Sisters, Friends, and PRs: The Ladies of CIM's Sub-2:50 Journey

DFW Running Talk: Ladies of CIM sub 2:50
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Chris Detzel: [00:00:00] All right. Welcome to another DFW Running Talk. I'm Chris Detzel, and today we have the ladies of CIM and we have Melanie Lassen. Melanie, how are you?

Melanie Lassen: I'm good, Chris. How are you?

Chris Detzel: Welcome back. I'm good. Maddie Stier. Maddie, welcome back.

Maddie Stier: Hey, Chris

and Grace Chow. Grace, how are you?

Hey, good.

Chris Detzel: Welcome back. The three of you had these, this amazing race at CIM and we're gonna go deep into this.

And so I think what I wanna do is start with Melanie, because it's been so long since I've talked to you, Melanie, that one, let's catch up, to from, I don't know, almost a year ago or eight months ago, to where you are today. I know you moved to Colorado and all of that. How has that been going?

Melanie Lassen: I know it's confusing. I'm actually in Wyoming right now, but we're about it's

Chris Detzel: confusing.

Melanie Lassen: We're about to move to Colorado, so we're okay. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm in Casper, Wyoming. The last time we spoke it was a while ago, like February, March, April, something like that. Yeah. So yeah, big changes.

Sold our house. Moved away from the best running [00:01:00] club. I was, we were homeless for a bit 'cause our house sold very quickly. So I lived with my in-laws for six weeks in Tomball and then went from Tomball, Texas to Casper, Wyoming. So different. Did like all of my training solo, which. Really sucked. I know Grace can talk about that too, but Yeah.

But doing good otherwise, we do love it here though, to be honest.

Chris Detzel: Yeah, that is a big deal. You have some kids and moving three or four places. This sounds crazy to me, and then trying to run and as fast as you did, we'll get to that in a minute.

Maddie, how are you? I'm

Maddie Stier: doing good. I'm very happy that the race is over and this is the off season now, right In time for the holidays. That's the good thing about CIM, the timing of it. You don't have to train through Christmas, like Houston and all of that, where the thick of your training is right through all the holidays.

So it's nice to be done. Good relief. Still living in Allen. No changes on my end.

Chris Detzel: That's good. And last time we spoke, you and grace talked about training for CIM and [00:02:00] you're feeling well and good, and we'll talk about that and you did very well. Really excited to kinda get into that.

And Grace, how's it going?

Hey, good surviving the cold weather of both. Dallas here, and then also Washington DC

Yeah. And congratulations on, such a great race. Last time we spoke, you mentioned that, this is the first time you hired a coach and you truly trained. How did that go?

Tell me about that. I'm excited to, to hear more.

Grace Chow: Yeah, so first time with a coach, so Jordan Hogan, formerly Jordan Hassay and her new business, Hogan Performance with her and her husband. They were my coach, this training block, and it was great to have accountability. I talked a lot about it in the last podcast, so I won't bore.

Details of that, but it was awesome. I am going through an identity crisis now because I don't have a training plan that I need to get here to, and I'm sure Maddie and Melanie feel the same way, but it is really nice to be done in time for Christmas.

Yeah. And you're actually in Dallas.

And I don't think I get to see you guys yet, so maybe we will [00:03:00] connect at some run or something. I don't know how long y'all here, but. It's Christmas and all that. So it might be difficult. So let's get started. Let's start with Melanie a little bit. What was your kind of training from, when you think of, I don't know how long you've been training, like 13 weeks, four, you knew you were gonna run this for a while, right?

And then just tell me about it and then all the way up to the race. I want to hear more. And then how you connected up with Grace and Maddie. What did that look like?

Melanie Lassen: Yeah. Maddie Grace, I miss you guys. It's so good to see you guys on, on camera. Okay, so training wise, I mentioned left Texas left Dallas, went to Tomball.

I started my training there. I've, so this is my third, or maybe even my fourth. Time following the Fit Singer training plan. It's free. Yeah. And really works. And it really works for me, I'll say. So I did the exact same training plan that I did for 2023 Boston, where I prd same mileage, like literally everything was the same.

The only thing that was different. Number one, I didn't have my training people. And then number two, like there were some races in there that I didn't. Run that I [00:04:00] ran during the Boston block, but it's very manageable feel if every Wednesday is like 15 miles, like you just get very used to like a 15 mile.

Yeah. Meet long run. You do a lot of like 20 plus miles on the weekends, the big key workouts or like 12 miles at mp, 14 miles at mp. That's like the, what you peak at. I peaked at 90 again. It's like the same exact. Like that I followed a lot of miles is in like the eighties, like seventies, eighties workouts on Tuesdays.

Not a lot of track, honestly. A lot of it's just out on the road, but nothing, it's very manageable. Like five miles at half marathon pace. Seven miles at like between half marathon and marathon pace. But this training block was so different because I did it all solo and started in Tomball, Texas.

So hot like it was. Just starting that in. I don't even know. It's 18 weeks, so I can't remember when we started. July, August. And that was fine that I was like, I wasn't stressing out too much. 'cause it's the building part of it.

Chris Detzel: Yep.

Melanie Lassen: When I [00:05:00] got to Casper, Wyoming, it was we had beautiful, absolutely perfect weather.

We had the best fall ever. And I loved running on the trails and just like running around here. But the two things, number one. Altitude, but it was only 5,000 feet. So it's not crazy, but it's enough. But it's different.

Chris Detzel: Yeah. It's, yeah,

Melanie Lassen: it's enough to really feel it. And then honestly, the big thing was the hills.

The hills and the altitude, paired together. So I think that was a little bit of a secret weapon like this training block, because I. Chris, I tell you, I did not nail a single workout. Like I can pick up one workout, but it was early. Like I did it like it was a three by two, like nothing crazy.

And that one went well. But literally, like when I got to Casper, one workout every day, every single workout, like I just was not hitting paces. I could barely run. I had a really hard time going anything under sub six 30, which is crazy. Wow. Because I averaged my whole marathon under that.

So yeah, I just tried to have like faith that, the altitude. I did the [00:06:00] training. I didn't miss a single day. It was the first, it was the first training block that I didn't get sick. I didn't get any niggle injuries like I did. All the mileage. I just didn't feel like I ever nailed a workout.

So I was hoping that the altitude, the hills being with people, like being back with the sloths runners. Also I have a little bit of a unpopular opinion, but I do not do any training in super shoes. So I put them on race day and then you just feel really fast. So I think like that and the deeper and the race day magic and everything just really did its thing.

