it was just an excitingtime for me that I finished
pretty well.
It was just an exciting timefor me that I finished pretty
(02:45):
well.
Not like on the podium, I wasfifth, but I finished in a way
that I thought, oh my gosh, thisis just the starting.
And then COVID happened andthen I got pregnant, so it's
been six years.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So I'm just so happy to be here, I'm just so juiced,
I love it.
I love it.
It's such a special race andit's such a special area.
Maybe talk about.
You're kind of a totallydifferent person since the last
time you raced.
I mean going through pregnancy,going through postpartum, going
through all these things.
You're transformed in a lot ofways.
Can you maybe talk about justhow you're, I want to say, maybe
(03:23):
the best version of yourselfgoing into this?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I love that because I'm trying to be the best
version of myself.
Um, like, I want to be the bestDenali, and I think it took
going through postpartum torealize that I wasn't fueling
right.
I wasn't um doing anythingright, pretty much, uh.
When I did Broken Arrow in 2019, I was a has-been um, no
consistency, uh, definitely nofueling, and I actually ended
(03:50):
that season with, um, a fracturein my foot, um, and so, you
know, dropped a lot of weight.
I don't need to be droppingweight, um, and so since then,
I've learned how to beconsistent, how to be be nice to
myself, find the love I alwayswanted, and also to fuel like.
I eat a lot and I I feel like Iknow there's this fad about,
(04:14):
like high carb and whatever, butI had to do that because I was
breastfeeding my child and I wasalso trying to run and I was
double downing on like stilltaking care of myself but also
take care of my son.
So I kind of like naturallystarted to to eat more because I
had to survive that way and nowI just race so differently,
(04:36):
like, I am at a better weight, Ihave a great cycle and my body
is strong, like, super stronggoal, um, and my body is strong
like super strong, um, so I mean, you know, it's just like I had
to deal with a bunch of nervedamage and a bunch of
wackadoodle hormones, um, so Ididn't get all the training I
(04:56):
wanted, but learning so muchabout my body the last six
months has been, um, just such agame changer and I'm so excited
for like, possibly like whatcould happen at this race, just
just because I know that I didso much more than I've ever done
, and not just the training,just more like how can I get my
body to not be broken anymore?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
That's a beautiful answer.
Now.
I appreciate you for being sohonest and being open about it.
Yeah, let's talk a little bitabout the build.
Build, obviously, I mean justfrom what I've seen and kind of
followed along, I knew you wereon the bike for a little bit and
it seems like you've beenrunning a bunch now and kind of
doing your thing.
Obviously you have an amazingcoach in David Roche that seems
to prepare people so well forthese races.
Maybe talk about just how thebuild's been going and kind of
(05:38):
where you're at with that.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Yeah, the last time we talked I literally had gotten
close to 90 or a hundred milesof biking and then I just, um
that just kind of like set thetone of.
I got excited again fortraining.
Um, I still wasn't able to run,and so on.
(06:01):
On the side of Zwift biking, Iwas learning all about my
hormones and about the nervedamage, and then one day, one
day, I just could run, and thenI could run again and again and
I started with like 20 miles aweek and I ended with like I, I,
I run and I walk, I walk liketwice a day.
(06:21):
So I always add that into mytotals at the end.
And I've been, I've hit likesome high mileage and some like
really high elevation gainconsistently.
Um, so for me personally, Ithink that I had like a 13 week
spread of some really good,really good um, like just some
high quality.
(06:42):
So, like the game right now isis quality not quantity.
Um, you get what you get, youdon't throw fit.
And I think David has just beenso great, like I should have
done a race up here in Alaska.
And I think David has just beenso great, like I should have
done a race up here in Alaskaand I just wasn't feeling it and
he was so quick to say hey,we're in this to have fun, we're
in this for the love of it,scratch the race, go have an
adventure.
(07:03):
And like that day I had anadventure out like almost five
hours out in the mountains andand that like just really
recharged me of like, yeah, I dowant to still race and yeah, I
do still want to be here and Idon't care if people like even
know my name, I don't care likehow I place right now, like I
just know that, like I havethese goals of just getting to
the start line and like it'sjust been like so cool to like
(07:26):
keep the momentum for, like youknow, a short period of time.
Like, yeah, I've got self-doubt, I'm super worried, and like
you know, yeah, but like I love,I just like I just like I'm
here to have a good experienceand to hopefully be an example
of.
