Intro by Garret McCullough:
If you come regularly to the Tuesday night social run, you’ve probably met the friendliest couple there: Maggie and Mark. I met them last year when they started running with DPMR and it’s been a lot of fun getting to know them and seeing them out on the trails. There was a good stretch last summer where I would see them every Tuesday for the social run and then every weekend as we shared the same trails. Maggie was always passing me on the uphills and Mark was passing me on the downhills! I’m happy that they continue to run regularly with DPMR and I’m excited to hear about their next adventure.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
Maggie is originally from Ohio, and Mark is originally from New York. We met at Ithaca College in upstate New York, and we have since been moving around the country working in various capacities as outdoor educators. We most recently moved to Truckee from Waterbury, Vermont.
When did you begin running and/or long-distance running, if that applies? Why?
Mark and Maggie began running just for running-sake in the end of 2019 going into 2020. After getting accustomed to hiking many miles each day covering the northern half of the Pacific Crest Trail, coming off trail they both missed and craved that feeling of depleted satisfaction and vitality that came from moving all day long. Seeking out this feeling while also working full-time jobs, they found themselves turning to running. Before covid, they were both supposed to start working for the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Maine. A part of every Outward Bound course is what is known as a “personal challenge event.” The Personal Challenge Event, or PCE, may take the form of a run, paddle, swim, or multi-element challenge. They often take place on the second-to-last or last day of a course, which gives students an opportunity to see how much physical and emotional strength they’ve gained, and be able to take that momentum forward in the transition back home. When the pandemic hit, and their work with Outward Bound was canceled for the season, they decided to design their own personal challenge events: both running a marathon around their hometowns in New York and Ohio respectively, and donating proceeds to the Outward Bound organization. After that first, self-imposed marathon, they both tried longer distances on trails. They still run because it is the closest they can get to the feeling
of pure aliveness that they get from thru-hiking, while also living and working in one place.
Do you race? Does racing motivate you? If not racing, what motivates you?
We both race and are motivated to some extent by racing, but mostly by the pursuit of seeing what we are capable of and pushing our limits. Races are often just good markers of those current boundaries. Maggie also runs to honor the movement and physical ability she has been given in honor of her grandmother’s life living with Multiple Sclerosis.
Do you have any dream races (either hoping to qualify for or get selected for)?
Maggie: I absolutely love the alpine environment, and above all, that of the North Cascades in Washington. It is my dream to race in those mountains and run the Cascade Crest 100.
Mark: Not really. I think it would be awesome to crew Maggie at the Leadville 100.
What was the best running advice you’ve received?
Maggie: Smile from gun to tape.
Mark: The first mile is the hardest.
Do you have a favorite on-trail food or nutrition strategy and favorite post-run meal or beverage?
Maggie: I have a really sensitive stomach while running, so for me, real food is often better than performance snacks. What has turned out to be best for my stomach has been boiled mini potatoes with a little salt on them. I like how portable and dense they are for longer runs. Post-run, I crave nachos and a hazy IPA or spicy margarita!
Mark: During a run, I love to have pickles. My favorite post run meal is the spicy chicken sandwich with a chocolate milkshake at Jax at the Tracks.
Do you have a favorite recipe to share?
https://minimalistbaker.com/southwest-sweet-potato-black-bean-dip/
Served with tortilla chips and salsa!
What was your favorite running experience this past year?
Maggie: My favorite running experience of this past year was my last long training run for the Lake Sonoma 100k. Mark was the ultimate trail-hero and support crew that made this run the best run of the year. He dropped me off at Echo Lakes and drove down to Ebbetts Pass, where he met me 44 miles later with a tent set up and dinner ready to eat. Often, I distinguish my runs between “soul-feeder” runs, where the intent is to enjoy and explore the natural world I get a chance to run in, and “kaizen” runs, where I am actively trying to improve an element of my running and fitness. This run filled both buckets, as it spanned Wilderness areas and distance. The simple fact that I had to stop every two hours to filter more water along the way created a space for reflection and awe mid-run that I wouldn’t usually get on a strictly “kaizen” run, and the distance and elevation added extra challenge to my aerobic endurance and mental game that aren’t often as tested during my “soul-feeder” runs. While the run was challenging, beautiful, and a self-belief builder, closing the experience with a sunset dinner from a tent in the mountains sealed the deal that for me a run is never just about the run. My favorite runs are those that allow me to experience parts of myself and this world in a specific way that I wouldn’t otherwise have the capacity to do.
Mark: My favorite running experience was last year running the Marlette 50k. It was in the first couple miles as you first break out of the treeline and have the lake to your left.
What was your most challenging/ character-building experience this past year?
Maggie: My most challenging experience this past year was not necessarily the run itself, but why I was running. In 2019 and 2020, I was living with a brain that consistently circulated suicidal thoughts and a body that felt numb and dissociated. I started running as a way to quiet my mind and put feeling back into my body, even if at first it was just pain and discomfort. Running soon became something that brought me closer to others, to myself, and back to life. It has now been a constant reminder that I am alive and my choices have power and consequence. Just over a year ago now, my uncle died by suicide. He had an intensity for life, something I hope to embrace, devotedly serving and immersing himself in our public lands and natural world. My early experiences with him fishing in Alaska, roaming muddy waters and whorled woods in Ohio, and sharing stories by an open fire were trailheads for the experiences I now seek and cherish most deeply. Towards the end of his life, he battled daily against behaviors and thoughts that diminished his body, mind, and relationships. I chose to run my first 100k in honor of his life and his capacity to keep taking steps forward even when it felt impossible and uncertain. However, when I originally signed up for the race, I didn’t yet know the date of his memorial service. His memorial service ended up being the same day as the race, which left me with the choice of either flying back to Ohio to be with family, or choosing to run for him. Ultimately, I chose to race and raise money for our public lands in honor of him. It was my way of holding him close, and choosing to live the day for him. With so much grief and complicated sadness surrounding his death, I wanted to give my family something to root into and root for, as well as a reminder of the life he lived. He taught me that those who risk to live beyond themselves will always find meaning, joy, and true connection in this world. I run to remember him, his grit and pursuit of something more, and his love of life lived outside.