But when I say that's why I was really shocked 'cause like I was like, my training shouldn't. I should not have run a 2 48, like based off of my training. But I think it's just, environment and just people and all that too. And I did train hard.

Chris Detzel: Yeah you trained every day and you're consistent.

And the al the altitude, the hills is a little bit different than Texas. And congratulations. It's great. And so now I wanna talk, so I know Maddie and Grace we've talked so much about your training and what you've done in the past, and so not sure that we want to go deep into that, but I do wanna kinda [00:07:00] talk a little bit about.

Maybe the last three or four weeks of your training, how were you feeling, before the race came out and things like that. I don't know if whoever wants to go first.

Grace Chow: So leading up to it, I was just waiting for something to go wrong because I felt like, jeez, everything, what's

negative?

It just, everything went so well. I didn't get injured. I didn't get sick, and it was flu season. My son's in daycare and I was just waiting for it because I feel like when he started daycare a year ago, I was just always getting sick from him. But none of that ever happened. I got to Sacramento. No issues.

All the workouts, unlike Melanie, I felt very confident about them, that I did hit my times. Granted, it wasn't an altitude, it was just that. Washington dc regular sea level. And the cold weather I knew was gonna be, a struggle to train in, but it was nothing abnormal. And so I thought it went great for me and that we could talk more about it, but yeah.

That's awesome. How about you, Maddie?

Yeah,

Maddie Stier: so for me, this training was interesting. I was [00:08:00] feeling really good probably through October. I focused a lot on, to be honest, I didn't have a plan. I was just following what everyone else was doing. Wow. I was still very committed and I am a big believer on just chase people faster than you, that's what I was doing. I didn't care if I was the last person doing or finishing a workout. Like oftentimes I've said before, I would join the crew in Richardson. And I would do a lot of Dustin's workouts with him. Yeah. Dustin's very fast, especially in short distance.

So I would just really try to chase him as much as I could. And a lot of the other, so going into, I was gonna do Toyota Music factory half I did, which was second week of November. Yeah. And I really wanted to break 80 minutes, so hour 20 in the half marathon. Break an hour 20 and break two 50.

Those have been my goals for so long. So going into Toyota Music Factory, I really wanted to do that. I was feeling strong, feeling like I could. Honestly, the race just did not go [00:09:00] by 1 21 and some change. But that race, I don't know if you're familiar, it is basically all on, it's on like paved trails.

Chris Detzel: Yeah.

Maddie Stier: And I was pretty much solo the whole race. So it's like doing a solo trail run. So it wasn't a ton of, there was really no like competition for me to run with. Yeah. Or piece off of. There was also a really big headwind, mile 12 anyway, don't mean to make excuses still did good, but I didn't hit my goal, so that was a bummer.

Yeah. And I remember putting in a chat, GBT don't do that. What does this equate to in a full, and it was like a low two 50, so I was bummed. I felt like I wasn't like, oh my God was, I was doing decent in workouts, but I wasn't totally crushing 'em. But I think it's 'cause it was so freaking hot here for so long.

Chris Detzel: Yeah. Yeah.

Maddie Stier: I remember I went out for a 12 mile tempo one day, and I think I only made it eight or nine of those miles before I had to stop. If

Grace Chow: it makes you feel any better. Garmin tells me I still can't run sub 2 55. So even though I did, I don't understand it. [00:10:00]

Chris Detzel: Sometimes it tells me to keep moving after a 10 mile run, then I'm like.

Maddie Stier: Unproductive.

Chris Detzel: Yeah. Unproductive. Yes. One thing I didn't mention, go ahead. No, sorry Maddie, go ahead.

Maddie Stier: Oh, yeah, I was sorry, mine is extremely long-winded. I'll get there. I promise I'll land the plane.

Chris Detzel: No problem. So

Maddie Stier: wasn't feeling too high. My, like Jennifer, Aaron and Eric Brittle, I run with them probably more than anyone and they heard me, they're like my therapist.

I was like, guys, I don't know if I can do this. I'm not feeling super confident. And they're like, Maddie, you for sure are confident you can run it probably at 2 47. You just need to like. Stop doubting yourself so much and I really, I don't know. For some reason I believed them, but I also was having a little bit of self doubt.

Anyway, fast forward, I did the Frisco Turkey trot. And I ended up doing really well. I prd in the 10 K felt really good. And that was really good momentum going into CIM. So then from there, that was just like the little confidence boost I needed. What was that? A week and a half, two weeks out? Yeah. [00:11:00] Yeah.

So what was your

Chris Detzel: PR 10 K? What was the,

Maddie Stier: no, I'm so bad with 5K and 10 KS prs. I'll look it up on Strava. Yeah, you crushed it. You average

Melanie Lassen: 5 45. Probably not. That's

Chris Detzel: 30, 36 or 37 or something like that.

Maddie Stier: It's

Chris Detzel: probably 36.

Maddie Stier: I'll see you. This, it doesn't matter. Don't. It's fine.

Chris Detzel: So

Maddie Stier: don't fault me. I'll tell you a second once you keep talking.

Chris Detzel: Hey Simon. Did y'all do like a race before? Like a half or 5K, 10 K, anything like that before, a few weeks, months before?

Grace Chow: The only one I did was the more would Okay. Race day. But that was the only thing I did. Leading up. Wait, and you did the Marine Corps. I know you didn't race it. Oh yeah, that was, I didn't really count that one.

See, Melanie knows our fitting better than we do. It's amazing. It's an awesome memory. 30, 36,

Maddie Stier: 50 was the 10 K.

Grace Chow: It's amazing.

Melanie Lassen: Yeah. I'm to what? Listen to what Grace did in Marine Corps. I like this is very impress.

Grace Chow: You did the marathon.

I, so I got to run the Marine Corps Marathon with the Marine Corps running team.

[00:12:00] And I do

remember that. Yeah.

Yeah. I went into it saying I wasn't gonna race it for the team, so I felt guilty taking a spot, but I still ran a fast time comparable to others. And yeah, I just went in knowing I was gonna run around seven minute pace. Okay. And ended up running a 3 0 1, but just cruising the whole.

You never even hit under three hours at that time. I just little basic 3 0 1.

Yeah. At that point I knew I could have a huge PR from my PR going into cm and so I didn't wanna blow it and kinda when the excitement, so I wanted to stay hungry for CIM and that was why I said this wasn't gonna be the time to do the pr.

