Des听Linden may not be a household name among runners, but that could change soon. The 32-year-old marathoner, originally from Chula Vista, California, recently ran the fourth fastest marathon among American women, ever听(2:22:38). She now trains with the听 in Rochester, Michigan. But perhaps more than anything, those who follow Linden admire her for her subtle fierceness. She flies under the radar, both because of her small frame (she's five-foot-one, 98 pounds) and because of her low-key, blue-collar approach to training and her introverted nature. But on the road she鈥檚 a force to be reckoned with.听
Many speculate that听Des will be key player in the upcoming Olympics, but first she must punch her ticket to Rio by finishing in the top three at the 听in Los Angeles听on Saturday, February 13. In advance of the Trials, we caught up with Des to learn more about how she consistently gets the most out of her running.听
Favorite Workout
Two-by-six mile听repeats at about five seconds faster than marathon pace. I do this shortly before tapering. It鈥檚 huge for confidence. Even though it doesn鈥檛 sound so hard on paper, when it comes at the end of a 120-mile听week, it is. The workout ends up simulating the last 12 miles of a marathon.
Patience Is Key
In distance running, you鈥檝e got to learn to love the process. Whether it鈥檚 in training (it takes a lot of time to get better) or in racing () patience is a virtue. There are no quick fixes. It鈥檚 about believing in the plan and executing.听
Focus Inward
I love music. Whenever I鈥檓 not running, I鈥檓 almost always listening to music. But during runs, I prefer to be alone with my thoughts or in laid-back conversations with my teammates.听Almost all of my runs end with me visualizing my next race. I don鈥檛 intentionally do it, it just kind of happens.听
Yoga!听
Yoga combines stretching and strength (both of which are very important for preventing injuries) in a fun activity. It鈥檚 a great way to ensure you stay on top of the little things.
Eat Smart
I don鈥檛 do anything fancy or count calories. I just try to avoid eating stuff that comes in bags or boxes.听
鈥淩ecovery鈥 Programmed into the Plan
The first thing that comes to mind for me when I hear the word 鈥渞ecovery鈥 is keeping your easy days easy and your hard days hard. Too many people get stuck in the grey area. 听
Confidence from Hurt
Having an injury is a sign of pushing beyond your limit. When I fractured my femur [an injury that forced Des听to pull out of the 2012 Olympic Marathon] I did everything I could to stay positive. Sure, it sucked, especially because of the timing, and I let myself be sad. But I also learned about imbalances in my body and fixed them. And, in a weird way, the injury increased my confidence. I ran on that thing for like six weeks鈥攊t proved to me that I鈥檓 a pretty tough gal. I could challenge that toughness in bouncing back.
鈥淩acing鈥 the Marathon
The marathon 鈥渞ace鈥 doesn鈥檛 really start until mile 20. From 0 to 20, I鈥檓 just focusing on my splits, hydration, and nutrition. But at mile 20, I throw everything out the window. Splits no longer matter鈥攜ou鈥檙e just competing with the people around you. When my body starts to tense up, I repeat the mantra: 鈥渃alm, calm calm, relax, relax, relax.鈥 听When the suffering kicks in, I focus on staying relaxed and in the moment. For as little as the first 20 miles hurt, the last couple are a real grind鈥
Group Runs
I鈥檝e been with the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project for over ten years. At first, I had to beg to get on the team because my times were under their standards. Thank goodness they let me on, because running with that team has been a huge part of my progression. I鈥檝e been so inspired by my team members. Runners like and others who clawed their way to the sport鈥檚 highest level, working for every inch of progress. Plus, being surrounded by like-minded people all trying to get better is just wonderful. I can鈥檛 stress enough the benefits of running with a group.听
Low Key
I鈥檓 super competitive. 国产吃瓜黑料 of that, I don鈥檛 really care much if people notice me or whatever. I just do the work.听
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