Mark: The hardest challenge was running my first ultra last summer. It was the Big Chief 50k. I knew I could run a marathon, but running those couple miles past that was uncharted for me. I had trained a lot on the course, so even though I knew the different climbs, having to run them in 90°F definitely felt like a slog.
What do you do for a living? Is it hard to fit in time for training?
Maggie: I work as a public relations liaison and in visitor services for the Forest Service. Exercise is foundational to my daily life as is, so training is often a first priority for me in my days. As such, time for training usually isn’t the hard part to finagle into my schedule, it is usually my other social, logistical, or other hobby interests and commitments that I have a hard time fitting in.
Mark: I work as an environmental educator for the Forest Service. During the week, it’s not too hard to get some easy miles in. However, since I have to work weekends often, it makes it difficult to fit in those big miles on the weekend.
What led you to join DPMR?
We moved to Truckee last May from Waterbury, Vermont, and Maggie had seen there was a running group. We joined DPMR because we figured it would be a great way to meet new people in the community. We made it to Truckee in time for the last Newbie run of the season last year, and we have been enjoying coming to Tuesday runs (work and health willing) ever since!
What has been your favorite DPMR experience so far?
We both loved the Trail Running Film Fest. We love trail running films because, while some are just about cool adventures or the joy of pursuing challenges, most trail running films have a deeper root to them. Running is something that is innately human, and we are all drawn to it for various reasons. We love hearing the stories of people connecting to something greater in themselves and beyond themselves through the pursuit of running.
Favorite local trail?
Loop: Sawtooth Area
Out and Backs or Point to Points: PCT (any and all), Castle Peak from Tahoe Donner, or the Tahoe Pyramid Trail.
Do you have a mental training technique, mantra, or similar that you rely on to combat the mentally trying times of a longer run?
Maggie: Growing up, I used to write “never stop” on my soccer cleats and lacrosse stick as a reminder to anchor myself into the only thing that I can really control: the amount of effort I put into something. Now when it is hard, I ask myself “what is being asked of me?” Sometimes it is mental, sometimes it’s physical, sometimes it’s emotional, and sometimes it’s all three. From there, my first step is to take a sighing breath and smile. From there, I choose to focus on what I can control: improving what is feeling good or adjusting to decrease the discomfort.
Mark: Yes, mine comes from the “Wheel of Time” series by Robert Jordan. It’s a technique of sending all your thoughts and feelings into a flame. It’s a way to keep your mind clear for combat and is how one of the main characters discovers his powers of channeling. I use it as a way to focus only on the task at hand, and to put those other thoughts or tasks aside for later.
Do you listen to audio while you run and if so, what have you been enjoying lately?
Maggie: Yes, but mostly podcasts and audiobooks. I’ve lately been listening to the “KoopCast by Jason Koop,” “The Drive by Peter Attia,” and the “Wheel of Time” series.
Recovery technique(s) that you swear by?
Maggie: Sauna sessions with a good book or foot massages/stretching while watching my favorite shows!
Mark: Soaking in a hot tub or a hot spring if you find yourself in the right place.
Do you have a favorite piece of running gear?
Maggie: Not specific to running, but one of my favorite pieces of trail gear is my Kula Cloth! As a lover of trails and the natural world, something that can immediately take me out of the flow of an experience on trail is when I see those little, white, paper flowers poking out from under rocks, between bushes, or literally in the middle of the trail. Kula cloths are “Leave No Trace” (LNT) -friendly and anti-microbial, making them a great companion for longer endeavors and races. My Kula comes with me on every trail run, because you never know when nature might call!
Mark: Darn Tough ultra light micro crew socks. Being someone who has worked for Darn Tough, I’ve had the advantage to try out many different socks for running and those are my favorite.
What other outdoor or indoor interests do you have?
Maggie: Writing, reading, backpacking, baking, Nintendo game playing, card games, skiing, and rock climbing!
Mark: Skiing, road biking, paddle boarding, backpacking, drawing.
Any interesting facts about yourself you would like to share?
Maggie and Mark have hiked the PCT 1.5 times. We started out on a southbound thru-hike attempt in June of 2019 after we graduated from Ithaca College. We made it to Chester, CA before quitting. We had lost our “why” on trail, and finances had become extremely tight while we were hiking. We ended up leaving the trail which felt like utter defeat. After three years of trying out different things like Maggie attending Ohio University for grad school and Mark chasing his dreams of working for the Park Service, we eventually made the time in spring of 2022. After quitting our jobs in Redwood National and State Parks, we started our northbound journey in Campo on March 13th. After 148 days, we hiked all the way to Canada, touching the Washington/Canadian border on August 6th. We both want to go back and finish our southbound journey, but for now we have our eyes set on other trails.
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