It's just a long run with a bunch of people running around Washington, DC just a.

Chris Detzel: Casual 3 0 1 hanging out with friends. I could just talk all day, running at that pace, let's get into CIN, but before I do I'm gonna emphasize this more. I think that running under three hours is crazy.

Awesome. Period. [00:13:00] Close to the three hour marathon is really awesome. What the three of you did was ridiculous under two fifties. What did all three of you prs? Am I off here? Okay. Yeah, I figured. And that's crazy. And you're only a minute apart. So let's talk about the day of the race. You get there and anybody can speak out.

I don't really care, but. Tell me just about how you're feeling. You're there with the family, friends. I don't know. Y'all meet for the first time. You know what? What's going on? I wanna hear that. I wanna hear the stories behind the stories, not just the race. Go ahead. We all

Maddie Stier: met for the very first time in Sacramento.

Never. Maddie was our, never met

Chris Detzel: each other before.

Maddie Stier: No. So we, yeah, I was the planner, I guess you could say. We all relied on her for those rains. So we all stayed together because I booked.

Chris Detzel: Awesome.

Maddie Stier: Because I booked an I I think we all knew we were doing it and so we booked an Airbnb a long time ago.

And we all planned on staying together. So we all arrived on Friday. Yeah. And our Airbnb was like 10 minutes. A 10 minute Uber ride [00:14:00] from downtown, which was, it was fine. And it, yeah, we, what did we do? What did we do that was unique? I guess one thing, we didn't go out to dinner the night before, so that was really nice.

We made dinner at our Airbnb, so that was good. I some really good chicken quesadillas.

Melanie Lassen: And it was like really good for the tummy. Maybe that, yeah, that's good. Maybe

Grace Chow: white rice, a little bit of cheese tortillas and some really good seasoned chicken. But that was it. Super bland, but still really good. And then some mochi, ice cream balls.

I know Melanie had her dessert of choice, but Trader Joe's dark chocolate. Nice.

Chris Detzel: Yeah. So

no kids, nothing. No husbands, nothing like that. Just the three of you? No, we

Maddie Stier: all, we learned our lesson.

Chris Detzel: Exactly. I

Melanie Lassen: think that's what was so special. Like I keep thinking about the weekend and yeah, the race was so amazing and I'm so happy and I'm like even happier that like we all prd and so many of us prd and just everyone ran really great.

It was such a rare and special weekend too. 'cause like obviously we love our friends, we, or we love our families, we love our [00:15:00] kids, but it's so rare to have a weekend where like nobody, I think like Dustin is the only one who brought his family and kids like, it was like just a solo trip for most of us.

But it was like we just got so much catchup time, which you don't normally get on a weekend, like a marathon weekend, and it was just. It was just really rare and special and really fun. Not

Maddie Stier: just that, Mel, I think too so Melanie, Liz Johnson, Madeline, Rouse Grace, all of which, grace never lived in Dallas, but all of them lived in Dallas up until this summer, and then they all moved.

Yeah, so right as CIM came, that's a big

Grace Chow: bulk of people.

Maddie Stier: They all moved, so we all got to come back together and catch up, which was really nice. That was so nice. And

Grace Chow: all of you did amazing. So you hang out, you have this nice dinner, what was your mind, what was your mindset kind of the day before, like that night, were y'all like nervous as hell or was it like, Hey, we feel good, we're friends together, and just hanging out and we're calm, I don't know what, what's going on?

We were all very anxious and ready [00:16:00] to just get started. Actually Maddie and I's cousin, and I guess we call him, our brother-in-law, very closely related cousin, came all the way from la. So they drove up for the rates and so we caught up with them and they're very funny people. So it was

Maddie Stier: distraction took,

Grace Chow: yeah, it took the pressure off.

We watched Zootopia, which was a random distraction and another show that was secret, lives of our midwives.

Maddie Stier: But I would say it was the only thing on, no, that's a lie. We wanted to watch it.

Chris Detzel: Yeah, why not?

Maddie Stier: I would say was pretty calm, to be honest. Yes, we were all anxious, but none of this wasn't any of ours first marathons.

Like we knew, I don't know. We knew we were all gonna be with each other to the start. I know, like I think me and Grace even talked about running together. Like I think collectively we were pretty as calm as you could be.

Melanie Lassen: We went to bed early, both like every night, which was great. 'cause we, 'cause yeah, Saturday and Sunday, wait, no, sorry.

Saturday we were up at six [00:17:00] naturally Sunday 3:00 AM Which, yeah, we get Monday like 3:00 AM. Yeah. But we did a

Grace Chow: shake out run on Saturday. And we were all just talking about how great the weather was, how good we all felt. It was nice to run around downtown Sacramento. And lo and behold, we actually finished our last, what, two miles we passed our street, which is the street we did the shakeout run on.

So

Melanie Lassen: what really? Yeah. Oh, I didn't know that.

Grace Chow: So it's funny 'cause I was watching y'all during the, I say watching just kinda looking at the thing and seeing where you were. And I saw Maddie was like at 2 44 or 2 43 at one point. Like it, I was like I, I don't know if that was, the exact, but it was telling me that's where they thought you were gonna, I was like 2 44, holy cow.

And it went all the way up to 2 47. I was like, uhoh, something's happening. But you know how. You just look at the thing and it tells, yeah. It gives you a prediction or whatever. And and I saw that Melanie, I think it was Melanie, went faster the last few miles.

Chris Detzel: Yeah.

Grace Chow: Than she would've [00:18:00] than you.

You guys were tapering off a little bit of that speed, which is normal, I think, but Melanie, I don't know what was going on,

Melanie Lassen: we all got it done. Yeah. I like, can't believe I just felt pretty good thankfully. But yeah, there was one point, grace said we were pretty far 'cause Grace, so we'll get into it, but Grace and I ran like legit 22 miles together.

But there was one point where grace turns to me and she was like, Maddie is flying. 'Cause we're, and then she's we're going her pace. 'cause basically Grace and I were running the pace that Maddie was gonna run. And we like did not see Maddie the entire race. I saw Maddie like mile one. Yeah, Maddie was way ahead.

She was

Grace Chow: like, see ya.

I think all of us threw our race plan out the window and ran way faster than we intended to. Yeah.

I think that if you don't, then, if you're not aggressive, then you're not gonna hit your potential. You've

lost some balance of being aggressive and not going so hard that you hit a wall all of a sudden, and

yeah, you

totally bonk.

