RIVERS GROSS
My introduction to running came when I was very young. My mom would push me in the stroller as she trained for her next race (usually a road half-marathon or marathon). I participated in “Girls on the Run” in elementary school where I ran my first 5k and discovered how fun and exciting it is to be in a race! It was so cool to be surrounded by people who were all there to do the same thing — run!
In middle school, inspired and encouraged by my mom, I ran my first road marathon. I ran with my cross country team during the week, and did a long run with my mom every weekend. It took us close to six and a half hours to complete the race — longer than either of us were expecting. It was harder than I could have ever anticipated but I was hooked on that feeling of immense accomplishment.
I got a scholarship to run cross country and track at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, OR but I was only able to run for one season before COVID began. During COVID, I had to reshape my relationship with running. It was so hard to motivate myself to get out the door and I felt like I could never love running again. I had to learn to be okay with not running as fast or long as I used to be able to.
I moved back to Bend in the summer of 2021. By that point I had been running consistently enough that I felt motivated to train for my second road marathon! I programmed my own training plan using what I knew from both my own experience with running and my educational background in kinesiology. After a consistent 12-week training block, I ran my fastest road marathon in 3 hours, 28 minutes – qualifying for the Boston marathon! Since then, I have completed two trail 50k races, two road marathons (including the Boston marathon), and multiple half marathons.
From being a part of Fluid Strength since 2022, I have been incorporating strength training into my weekly routine. I have found that in addition to getting stronger, I am running more pain free than I ever used to. If I ever take a long break from running, I have been able to jump right back in without much of a build-up period. If one of your long term goals is to be able to keep running as you age, I believe that strength training is a necessary addition to your weekly routine. Through my background in running and my knowledge of the human body and strength training, I can coach you to reach your goals – whether you are just getting into running or you are already a runner ready to smash your old records!