Runners Lounge: Open Mic Friday: Meet Heather

by Tom Green in Open Mic Friday
November 7, 2008

There's nothing like meeting someone with overflowing passion for running. That's why we want you to meet Heather Daniel. She shares how she got started running, describes a disgusting favorite dish she eats before running long, and admits a challenge on a recent date.

On Saturday, (tomorrow) Heather is running the Lithia Loop Trail Marathon in the scenic, serene hills of Southern Oregon. Oh, and it just happens to offer 4,700 feet of elevation gain! If that's not a challenge enough. She sort of neglected to tape.

We know you'll enjoy meeting her. Welcome Heather!

You have a great running blog. How did you get started with your blog?

Am I writer with a running habit or a runner with a writing habit? It's hard to tell. I started blogging a s pseudo-hobby four years ago when I lived and worked in West Africa. It was a good way to stay connected with friends, and it was less annoying than mass emails. I continued blogging when I returned to the states and found that I naturally began to focus more on running as running became a bigger part of my life.

How has blogging about running impacted your running?

I love the unflaggingly positive support of Runners Lounge and the other writer/runners with whom I've connected. I have a group of virtual cheerleaders that never cease to inspire. With CoffeeBetsy and Laminator, Tom, Amy and too many others to name, I know there is always someone that understands what I'm going through. It's also tough to skip a workout when I think, "Surely [insert blogger here] wouldn't cut his/her workout short."

What are a few of your favorite posts and why?

My 2008 Boston Marathon Race Review comes immediately to mind. Running Boston was a huge personal achievement and I felt that the post captured many of the emotions I felt during the race. I wrote it in the hotel lobby at 3 AM. I was sharing a hotel room with my parents, I couldn't sleep and even though I was physically exhausted my mind was still racing.

Running truly is one of your passions. How did that develop?

Before 2006 I was a recreational jogger. I wasn't very good, and I certainly wasn't passionate about it. Running took on new meaning for me when I moved to Paris in 2007. I decided that I needed a project - something that could help me adjust to life abroad, something I could do by myself, and something that would keep me from getting fat from all the rich French food. Without telling anyone, I packed two marathon training books in my suitcase and began training. Up to that point I had run a few 5K races and had never run for more than an hour at a time. It was an ambitious project, but I followed the training guides faithfully and I eventually completed the Paris Marathon in 2007.

Training for the marathon was unlike anything I had done up to that point. It transformed me. OK, let me be honest, I didn't realize that until about a month after my first marathon. When I was running the Paris Marathon I pretty much hated it! I was in so much physical pain when I crossed the finish line that I was sure that I'd never do anything so stupid again. It was only later that I really understood how much the marathon training experience had changed me.
I was hooked. Like an onion, running has so many layers and I've experienced so many emotions and moments that I would never have experienced otherwise. I come back to running everyday and everyday it is a new challenge and a new reward.

You're running a marathon on Sunday and not tapering. In fact on Monday of this week you ran 22 miles. What's with that?

Clearly, I'm not very good at planning ahead.

What do you love about running in Oregon?

Oregon offers incredible variety. I can run insane trail races on snow covered mountain passes on the weekend and do track practice with a local run group during the week. It's easy to be a running enthusiast when you're surrounded by so many options. Also, the coffee is VERY good here. However, the copious amounts of rain we get makes running clothes smell extra funky.

What gets you excited about running?

So many things - I look forward to tallying my mileage at the end of the week. I get excited about trying out new running trails and I get REALLY excited when the time comes to buy a new pair of running shoes.

What's your secret to running success?

Good socks. BodyGlide. And a stubborn attitude.

Any quirky running traits?

Yes, I've been known to eat brown rice topped with sardines a few hours before a long run or a race. Disgusting? Yes, but the combination of salt, protein, carbs and fat seems to work well for me.

Non-running and non-blogging interests?

Like many runners, I love to eat and cook. I specialize in eating breakfast and can whip up a batch of some pretty mean blueberry muffins.

Favorite distance?

Favorite training distance: Long - Anything over 19 miles
Favorite racing distance: 1/2 Marathon. I just love them

Greatest running moment?

I crossed the finish line after my first marathon. I was crying and I saw my Dad, (two-time marathon finisher), I hobbled over to him and he gave me a hug. It was all I needed. He understood exactly what I was feeling.

Most embarrassing running moment?

I wore a pair of running shorts on a 15-mile training run in Paris that seemed perfectly acceptable at the time. They had purple and blue triangles and were a little baggy. The fashionable Parisians thought the shorts were atrocious. People actually pointed and laughed at me. It was a low moment and I haven't been able to wear the shorts since.

What's going on in your life outside of running?

I went on a date recently and I mentally tried to limit the amount of time I spent talking about running. Is that a bad sign? Also, I've just finished a very campy novel that I enjoyed much more than I should.

Best running advice you'd like to share?

Don't like hills? Pretend to like them.
Don't like speed work? Pretend to like speed work
Want to be a fast runner? Pretend to be a fast runner.
It works.

So if you were going to host a unique running experience for you and your running friends, what would it be?

I'd love to organize a weekend where I could pair top-notch trail running with amazing food (my favorite things!). Here's the scenario: My friends and I would run a long amazing trail and head to a campsite somewhere in the wilderness. I'd organize so our camp would to be ready upon our arrival with a scrumptious dinner cooking. We'd be able to eat, sit around the campfire and sleep under the stars. The next day we'd get up, have breakfast and run on to the next campsite where our next delicious meal would be waiting. I can't think of anything more enjoyable that being able to enjoy running, friends, food and beautiful scenery.

Join us in wishing Heather good luck in her marathon tomorrow!