You gotta trust your plan and then trust you a little bit. Be a little bit smart, but be a little bit, out [00:19:00] there sometimes, I know a guy that is like. I'm just gonna go all out. I'm not saying you should, that's not that smart doing a marathon, but that's all he was, is Hey, I'm gonna go do the best I can every single time.

So let's talk about the the start of the race and let's you know, who wants to get into kind of their race first. And then you guys mentioned that Melanie and Grace stayed together for a while, or what

the getting, maybe this can be helpful for if. People listen to this prior to running CIM in future years.

And so getting to the race, we all left our Airbnb with my, our cousin that was able to drive us to the bus point and all of us stood in line for the buses, which was an insanely long line that we had no idea 'cause it wrapped. And so I said, Hey, I just wanna go to the front of this line and make sure we're not standing in the gear check line.

'cause that would be horrible because we don't have like time to kill. So I was like, yeah. Lemme go to the front of the seat. So I go all the way to the front of this line and I'm like, man, I hope I don't have you to find Maddie and Melanie, because it was a very long line, like probably at least a quarter [00:20:00] mile to I know maybe a little longer than that.

Wow. And so I get to the front and I'm like, oh, thank goodness we're standing in the bus line. It's okay, now I'm to walk all the way back. And as I start to walk back, I immediately saw some of the sloths and I was like, oh, hey guys. Like you guys are at the front end line. That's cool. Good to see you.

And they're like, yeah, just jump in with us. And we're like, oh shoot. Okay. And so it was an informal like gate situation. And so Maddie and Melanie came up to the start or the front of the line and they were, there was like a gear check line right next to that. And then we all got on the buses and then I'll let one of them talk about the bus ride with like kind of regrouping with Madeline and Liz.

Melanie Lassen: So we all three squished into one seat and then Valine and Liz in front of us. And it was just so nice because we hadn't them like. I love like talking before a race, especially if I'm nervous. Yeah. I've just always been that way ever since college. And so I was like so grateful for [00:21:00] Madeline. She literally turned around really talking six, the entire ride and she, we just, that bus ride, how long was it?

Like 35 minutes? It was a lot. Maybe 45. So we just caught up the whole time. It was really great. We talked about. Liz in Chicago. We talked about Madeline in Salt Lake City. Yeah, it was awesome. How do you feel? A little sick. I think

Maddie Stier: I just get, yeah I get kind of car sick so it was, I was listening but I just had to look out the window.

I couldn't stare. I don't know how Madeline did that whole ride facing backwards 'cause I, and drinking Coke. Yeah. Madeline, you should. Good. Madeline pulls out a diet. No. What does she drink? She drinks a diet Cherry Pepsi pre-race.

Chris Detzel: Wow. Nice.

Maddie Stier: Yeah, she lives in Utah.

Chris Detzel: She does?

Maddie Stier: Yeah. Chris, I dunno if you know the week you, your inter, your podcast interview came out with her?

She, yeah, that was the week she moved. She like found out she was right up for you all recorded.

Grace Chow: Holy shit. Like I didn't know that how she was still, that's why I saw her, that's why I saw her str and she was like, you talk. So then I was like, [00:22:00] oh, she's just, no, I guess on a trip or something.

That's why we saved

Melanie Lassen: such a nice reunion, like people who had moved away and yeah, just, it was like a great reunion in Sacramento.

Grace Chow: Yeah, I guess so. That's, all of you moved. It's, Maddie, it looks like you're gonna stay here. Maybe Grace will come here one day. We'll see.

Maddie Stier: I know. Alright.

Grace Chow: So the bus ride was not too hectic.

Long, that's normal I guess, for that kind of wasn

long. And Melanie and I were, we said at one point to each other we're like, it's crazy to think we have to run this entire distance fast. Because it's it's a start and end point for the race. Yeah. And we're like, I can't believe we're gonna run that far.

'cause a bus ride just felt like forever.

26.2 miles isn't that short. Let's just put it in perspective. It's gonna take you, it takes people five hours sometimes. Luckily it didn't take y'all that long. That would've been. Big crappy race. But all so you get there and how are you feeling?

Y'all ready to go? And Maddie, what was your thinking like? Okay, I am just gonna start off fast. Did you have a plan that, that minute when you got there?

Maddie Stier: So not start [00:23:00] fast. So I was thinking I am a cannot finish races super fast. I've done 21 marathons now. I don't think any of them. Wow.

Have been a negative split. Honestly, I think I'm lucky if I can do an even split. Yeah. So my goal going into it was, okay, I wanna do a sub two 50, so I need to run between a 6 25 and 6 29 minute mile pace, 6 29 minute mile overall is what I need to do. So I knew that the course, the first half is more or less rollers, and then the second half is a slight steady downhill.

And then the last six is a downhill. So that's what was in my mind. So I was just gonna try to keep it as steady as possible and hope that I could close in fast. That was the plan. Obviously that didn't happen, so I started running and in marathon's, don't follow me for race advice, but I really just went by feel.

I was feeling great the first couple miles. This guy, Jonathan Bermuda, he used to live in Dallas. Him and his, I don't know if his wife or [00:24:00] fiance, they moved, they actually live in Seattle now. I ran into him, I haven't seen him in years. He used to run with WRRC, so me and him ran together for a bit. It was my first time running with music too, like AirPods.

So he was trying to talk to me, but I couldn't really hear him. The music was nice. I was just concerned that like my AirPod would fall out or something, but thankfully it didn't. So yeah, I was starting, I started pretty fast, not gonna lie. I think my first, honestly, probably up through mile 16, I would say my average was probably under a six 20 minute mile pace.

Wow. Because I was I'm, I wasn't going all out, but I was truthfully going at a pace that felt like mp. Yeah. And I was, in my head, I knew it was too fast, but I also was thinking, I know that, again, don't follow me for race advice. I think I'm a very unique individual in the sense I knew that as long as I, I'm banking time by doing this.

And I know that even if I quote unquote crash, I know that I'm a strong enough runner that I can hold this at least a [00:25:00] mile, like 1820 per se. And I know I can still run at least faster than a six minute mile pace for the last six miles and be able to finish. And I'll be able to do this faster than a six minute mile pace At the, or sorry, do you mean like

Grace Chow: under six?

I was

Maddie Stier: gonna say that's really fast at the end, no faster than a seven minute mile. So even if I crash at the end up doing six 40 fives, I'll still get the time that I want. Yeah. And I knew too. I was like, either I the alternative is I go my, I really scale it back. I slow it down and I could still crash at the end.

