"That's part of the loss. It isn't how it was. But that doesn't mean it's not worth doing."
This past weekend, Kara Goucher ran her first half marathon in seven years, and her first since being diagnosed with runner's dystonia in 2022. The former pro, author of The Longest Race, cohost of Nobody Asked Us with Des & Kara, broadcaster, analyst, wife, and mom has had a long road to getting back on the run. From being told she'd never run again to breaking the tape at the City Tri Half Marathon alongside longtime friend Carrie Birth-Davis ("CB"), this is Kara's poignant race recap. She shares what it took to get to the start line, how she handled herself when things got tough with five miles to go (and really tough with three to go), and why this race was about so much more than 13.1 miles.
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IN THIS EPISODE:
- How Kara is feeling after 13.1 miles (5:00)
- All about Kara's friend, affectionately known as CB! (8:30)
- Why Kara ended up running this race, and how it all came together — and the mid-race encounter with a car (19:25)
- What Kara's training was like leading up to this race, and what the emotional side of dystonia is like (29:30)
- Why Kara kept this race mostly under the radar (40:30)
- What Kara's relationship with the half marathon is like now (43:35)
- What was the goal for the day? (47:15)
- What it's like racing with the whole family (49:40)
- On being anonymous at the start line (52:45)
- The familiar pre-race nerves Kara felt on race day (59:00)
- Was it fun? (1:03:20)
- What helped when it got hard? (1:09:45)
- That finish line moment, and why this course was so meaningful for Kara and her family (1:11:10)
- How much was Sunday about running, and how much was it about so much more? (1:16:15)
- All about Stride & Story, Kara's writing and running retreat with co-author Mary Pilon (1:31:40)
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