You know, it's so cool to seelike these mothers get the
recognition they need, you know.
And so like there's some of uswho are just like taking our
(07:48):
time and like I'm I'm four yearsinto postpartum, five years
since my body's been changing,and I'm just taking my time
getting back into high, likecompetition outside of Alaska
and like.
So it's just like for me, likethis buildup is just like the
beginning of I'm, I'm, I'mexcited again, and there was a
moment where I thought I'm goingto have to defer Broken Arrow
(08:11):
and this is going to break myheart because I just want to get
back to broken arrow and like.
So I just, I just, you know, Ihad to find my reason why.
And sure, making that USA teamis like, oh, if I had that
perfect day, I'd be the underdogof underdogs and people would
be like, ah, that girl totallyscrewed up all my fantasy picks
and that would be awesome.
But also I know, like my realgoals are just to like, make it
(08:31):
two laps around and hopefully beone of the top mamas and you
know, like, and just have a goodexperience, and I have my
sister's ashes with me and I'mgoing to spread them on the
mountain.
Um, so it's just like, it'sjust such a good, good vibes.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Yeah, I love that.
Let me ask you this I know, Iknow like you can't be going
into this race, not like, hey,there's like you gotta, you
gotta throw yourself in the ringobviously.
Like there's a possibility,like you could definitely make
it onto the team.
Like what would that mean toyou if you make it on team usa?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
uh, gosh, it would mean a lot.
Um, no, because one of the lastconversations I had with my
sister before she died, um, wasjust that she was like don't,
don't give up on trying to makea team.
You know, don't, don't give up.
And I was like it's not, it'snot really about that.
(09:22):
Like you know, they'reobviously every runner wants to
make a team.
But so like, yeah, in the backof my head I think, oh, that'd
be so cool, that'd be so cool,and like broken arrow is like
something that like is right upmy alley.
But I also know, like you know,I got to go up against girls
like Jennifer and Claire Rhodes,who I just like, I just want
(09:43):
Claire Rhodes to win, like Iwant her to smash out of the
park.
So it's just like I just knowthat like it would take a lot
for me to make this team and itseems like a lot of Alaskans.
So I just think that, like I'mjust going to hold dear to my
heart and like, remember thatlike my sister believed in me so
much and so maybe, maybe, like,if the opportunity arises, I'm
(10:06):
going to be an absolute viperout there and I'm going to show
them what, like these girlsdon't know, because I've been
out of the game for a long timeit feels like so it's just like
yeah, if the opportunity arises,I'm absolutely going for it.
I'm absolutely going to be thedownhill queen if I have to like
grab that spot at the very last, like mile, absolutely Like, so
it would mean, it would mean somuch to me.
(10:27):
But I've kind of put like theUSA qualifier in the back burner
, but like definitely, if itlike arises, like I know that,
like I'll do it for my sister.
Absolutely Like, absolutely nodoubt.
Like she was such a bettercompetitor than I ever was, so I
would just like channel her andbe like yeah, I'll get the job
done.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Oh, man, that's a beautiful answer.
Well, yeah, there's so manyways to race this race.
Right, like I know, a lot ofpeople take it out so aggressive
, and there's two loops and yougot to be so strategic, right
like you have to put yourself inthe race, but also, like we've
all seen, like epic blow-upsoccur.
How are you gonna race it?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
like, obviously like are you gonna chill out a little
bit on the first lap and putyourself in it like what's your
brother let me tell you, the onething I do remember about this
race six years ago is that, um,I think it's like the first
three miles are very runnableand, um, I'm, like you know,
(11:25):
telling myself, honey, boo, boo,you do not need to be running,
that, you just need to make itto that first climb.
And so, like my, my attitude isgoing to be like just don't
freak out.
Don't freak out becauseeveryone's going to go bad out
of heck, and just like, run itbecause it's runnable.
I mean like it's.
And what's really cool aboutthis race is they do bring that
kind of Euro style where youknow they've got the music,
they've got the hand clapping,they're like let's do the
(11:47):
Macarena before.
And it's like, Whoa, my heartrate is at 180 right now.
And then they say go.
And you're like what the heck?
Um, just remember.
Like don't do that, Like justjust chill out, make it around
one lap.
And I want to get back to thatvillage and say, okay, now it's
(12:10):
game time.
Now it's like now we go afterthe downhill segments, Now we
just like crush anybody, likecatch the carnage, don't be the
carnage.