And I won't have any time banked and I probably will fall back and I'm not gonna then hit the time.

Chris Detzel: Yeah.

Maddie Stier: Again, I was really going on feel, I'd say the other key, like main thing when I was running is maybe around so I was trying to take more gels than normal. I trying to

Grace Chow: take 10 already.

Maddie Stier: What'd you say?

Grace Chow: You take 10 already?

Maddie Stier: No, I don't really, I don't really take much. I usually like even in training. [00:26:00] One or two on a 20. Okay.

Grace Chow: I thought you ran a lot. You carry six to eight gels and used them at marathons?

Maddie Stier: No, I have a lot of other things, but not a ton of gels. Okay.

Grace Chow: Not the gels.

It's no other things. Got it. Keys and wallets and stuff.

Maddie Stier: I tried to take 'em like every four miles, but then at like miles, I don't know, maybe 18. I. Like I could, I was like feeling sick from them. Like I was like, I feel like I'm gonna not be able to take these anymore. But at that point I was like, I either just need to force these down and maybe I'll puke 'em up, but at least I won't cramp or I don't take them and I'm not gonna puke, but I could cramp and not be able to run.

So I had to make that decision. So I forced them down and I was able to keep him down. And I think that helped as well. So definitely an opposite approach than how Melanie did it. Again, I don't recommend, but I think Grace is a similar runner to how I am too, where she doesn't really finish fast, but I don't know it works for her.

Melanie Lassen: I think Maddie, I feel like that is a race plan though still. And like I think Mo, a [00:27:00] lot of people do rep that way and banking time is still a race plan and I agree. Like you are a really strong runner, in the last six. Smiles regardless, like you're gonna brute force. Through to get to.

So yeah, anyways, you still ran a low 2 47, so I mean it clearly what you did works

Grace Chow: well. Yeah, you did worked. I, it can backfire. It backfire. I have the same approach and it backfires on me a lot, like I ran the pr, back in September and my approach was knowing that the last three miles I'm gonna be dying.

And so those first like 10 miles, because it was downhill, I knew that I had to just bust my ass, during those and the last three miles gonna be tough. And I think that is an approach and I think it can work. And it did work for you. 27 as a matter of fact.

So congratulations is really awesome. Melanie, let's talk about your approach. I'm really interested to hear, how it started for you and kinda

Melanie Lassen: Yeah, so I, I think all three of us went out too fast, to be honest, so it's not like it was just mad all three of us went out too fast.

My [00:28:00] plan was I wanted to go out in the six 30. I know like we were all pretty, pretty calm the night before, but I was a little bit like frantically chat, GB ting, so I like, oh my

Chris Detzel: God.

Melanie Lassen: I journaled the night before and I wrote out because I did this. Okay, this is my second time running CIM, and I did this the first time I ran CIM in 2019.

So I wrote just like certain like splits on my hand just to help. Keep me, honestly to keep me like slower in the beginning. And then I did really have the, the sub two 50 goal. I didn't know if I could hit it, but I was like, okay, these are splits that if I wanted to start out conservatively and still hit sub two 50, like what are splits?

And so Chad, GBT helped me come up with a race plan, my coach chat, GBT, and honestly like reading the splits that it split out. Spit out. It was not scary. Like it seemed very reasonable. So it had me starting at six 30, like it was like 6 36, but even that I was scared to go out that like I didn't wanna go out that slow, that conservative.

Yeah. But like Maddie, I was like, as long as it's effort and I'm [00:29:00] sure like the three of us were all like, trying to slow ourselves down. So anyways, my goal was to go out like six thirties or like upper six twenties, and I. I was in the six twenties. I'm like trying to find my splits, but I was in the six twenties like upper six twenties, I would say.

But it was still faster than I would like to. But I think if you go out and it feels like you're very comfortable and like you're trying to slow yourself down. And no, grace said the same thing. Like she was like, I'm trying to slow myself down. Like she said that in the middle. Good sign. That means that's probably the right effort.

CIM is downhill. In the beginning too, especially, I'm a little bit like scarred from Boston though, because I had the same experience. Like I was like, it feels so easy, and then my legs were just dead, from the downhill. But yeah, that was my plan and I had hoped to like. Chad, GBT told me my race plan was like six thirties and then six 20 come through the half.

I wrote on my hand like 1 25 30 to 1 26, but I was faster than that. I was like 1 25. I think I was, it was just under [00:30:00] 1 25 in the half, so I was fast. But like Maddie, I was like, okay, this is good. I can bank some time, like just in case. And I felt like pretty comfortable honestly the whole time.

But I, yeah, so it was just like to speed up a little bit, I think like by mile 20 was like another, like speed up sub. It really, the plan didn't have me going sub six 20 until if I could like the last two vials. But yeah, it's just a gradual increase down. Was the plan,

Chris Detzel: did you like see anybody that you're running with during it?

Or, the way I kinda look at, it's when I'm running, I'll start pacing myself with somebody, specifically if I'm not running with the pacer, and then either I'll try to beat them, and go past them and go to the next person, or at the very least try to stay with them during that.

Do you have, do you do any of that kind of stuff or is it just me? Yeah.

Melanie Lassen: I will say, and then I'll kick it to Grace 'cause she can talk about this too, because we we ran so much together. We like yo-yo together for 22 miles. But okay, so you guys saw my post about Jesus, our friend Jesus.

So on the start line, he comes up to ne next to me. It was right when they're playing [00:31:00] the the national anthem. And he just like starts talking to me and he like asked me what my goal is and I was like, sub two 50. And he is sweet, let's do it. And I was like, oh, sweet. And then I told him, I was like, but I'm gonna go out like a little conservative.

So yeah, we had an amazing group, honestly for like legit 22 miles. Wow. And then this guy, Jesus, he lives in LA and he was so upli like honestly the most uplifting person in a, and I'm not gonna lie, I was worried that he was gonna wanna talk a lot to me because he was so chatty on this.

Dart line and I was like, oh no. I'm like Maddie and Grace, where I'm like, I love to run with people. But I'm not gonna like converse. But I do pump up, like I like to pump people up. I like people to pump. He would just he just, so and I'll kick it to Grace, but he would just run and be like, it's a be a beautiful day.

And then he'd be like. Let's go guys. And everybody was so nice. Like I just think it's what everybody needed because everybody was like, thanks, man. Wow, you're awesome. Like to him. Yeah. And [00:32:00] yeah, I was stride for stride with him for legit 22 miles.

