Q. Who are you and what you do for a living?
Hi! My name is Casey and I was born and raised in Grandville, Michigan. I grew up playing volleyball and I went on to play in college at both the University of Memphis and Butler University. I moved out to Los Angeles (where I currently live) after graduation and have been working in the financial services industry.
Q. How do you balance your exercise regime and your professional life?
I’m not going to lie, it can be a bit of a challenge, but I try to place a priority on making sure that I can get my exercise in during the day. I usually end up doing some kind of gym workout or run after work, but on the weekends, I am a huge fan of group fitness classes or early morning runs.
Q. When and why did you start running?
I didn’t start running for exercise until after college (before that it was always a coach imposed punishment). I always hated running and it wasn’t until I moved out to California and a friend convinced me to do a 10k that I started to incorporate it into my schedule.
Q. What motivates you to go out there, when you do not feel like it?
I try to remind myself of how good I feel after a run. That immense feeling of accomplishment that comes from a run is definitely addicting!
Q. What is the longest distance you have ran?
26.2 miles. I ran the Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon in 2016 - it was an amazing experience!
Q. What gives you the confidence to run in the streets?
I think I’m generally so focused on finishing the run that I don’t generally worry about it too much.
Q. What do you think about the lack of exercise?
Exercise can have such a powerful effect on your life and not just in the physical sense. For me, my exercise routine helps to make me feel less anxious and stressed. Not everyone wants to run, but there are so many great ways to stay active like walking, sports, hiking, swimming, and all the countless new classes gyms are putting out. I recently started boxing and I absolutely love it. I also think it’s so important to expose children to exercise early and show them just how much fun it can be!
Q. What was your best running experience?
Probably crossing the finish line at the marathon in San Diego. It was so surreal to think of all of the training that went into that moment. My best friend was there at the finish line and I felt so grateful to be able to complete the race and share that moment with someone.
Q. What was your worst running experience?
During the training for the marathon, I developed hip bursitis that made me have to sit out for part of my last month of training. I remember the last run that I did and having to stop after mile two because I was in so much pain. It was really hard to take the time off to heal, but I knew it was necessary if I wanted to be able to run the race.
Q. How do you push through the pain?
One of my best friends is also a runner and he introduced me to the idea of a “running mantra.” It’s a quick and easy phrase that you repeat over in your head to help get yourself through. For me, I repeat the phrase “Dig” or “Dig it out.” It’s something that reminds me to dig deep and push until the end!
Q. What advice can you give somebody who wants to start running?
I would say that it will probably be a struggle in the beginning, but if you can get past that initial pain it gets so much better! When I first started training for the marathon, I couldn’t run more than a half mile at the pace that I wanted. It was horribly frustrating and I felt so defeated after that first run, but it got better and easier over time. Build a running schedule and try to stick to it - you’ll feel so accomplished when you can look back and see literally just how far you’ve come!
Q. Which Social media sites are you on and how can one follow you?
My Instagram is @caseysolo – that’s the one that I am most active on.
#RunRevolution
- Monday, September 25, 2017
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