And so I just really have tosettle in and be okay with
possibly being like just in thetop 20, that first lap, and just
like be okay and not freak out.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
No, I agree.
This is such a smart way torace it, I guess.
Like that's the thing, you seepeople take off so crazy and
then you're reeling them inwithin the first, like you know,
a couple of miles you'll startpeople people just blow up.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
It's kind of funny, yeah, and like I, I could easily
be the person who blows up, but, like I also know that there
are gals who are just likecrushing it and who are gonna
like maintain.
So it's just kind of like Iwant to stay in my wheelhouse
and, like I said, like my maingoal is to just like be one of
the top moms who have like atoddler and just like, hopefully
in that 30 age group, just kindof be Um, cause I do not think
(13:00):
my resume will make this team.
Everything I've done is just inAlaska, um, and so like I, just
I, yeah, I.
There's no like I mean, unlessI do really well here, and they
say, yeah, that girl did a greatbroken arrow, but I just don't,
I, I, yeah, I've just.
This has been my wholepostpartum journey and I wish,
on that form, you could say,look, I've been in postpartum
(13:21):
this whole time, I'm survivingmy sister's death, like this is
what I've done.
But, like you know, you justhave to put your races and you
just hope for the best and I'mthinking, oh God, like they
don't know what these races areoutside of Mount Marathon.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Never say never.
Well, you know, I listen, I'msuch a big fan of it, like the
alaskan mountain running scene,like you guys put.
Like you put put in like theworld on notice lately, like
people were no, like it's sofunny, I was in the live stream
and I, like david norris, wasn'teven listed on like the elite
group.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
I was like which was so crazy.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I was like guys, what are we doing here?
Like did we not know who davidis probably gonna go win this
race and I literally said it onthe live stream and they're like
, oh, yeah, and like I guess itstarted to register when I said
that.
But sure as shit, david goesand wins the race.
Yeah, absolutely, there's somany of you guys that are just
like crushers.
So, yeah, I, like I said, Iwouldn't be surprised to see the
(14:11):
Alaskan contingents toabsolutely dominate this race
and just have another amazingshow.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
There's quite a few Alaskans in this race and I hope
that we all podium.
That's my dream and listen it'snot, it's not like.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
I told Sophie this before the like before Sunapee,
I was like yo, there's a worldwhere, like like we have an
Alaskan on like pretty muchevery like team like easily and
it's it's pretty close, likeit's gonna be yeah, it's pretty
darn close and it's gonna be soawesome, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
So I obviously I don't going to be yeah, it's
pretty darn close and it's goingto be so awesome, yeah, yeah.
So obviously I don't want to bethe Alaskan left out.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
That's so true.
That's so true.
All right, I think we gotpretty much everything.
Thank you so much for takingthis call.
I know it's like 6.30 in themorning where you are, so I
appreciate you.
I am literally fingers crossedWishing you such the best of
luck, and I hope you have anamazing day out there.
It's going to be so fun tofollow along.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Well, thank you so much I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
I'm going to get this out now.
I'm literally going to go likeedit this now and get it out.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Okay, awesome have a good day.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Bye, denali.
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What is up, fam?
Welcome back to the Steep StuffPodcast.
I'm your host, james Lauriello,bringing you another Broken
Arrow 46k preview episode, thisone with Alaskan-born mountain
runner one of my favorite peoplein the sport, I have to be
honest with you Ms DenaliStrabel.
Denali joins us just as she'sstarting to ramp things up for
(00:20):
her 2025 season.
I know this is going to be an Arace on her calendar that she's
going to come out.
She's out there now to gocompete out on Saturday.
Denali's got some experience atthe 23 K, so this is going to
be a second loop.
She'll be running around themountain, which is pretty sweet.
Yeah, super excited for Denali.
It's going to be a really funto follow her race and just see
(00:41):
what she's.
You know what she's going toaccomplish on race day.
So, guys, I hope you enjoy thisone.
It's a personal favorite ofmine.
Denali, like I said, uh, thisone's near and dear to the heart
.
Um, as Denali, you know both asa mom, you know, coming off the
backside of postpartum, um, anddealing with the tragic loss of
her sister, um, you know she's.
She's out there, um, andcontinues to fight, and it was
(01:03):
just such an inspiring human.
So, without further ado, noneother than Denali Strable,
denali Strable welcome back tothe steep stuff podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
How's it going?
It's going well, just settledinto.