Chris Detzel: Did you beat him or. At the end? Or did he

Melanie Lassen: I did beat him.

Okay. I I lost him in the last two miles, but but also, so we're Strava friends with him now. He's an ultra runner. And he did not train, like he said, he got three of like straight training and that's pretty much it. And we looked at his Strava and that's legit. It was true.

He did not train. So he is very talented.

Chris Detzel: Obviously. I knew it'd get to you. So let's get how'd you feel the day you know of, and what was your thinking and all that stuff.

Grace Chow: Day of to continue on with our friend Jesus. I had noise canceling AirPods in as well as Maddie, and it was my first time running with music 'cause I usually won't race with them.

And I had heard, yes, noise canceling, but you can still kinda hear stuff. I heard Melanie with him like. Near the beginning of the race and I was like, I'm not gonna engage. I don't wa 'cause I was like, sometimes people talk and get all hyped the first couple miles and then they definitely fall off.

And I was like, [00:33:00] okay, this is probably gonna be the case here. I'm not gonna invest in somebody who I know is gonna fall off. And I was like, how long is this guy gonna really keep it up with this enthusiasm? And like by mile 22, he was still saying it's a BE, a beautiful day. And me and Mel you know what?

We love this guy's energy. And yeah, we were all a little unofficial pace group together the whole time. But aside from Jesus strategy wise, didn't want to get wrapped up in what other people were running because I very much knew. Like this whole training block, I knew it was almost like a scientific equation.

I felt like if I ran certain times in training it and I took the right amount of nutrition at the most precise times, I could do X time. And so that's how I treated the race as well. Like I knew exactly what I could do based on the training. 'cause I had done. And I did the work for it. And so I knew the first mile was gonna be downhill and there was gonna be a sharp right turn.

And I was like, fast. Don't base anything else on the race on that. Just fall asleep for the first 5K. And [00:34:00] so the first five was like, okay, fall asleep. Don't even pay attention to the splits. It's not gonna be accurate. Then after that I absolutely loved the Rolling Hills, but my whole plan was for the first half, not to go faster than a 6 35.

And talking with Jordan, we said, if you're feeling good yeah, still don't go faster than 6 35, but you should be doing a six 40 effort. So if it feels like six 40 effort wise, then you're in a good spot. And so we were doing, I was still trying not to go all out, but we were doing maybe five, six twenties. And again, I was running not really with MAL at that time 'cause I didn't wanna engage, Hey, si feeling like it's too early for that and no way. And so I knew the first half I was like, just hold back. And that's when I did say to Mal, I was like, oh my gosh, it's so hard to like.

Not just go. And so part of me does wish, like what happened, like what would've happened if I did just go, yeah. But then at the halfway point, I finally was like, all right, it's go time. Let's like pick up the pace. And [00:35:00] so my 13 to 14 mile was. Like a six 11 or something. Geez. And so I really picked it up just 'cause I was so hyped up.

I was like, yes, the halfway point. And I did that.

That's halfway point. Go to six 11.

Maddie Stier: That must have been a fast, that must have been a really fast part of the course. 'cause I feel like that's where my. My, my mile 11 is a 6 0 6. Whoa. But it says it's a negative. This is my str a negative 53 feet drop

Chris Detzel: there.

Maddie Stier: Yeah, that must be a big downhill.

Melanie Lassen: Yeah. And you did take off Grace. I remember that at the half. 'cause you were just like waiting for the half. Like I remember you, like you said that to me and then yeah, you took off. Yeah. And so

Grace Chow: I was like, I am, this is go time. And then I still though had in the back of my I had 'em too early and I had listened to other and stuff just about the race course and what people had said like they wish they didn't do.

And so I was like, it's too early for that. But then also what if you go fast? And mile 13. Yeah. Took off. But then slowly reverted back to my pace. So I was like, you know what, no, that felt good. What I was doing the first half, [00:36:00] it was still faster than the plan to stick to it. And so we had our group up until, yeah, mile 20.

And I knew once I hit mile 20, it was this downhill that everyone talk. And so I was like, if I can make it to 20 and hold this pace, like the rest is downhill quite literally. And so at 20 I was. Like expecting a big downhill and then never came. Yeah. Downhill at the end. I don't, I dunno if we're just dead, but there was no downhill.

Yeah, no downhill ever came, but it got a lot harder and the worst miles for me was like 24 and 25 because I was like, this is, there's no downhill.

Chris Detzel: She's pissed. There's no downhill.

Grace Chow: Where the heck will the finish? I slowed down on mile, like actually I think I slowed down mile 23 and 24 a little bit, but nothing crazy significant.

It was actually like I slowed down to what my original plan was, so I knew I had banked a ton of time. And then I also heard somewhere if you see palm trees, that's when you go. So I was like, okay, there's the [00:37:00] palm trees. And then still, like the finish line was around a turn and then another turn.

There's two.

Maddie Stier: I thought the, obviously the first part of the course is always easiest, but like in my hand, it was just like Eric Woodcock told me, 'cause he ran the race prior to, he's what comes up must come down. And that kept sticking to my head too, like every uphill. I was like, oh, nice. We're gonna get a good downhill after this.

Except the end.

Chris Detzel: Wow. That's awesome. And so were you all three happy with your terms or did you think, oh man, I could have done better or, what was your thinking after you all hit pr?

I guess we can fast forward to the finish from

Grace Chow: Maddie's point view. 'cause she was the first one there.

Yeah. So I can't.

Maddie Stier: So for me at the end, I was honestly, the last six miles, I was just doing the mental math in my head. If I run under a seven minute mile pace, I got it. Yeah. Then I have five minutes left. I was like, wow, I like really gonna get this. I'm really gonna get this closer, closer, closer. But it was really at the point where I was like, just if you even let a negative thought slip into your mind whatsoever right now, like your legs might cramp, you might give out.

Like you just need to [00:38:00] stay strong, stay positive. I like that. I was not feeling good at the end, unlike Mel too, like I felt like my legs could cramp and I was like, you just need to get to the finish. So I finished and I was hurting. I'm not gonna lie, I was honestly in disbelief too when I saw the the 2 47.

So I immediately finished and I just went off to the side. And this, I always do this after races. I just hold onto the fence just to regain my composure for a minute.

Chris Detzel: Yeah. Yep.

Maddie Stier: And I started like tearing up a little bit because I was like, oh my gosh, I can't believe because like I've been trying to get sub two 50 since before I had kids.

Like this has been a goal of mine since 2020.

Chris Detzel: Yeah.

