Fuel2Run

After Grandma's marathon I had to take some time to reflect and several weeks of taking it easy. That meant I didn't offially start speed training until about 3 weeks ago. I knew doing a mile race was going to be challenging, but running nearly 25 seconds slower than last year was a hard pill to swallow.

You see, as I am getting older I am so fearful that I am going to lose all of my speed overnight. As if one day you wake up much slower. The reality is it is often a more gradual decline. Its inevitable, but something I hope to push off as long as possible.

I am so hard on myself even though last year I had nearly 5-6 weeks of solid speed work and more time to train. I know the fitness will eventually come back and hopefully some of my speed. It sucks feeling out of shape and my Garmin telling me I'm unproductive doesn't help. Neither does the relentless heat.

I keep telling myself that it is impossible to be in great shape 100% of the time. The body needs periods of rest. It is just much harder after the marathon didn't go well. I keep wondering, "was that it? Am I past the point of being the fastest I will ever be?"

So now its time to change gears, try something new, and refocus on some of the fundamentals.

So training begins for Hyrox Denver in November. It will be nice to try something new and have no time to compare it to. I will still train hard, but there are no expectations.

On another positive note, my son ran the 1 Mile race and could care less what time he got or what place he came in. He just enjoys movement. I think I could use a little bit of that.

On June 20th, I crossed the finish line of Grandma's Marathon.

It wasn't the race I envisioned when training began back in March.

About 7-8 weeks before race day, I was hit with Influenza B. I fought hard to rebuild my fitness, but deep down I knew things weren't quite where they needed to be. Some workouts didn't go as planned, and the confidence I wanted going into race day just wasn't there.

As the race approached, I found myself questioning my "why." Why was I chasing this goal? How much was I willing to suffer for a PR?

I started the race determined to give it a shot. For the first half, I stayed within the 3-hour pace group and felt okay. But by mile 14, I knew something wasn't clicking. By miles 16-18, I realized I wasn't going to be able to hold on.

Then the race became something entirely different. The goal was no longer a PR. The goal was to finish.

From mile 20 to the finish line, it became a battle of will. My pace slowed. My heart rate wasn't recovering. My hip flexors and hamstrings screamed at me. More than once, I looked at a medical tent and thought about stopping.

But every time, I kept moving forward.

Sometimes the races that teach us the most aren't the ones where everything goes right. They're the ones where every part of you wants to quit, and you choose to continue anyway.

When I crossed the finish line, I cried. Not because I was disappointed. Not because I failed, but because I absolutely nothing left to give.

On that day, finishing was the victory.

After 11 marathons, I'm reflecting on what I want from this sport moving forward. Maybe chasing a sub-3 marathon isn't worth the physical cost for me anymore. Maybe it's time for different goals, shorter races, and a different relationship with the marathon.

I still love running. I still love racing.

But if I run another marathon, I want to high-five spectators, smile when people cheer, soak in the atmosphere, and appreciate the experience instead of obsessing over the clock.

The marathon has a way of humbling you. Grandma's marathon taught me that sometimes grit looks different than success—and that's okay.

About 3 weeks ago I started getting sick and would later find out I had Influenza B. I took nearly 1 week completely off of training and several days of easy runs. Last week I started training again and my training has not been going great. I'm tired, my legs are sore, and my heart rate is 10-20 beats higher on similar efforts compared to before I became sick.

Last Saturday I ran a half marathon as a marathon prep workout. It was originally planned for marathon race pace, but based on how I was feeling I was going to have to pivot. I completed it doing some marathon effort mixed with 90% marathon pace and did 19 miles total with warm up and cool down. It was harder than it should have been and It’s difficult not to be disappointed. My training was going so well before I got sick. Now I feel like my fitness has slid backwards and I'm not sure I have enough time to make it up.

I know I am not alone. Setbacks are a common part of the training process. Some setbacks are minor and some completely derail the race. I'm hopeful im just dealing with post viral fatigue and my fitness will come back to me.

For now I am focusing on:
- building back my momentum
- taking it day by day
- enjoying the process, even if it's not going the way I want

Are you currently going through a setback? What is the setback and have you had to adjust your goals as a result?

Update🚨 Its been a crazy past few months!

March didn’t go the way I expected…

I ran the Spring Equinox Half Marathon—tough course, lots of hills, and unseasonably warm weather. I struggled the entire race. Yes, I finished as the first female overall… but the time wasn’t what I hoped for, and it left me questioning my fitness heading into my June marathon.

But here’s the thing—training after that? It was actually going really well.

Until it wasn’t.

A few weeks ago, I got hit with Influenza B and it completely knocked me out. Days off training, low energy, and a full week just trying to feel like myself again. Definitely not part of the plan.

On top of that, I had been studying for MONTHS for my Board Certification in Sports Dietetics exam… and of course, I got sick right before taking it.

The good news? I passed. 🙌
The not-so-good news? I felt even worse after the test and recovery took longer than expected.

Even now, I’m still dealing with fatigue, congestion, and a runny nose—but I’m finally starting to feel like I’m turning a corner.

Now it’s time to rebuild.

Less than 7 weeks until Grandma’s Marathon… and this journey just got a little more real.

Sometimes progress isn’t linear. Sometimes it looks like setbacks, doubt, and starting over—again.

But I am going to keep on grinding ✌️

I am excited to announce that I am officially a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics! So I guess I can call myself a legit sports dietititian.

Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) was issued by Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) to Katharine R Kissane. CSSDs provide individual/group/team nutrition counseling and education to enhance the performance of competitive and recreational athletes. Primary responsibilities include counseling individuals or groups on daily nutrition performance and health; translating the latest scientific evidence into pra...

What if you stopped chasing the outcome…
and started trusting the process?

There’s so much we can’t control—
race day, conditions, timing, results.

But we can control:
Showing up.
Doing the work.
Staying consistent.

This season, I’m focusing on that.

And letting the rest go.

💭 Have you ever struggled with outcome pressure?

Yesterday I ran my first race of 2026 and it did not disappoint! The Sharin' O' the Green 5k was fast and fun and the weather was perfect.

I went into this race not really knowing what to expect. I have been slowly increasing mileage as I start marathon training and wasn't able to fully taper. In fact, I'd already run 49 miles from Monday through Friday prior to the Saturday race. It was either going to be okay or I was going to feel flat. It ended up being a little better than okay and I was able to finish in 18:48 (slightly long course). I am very happy with this result given that it is early in the season and I wasn't 100% fresh going in. I was able to hang on to a 5:57 to 6 min pace.

You can tell by the very flattering race photos that it was easy breezy (😆)...lol! and the video was taken by my husband so its super blurry🤷‍♀️. I also won $77!

Thanks for another great race! I also appreciate my team
It's nice to have such fast and amazing women pushing the pace. I was third place and the women's team runners placed 2nd through 4th. All fast and strong masters women. We are out there proving that you can be fast after 40!