Um, we're actually right by thestart line, finished start line
area.
So just got in here last nightand we're acclimating Well, uh,
yeah, things are looking great,I love this area.
So just got in here last nightand we're acclimating.
Well, yeah, things are lookinggreat, I love this area.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, it's beautiful.
It's absolutely beautiful.
I know this one's kind of nearand well.
Actually, maybe we'll startwith that.
I think it's a good startingquestion.
I know this race is kind ofnear and dear to your heart,
that you've spent a lot of timeout here training.
I know it's very important toyou.
Maybe talk about, like, justwhat the area means to you, the
race means to you, things likethat.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Yeah, I've been coming to this area since 2008.
First started off as anelevation camp with my
cross-country team in college,and then my twin sister and I
would travel up here whenever wewould miss the mountains when
we were moving down, living morein Modesto area, and so we
would come up here a lot.
(02:04):
So I have I have photos atKing's beach for over a decade
of just us hanging out andplaying, and I went to this race
in 2019.
That was probably one of mylast big efforts before I got
pregnant and before COVID, so itwas just such a fun time.
(02:24):
I kind of come into these racesas an underdog.
No one really knows who I am.
I usually race in Alaska, sothe 2019 race was something like
that kind of solidified me aslike, okay, I can run with these
girls down in America and Iknow I don't run a lot down here
, but it was just an excitingtime for me that I finished
pretty well.
It was just an exciting timefor me that I finished pretty
(02:45):
well.
Not like on the podium, I wasfifth, but I finished in a way
that I thought, oh my gosh, thisis just the starting.
And then COVID happened andthen I got pregnant, so it's
been six years.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So I'm just so happy to be here, I'm just so juiced,
I love it.
I love it.
It's such a special race andit's such a special area.
Maybe talk about.
You're kind of a totallydifferent person since the last
time you raced.
I mean going through pregnancy,going through postpartum, going
through all these things.
You're transformed in a lot ofways.
Can you maybe talk about justhow you're, I want to say, maybe
(03:23):
the best version of yourselfgoing into this?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I love that because I'm trying to be the best
version of myself.
Um, like, I want to be the bestDenali, and I think it took
going through postpartum torealize that I wasn't fueling
right.
I wasn't um doing anythingright, pretty much, uh.
When I did Broken Arrow in 2019, I was a has-been um, no
consistency, uh, definitely nofueling, and I actually ended
(03:50):
that season with, um, a fracturein my foot, um, and so, you
know, dropped a lot of weight.
I don't need to be droppingweight, um, and so since then,
I've learned how to beconsistent, how to be be nice to
myself, find the love I alwayswanted, and also to fuel like.
I eat a lot and I I feel like Iknow there's this fad about,
(04:14):
like high carb and whatever, butI had to do that because I was
breastfeeding my child and I wasalso trying to run and I was
double downing on like stilltaking care of myself but also
take care of my son.
So I kind of like naturallystarted to to eat more because I
had to survive that way and nowI just race so differently,
(04:36):
like, I am at a better weight, Ihave a great cycle and my body
is strong, like, super stronggoal, um, and my body is strong
like super strong, um, so I mean, you know, it's just like I had
to deal with a bunch of nervedamage and a bunch of
wackadoodle hormones, um, so Ididn't get all the training I
(04:56):
wanted, but learning so muchabout my body the last six
months has been, um, just such agame changer and I'm so excited
for like, possibly like whatcould happen at this race, just
just because I know that I didso much more than I've ever done
, and not just the training,just more like how can I get my
body to not be broken anymore?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
That's a beautiful answer.
Now.
I appreciate you for being sohonest and being open about it.
Yeah, let's talk a little bitabout the build.
Build, obviously, I mean justfrom what I've seen and kind of
followed along, I knew you wereon the bike for a little bit and
it seems like you've beenrunning a bunch now and kind of
doing your thing.
Obviously you have an amazingcoach in David Roche that seems
to prepare people so well forthese races.
Maybe talk about just how thebuild's been going and kind of
(05:38):
where you're at with that.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Yeah, the last time we talked I literally had gotten
close to 90 or a hundred milesof biking and then I just, um
that just kind of like set thetone of.
I got excited again fortraining.
Um, I still wasn't able to run,and so on.
(06:01):
On the side of Zwift biking, Iwas learning all about my
hormones and about the nervedamage, and then one day, one
day, I just could run, and thenI could run again and again and
I started with like 20 miles aweek and I ended with like I, I,
I run and I walk, I walk liketwice a day.