Maddie Stier: So then it's fine. As soon as I'm like about to stand back up, I turn and I see Mel and I was like, Mel, like what did you just run? Yeah. And she was like a 2 48. I was like, are you kidding me? Like 2 48 because mel didn't fully let, like she, I knew that was your goal, but you didn't, you weren't like, I didn't think I was gonna get it.

You didn't think you were gonna get it. Honestly, that's the [00:39:00] vibe I was getting from you. So I was like, oh my gosh. Then I was like, oh, where's Grace? You're like, oh, she should be coming soon. And I was like, oh, no way. So then maybe two seconds later, I look over and we see Grace crossed the finish line, and I was like, oh my gosh.

Okay. So then Grace comes up to us. I was like, grace, what was your time? And she's 49. And I was like, oh my gosh, we all broke two 50. That is crazy. And then we saw Dustin, and then I was like getting teary eyed and he's are you crying tears of joy or tears of sadness? I was like, tears of joy.

It's good. But yeah, that was my finish line. Memory, I don't know.

Melanie Lassen: So I do wanna back up to I, again, I know I put this in my post, but like for me, see, everybody knows when you run a marathon you're like, okay, anything you can feel great. But like the real race starts at mile 20.

So I, for me, the whole race, I was like, just get to mile 20 feeling comfortable. And hopefully I'll feel good from then. And it is like such a core memory for me. Grace, right? When we hit mile 20, it was like right before she got, [00:40:00] again, we have our, we have a good group. I mean there was like a Lee, I don't know, there was like me, you, Jesus, the girl, Emily, another girl, we don't know her name.

So there's four or five of us. And then she was like, guys, we're gonna do it and do it as in run sub two 50. And I think it's like nobody really wanted to say it until then. So I just remember I got a huge flutter of just excitement in that moment. Wow. And yeah, I mean 'cause like it's true.

It's if you get to mile 20 and you're feeling good and like the downhill, I will say, I told Maddie and Grace, I'm like, oh my gosh, the last six miles you guys is so much downhill. And I. I feel that's not what I

Chris Detzel: just heard.

Melanie Lassen: I don't remem like I, it was more downhill 2019, I swear this year because there was not that much.

I agree. I think maybe we were just tired, but yeah, end of the race I got a new group on, so like 22. I was with Jesus still and I was like. Come on, Jesus. And he was like, come on baby. He was just like, so he's let's go. And then the last couple miles I caught a new group and it was so like that.

So again, my most vivid of [00:41:00] the race for me, honestly was the last two miles. And I think I was just like. Really happy and grateful and I'm just really, I'm proud of how I like my mind, how my mindset was in the last two. And it sounds like you too, Maddie and Grace, like you guys were like, no negative thoughts.

Let's just go for it. But I felt like I was really taking it in. Like I can actually really picture. The last two miles a lot. And again, I just got, I just feel really lucky that I was with so many just uplifting people, the whole race. Like I let you know, even when I left Jesus and like my group, I caught these other guys and then they too were so uplifting and we were just like, let's go let on.

We got this like two more miles. And then like one of the guys I was with, he. He was passing somebody that he knew and he was like, come with me. Come on. And then I love it. Yes. Hit the last mile. I remember I was like, last mile, let's go. It was just really it was very, everybody was super vocal and then and I just felt like I was like going really fast.

I will say my legs were really dead, so like my quads, I, for sure they were getting that that, [00:42:00] that soreness, which I was surprised because I figured I'd run enough hills. In Wyoming that I wasn't gonna be sore, but surprisingly, like my breathing was really fine. My legs were sore. But I didn't ever feel like super dense.

That's, I do have a bit of a what if, and I know Maddie and Grace have said that too, a bit of like Maddie, you go out fast 'cause you're like, what if, what if you don't like? Or what if you feel really good and you leave time on the table? Grace, you said that as well. I have a little bit of that 'cause I did feel pretty good, but ultimately, like I have such a positive experience and of it, but yeah.

So yeah, sprinted in had great group uplifting, felt really good. And then, yeah, like Maddie said I was so happy and surprised to see her right there by the finish when I crossed the finish line, saw her bright pink shorts and I was just so happy. 'cause like I had looked at my clock like the time, 'cause we start after the gun a bit, you can't go off of the time that it actually says. Yeah. I looked at my overall time as I was like, after 26, like I was like [00:43:00] coming in and I was like, oh, dang, I feel like I'm gonna be very close to first of all, I was like, holy cow, I can't believe this is really fast. But I knew I was gonna be pretty close.

I was, like, I could maybe get sub 2 48. But I wasn't sure. I wasn't at my watch in the last 0.2 and I was just trying to sprint it in. I saw the clock on the time was like. Or the time on the clock was like 2 48 or 15 or something. Yeah. But I was like, oh, maybe I don't know, but just like seeing Maddie at the finish was was super fun and like I was so thankful to like, 'cause we, I didn't see her and I saw her at mile one and I could see her at the finish and then and then yeah, grace was literally right behind us and then we caught up with some people like my said.

So yeah, it was great.

Grace Chow: But you, what was, what it feel like at the end and.

The only thing I'll add to that is coming down like the last final stretch after two turns or whatever it was, I did look at the clock and I was excited because that was a PR and that was my ultimate goal in this. [00:44:00] But then I was like, I have seven seconds to cross the line before it strikes two 50.

And I was like, man, like that would've been so cool to be sub two 50. And so with the clock I hit, I wasn't even thinking about gun time. I crossed at 2 50 0 2 and I. Oh darn it, like that would've been so cool. If I didn't do that, if I didn't go to the one side of the road at one would've been that like point or zero two seconds.

And then I was like, wait a minute, that was the gun. And then I looked at my watch because that's when Maddie had asked me, she was like, what did you run? And I was. Like it was all like processing. I was like, oh my gosh. I did break two 50 because I was like, it's gotta be like two seconds that we started later.

And then that's where I saw it was like 2 49, 48 or something like that.

May, what was your previous PR before that?

2 57.

Okay, so you did break three, but that's huge. That's his,

not

Chris Detzel: the pr, PR

seven, whatever. Like huge. Especially at that. [00:45:00] Wow. So great stories. I love it. What an amazing accomplishment and just the three of you, good friends, stir whatever, just staying together, hanging out, and you all break two 50, some, a lot of people did really well, the sloths and things like that. So it was really cool to see, lots of prs from some of those folks and just run really fast, including the three of you. It is insane. So my next question is for all three of you, just one at a time, obviously.