(06:21):
So I always add that into mytotals at the end.
And I've been, I've hit likesome high mileage and some like
really high elevation gainconsistently.
Um, so for me personally, Ithink that I had like a 13 week
spread of some really good,really good um, like just some
high quality.
(06:42):
So, like the game right now isis quality not quantity.
Um, you get what you get, youdon't throw fit.
And I think David has just beenso great, like I should have
done a race up here in Alaska.
And I think David has just beenso great, like I should have
done a race up here in Alaskaand I just wasn't feeling it and
he was so quick to say hey,we're in this to have fun, we're
in this for the love of it,scratch the race, go have an
adventure.
(07:03):
And like that day I had anadventure out like almost five
hours out in the mountains andand that like just really
recharged me of like, yeah, I dowant to still race and yeah, I
do still want to be here and Idon't care if people like even
know my name, I don't care likehow I place right now, like I
just know that, like I havethese goals of just getting to
the start line and like it'sjust been like so cool to like
(07:26):
keep the momentum for, like youknow, a short period of time.
Like, yeah, I've got self-doubt, I'm super worried, and like
you know, yeah, but like I love,I just like I just like I'm
here to have a good experienceand to hopefully be an example
of.
You know, it's so cool to seelike these mothers get the
recognition they need, you know.
And so like there's some of uswho are just like taking our
(07:48):
time and like I'm I'm four yearsinto postpartum, five years
since my body's been changing,and I'm just taking my time
getting back into high, likecompetition outside of Alaska
and like.
So it's just like for me, likethis buildup is just like the
beginning of I'm, I'm, I'mexcited again, and there was a
moment where I thought I'm goingto have to defer Broken Arrow
(08:11):
and this is going to break myheart because I just want to get
back to broken arrow and like.
So I just, I just, you know, Ihad to find my reason why.
And sure, making that USA teamis like, oh, if I had that
perfect day, I'd be the underdogof underdogs and people would
be like, ah, that girl totallyscrewed up all my fantasy picks
and that would be awesome.
But also I know, like my realgoals are just to like, make it
(08:31):
two laps around and hopefully beone of the top mamas and you
know, like, and just have a goodexperience, and I have my
sister's ashes with me and I'mgoing to spread them on the
mountain.
Um, so it's just like, it'sjust such a good, good vibes.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Yeah, I love that.
Let me ask you this I know, Iknow like you can't be going
into this race, not like, hey,there's like you gotta, you
gotta throw yourself in the ringobviously.
Like there's a possibility,like you could definitely make
it onto the team.
Like what would that mean toyou if you make it on team usa?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
uh, gosh, it would mean a lot.
Um, no, because one of the lastconversations I had with my
sister before she died, um, wasjust that she was like don't,
don't give up on trying to makea team.
You know, don't, don't give up.
And I was like it's not, it'snot really about that.
(09:22):
Like you know, they'reobviously every runner wants to
make a team.
But so like, yeah, in the backof my head I think, oh, that'd
be so cool, that'd be so cool,and like broken arrow is like
something that like is right upmy alley.
But I also know, like you know,I got to go up against girls
like Jennifer and Claire Rhodes,who I just like, I just want
(09:43):
Claire Rhodes to win, like Iwant her to smash out of the
park.
So it's just like I just knowthat like it would take a lot
for me to make this team and itseems like a lot of Alaskans.
So I just think that, like I'mjust going to hold dear to my
heart and like, remember thatlike my sister believed in me so
much and so maybe, maybe, like,if the opportunity arises, I'm
(10:06):
going to be an absolute viperout there and I'm going to show
them what, like these girlsdon't know, because I've been
out of the game for a long timeit feels like so it's just like
yeah, if the opportunity arises,I'm absolutely going for it.
I'm absolutely going to be thedownhill queen if I have to like
grab that spot at the very last, like mile, absolutely Like, so
it would mean, it would mean somuch to me.
(10:27):
But I've kind of put like theUSA qualifier in the back burner
, but like definitely, if itlike arises, like I know that,
like I'll do it for my sister.
Absolutely Like, absolutely nodoubt.
Like she was such a bettercompetitor than I ever was, so I
would just like channel her andbe like yeah, I'll get the job
done.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Oh, man, that's a beautiful answer.
Well, yeah, there's so manyways to race this race.
Right, like I know, a lot ofpeople take it out so aggressive
, and there's two loops and yougot to be so strategic, right
like you have to put yourself inthe race, but also, like we've
all seen, like epic blow-upsoccur.
How are you gonna race it?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
like, obviously like are you gonna chill out a little
bit on the first lap and putyourself in it like what's your
brother let me tell you, the onething I do remember about this
race six years ago is that, um,I think it's like the first
three miles are very runnableand, um, I'm, like you know,
(11:25):
telling myself, honey, boo, boo,you do not need to be running,
that, you just need to make itto that first climb.
And so, like my, my attitude isgoing to be like just don't
freak out.
Don't freak out becauseeveryone's going to go bad out
of heck, and just like, run itbecause it's runnable.
I mean like it's.
And what's really cool aboutthis race is they do bring that
kind of Euro style where youknow they've got the music,
they've got the hand clapping,they're like let's do the
(11:47):
Macarena before.
And it's like, Whoa, my heartrate is at 180 right now.
And then they say go.
And you're like what the heck?
Um, just remember.
Like don't do that, Like justjust chill out, make it around
one lap.
And I want to get back to thatvillage and say, okay, now it's
(12:10):
game time.
Now it's like now we go afterthe downhill segments, Now we
just like crush anybody, likecatch the carnage, don't be the
carnage.
And so I just really have tosettle in and be okay with
possibly being like just in thetop 20, that first lap, and just
like be okay and not freak out.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
No, I agree.
This is such a smart way torace it, I guess.
Like that's the thing, you seepeople take off so crazy and
then you're reeling them inwithin the first, like you know,
a couple of miles you'll startpeople people just blow up.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
It's kind of funny, yeah, and like I, I could easily
be the person who blows up, but, like I also know that there
are gals who are just likecrushing it and who are gonna
like maintain.
So it's just kind of like Iwant to stay in my wheelhouse
and, like I said, like my maingoal is to just like be one of
the top moms who have like atoddler and just like, hopefully
in that 30 age group, just kindof be Um, cause I do not think
(13:00):
my resume will make this team.
Everything I've done is just inAlaska, um, and so like I, just
I, yeah, I.
There's no like I mean, unlessI do really well here, and they
say, yeah, that girl did a greatbroken arrow, but I just don't,
I, I, yeah, I've just.
This has been my wholepostpartum journey and I wish,
on that form, you could say,look, I've been in postpartum
(13:21):
this whole time, I'm survivingmy sister's death, like this is
what I've done.
But, like you know, you justhave to put your races and you
just hope for the best and I'mthinking, oh God, like they
don't know what these races areoutside of Mount Marathon.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Never say never.
Well, you know, I listen, I'msuch a big fan of it, like the
alaskan mountain running scene,like you guys put.
Like you put put in like theworld on notice lately, like
people were no, like it's sofunny, I was in the live stream
and I, like david norris, wasn'teven listed on like the elite
group.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
I was like which was so crazy.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I was like guys, what are we doing here?
Like did we not know who davidis probably gonna go win this
race and I literally said it onthe live stream and they're like
, oh, yeah, and like I guess itstarted to register when I said
that.
But sure as shit, david goesand wins the race.
Yeah, absolutely, there's somany of you guys that are just
like crushers.
So, yeah, I, like I said, Iwouldn't be surprised to see the
(14:11):
Alaskan contingents toabsolutely dominate this race
and just have another amazingshow.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
There's quite a few Alaskans in this race and I hope
that we all podium.
That's my dream and listen it'snot, it's not like.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
I told Sophie this before the like before Sunapee,
I was like yo, there's a worldwhere, like like we have an
Alaskan on like pretty muchevery like team like easily and
it's it's pretty close, likeit's gonna be yeah, it's pretty
darn close and it's gonna be soawesome, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
So I obviously I don't going to be yeah, it's
pretty darn close and it's goingto be so awesome, yeah, yeah.
So obviously I don't want to bethe Alaskan left out.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
That's so true.
That's so true.
All right, I think we gotpretty much everything.
Thank you so much for takingthis call.
I know it's like 6.30 in themorning where you are, so I
appreciate you.
I am literally fingers crossedWishing you such the best of
luck, and I hope you have anamazing day out there.
It's going to be so fun tofollow along.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Well, thank you so much I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
I'm going to get this out now.
I'm literally going to go likeedit this now and get it out.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Okay, awesome have a good day.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Bye, denali.
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