Look, I know you're taking some time, it's Christmas and things like that and about to hit, take some time off or whatever. What's next? What are y'all thinking? Are y'all going to Boston or anything like that? What's, the thinking there. Anything?

Maddie Stier: Yeah. So for me, I am probably gonna do a lot of just local or close races. Easier for my husband, for me to not have to travel, probably to count town half big star. I don't know. I don't know what my next full will be to be honest. I'm not, nothing. Nothing's on the calendar yet. Definitely nothing until at least next fall, winter.

No

Chris Detzel: [00:46:00] Boston or anything, huh? For you?

Maddie Stier: No. No. Boston this year? No. Okay. Pretty boring.

Chris Detzel: I'm doing the Cal Town half as well, so maybe I'll just say hello and that's about it. I won't be running with you. Cal Town's always for me, like a kinda a bitch. Like it's just a lot of hills. It's a great course.

It's fun,

Maddie Stier: it's good event. Like it's, I agree. I agree. It's so well organized. They have the best elite. Yeah. Program. You

Chris Detzel: get to be in the elite. I was in the elite for some reason. I don't know why, but they put me in the corral, not elite, but last year for some reason I was like, okay, I'll run with these guys.

Maddie Stier: I think you could get your way in there. You probably do an on the spot podcast or interview.

Chris Detzel: Yeah, definitely. I could probably do something like that, just interview a bunch of people. I

fun.

How about you, grace?

Grace Chow: So I was so excited to be done with this training block 'cause it was like, I don't have to run until I want to after this.

Yeah. But then I run on the Marine Corps running team and then the coach texted me yesterday and said, Hey, do wanna do an eight K in January? And I was like, [00:47:00] absolutely.

I don't even,

I don't even know pay time is, I don't know. I've maybe run maybe two eight Ks in my life. Five twenties.

Just run five

20 and that's insane to just think about.

MP to now eight kps. I don't even know, but I do feel like I'm so well trained. I can tailor it a little bit to be Oh yeah. But the unfortunate part is that training is not quite over, like I was so excited for, but aside from that, it's been like a

10 K training. So that's just really, it's really gonna be fast.

Yeah. Speed,

but 10 K training. I remember from college just being absolutely miserable for how long I was, but still so fast. Marathon wise. Marine Corps Marathon 2027, I will absolutely train for this year. I love the Marine Corps. Marathon is 2027. Yeah. So not next year, but the following. Okay,

so that's a couple years away.

Yeah.

Yeah. I just, I have never trained for that race, and I love the race itself. Okay. I use that race to think it's all my friends cheer me on, but they're all [00:48:00] volunteers that have to be there. And so just running the Marine Corps marathon in DC while I'm living there, like it's a perfect recipe.

So that love it will be definitely on the Marine Corps schedule or on the marathon schedule for me.

Okay. How about you, Mel?

Melanie Lassen: Yeah, for me, I'm about to experience a legit winter, so I will not be running. I do not have a treadmill and I need to get one, but also we're gonna be moving again in the next couple months, no races, no training really for me. I think I'll just run when I want to this winter, which I'm looking forward to. I really wanna focus on strength and like this winter.

Chris Detzel: Yeah.

Melanie Lassen: And then, yeah, I probably won't do anything. I'll just look for local, like my new local things in I guess that spring. Then yeah, I'd love to do a fall marathon.

I have been trying to do New York four times. I cannot get into it really. So I'd love to do New York. Yeah. And then, now that I live out here, there's just a lot of other, there's good like races out here. Like maybe I can look into St. George and then I don't know, whatever, like other ones that are in the [00:49:00] Colorado area, but.

But yeah, I'll try for New York and then Grace. Yeah, I'd love to do Marine Corps has been on my bucket list for ever since I started marathoning, so 2027. Let's go ahead and yeah, put that out. Come on out there. Love to

Grace Chow: go for the next pr, but it's not the most PR friendly course, but that's okay.

We'll just have to train hard,

go for fast time,

yeah.

Maddie Stier: That's the thing that's hard too, is like we all just hit our goals, so yeah, you have to strategically pick a race. Like I think the next logical goal for all of us would probably be 2 45 or around there.

Chris Detzel: Yeah.

Maddie Stier: Which that, that's, I think we could all probably hit it if we keep training organically, but you really have to pick a strategic course, and there's only so many of us, hundred percent cm, Houston, Chicago, Mesa, Arizona.

Yeah. So it, there's not a, there's not a ton. Yeah. Grandma's,

Chris Detzel: yeah. I hear grandma's awesome.

Melanie Lassen: Oh yeah, that's another good one. Yeah. Melanie,

Chris Detzel: What part of Colorado are you moving to?

Melanie Lassen: Fort Collins, so Northern Colorado.

Chris Detzel: Okay. My wife and I have done some races out there, and we [00:50:00] used to do some trails back in the day, and she's done Leadville, the marathon there.

And I've done the it's called the heavy half, which is 15 miles, not a half. Like it's on the trails. You go straight up a mountain and it's really hard as hell, and then you go straight down. So you go all the way up, like 13,000 feet. You start out in Leadville, it starts out at 10,000 feet.

And then you go up to 13 something and then you go back down. This is about six and a half or seven and a half up, seven and a half down. But just doing those kinds of things are a lot of fun. It is different. It's a diff different atmosphere when you get into Colorado and Wyoming, I'm sure, has some pretty awesome, gnarly places to go, but it's fun.

It's just really cool. What did I miss? Anything I missed that you're like, man, he should have asked. Anything you can think about? Knowledge kind of bombs anything. I

Maddie Stier: think for me, the one thing, not that you missed it, but Mel hinted on this in her post or something about a core memory, but for sure that finish line and seeing both of them is gonna be a core memory for me.

But I think one thing that's so important is obviously Grace is my [00:51:00] sister, so yeah, that's really probably my first like running friend running girlfriend in Texas. So crossing the finish line and just having them both there, it's a huge testament to find your people and yeah, find people who have that you share common goals with.

Like we live in three different parts of the country entirely. We didn't even train together. So when people say, oh, I don't have anyone to train with, or I don't have anyone to do this with, there's really no excuses. Sync up on Strava, see what they're doing. And plan races together. Like it's so special to be able to share that with people regardless of where you live or what your connection is.

Like I said this in one of our previous podcasts, but like a quote, which are still from my brother, which one is one of my favorite ones, is if you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room. Yep. So find people who are better than you. Going for common goals and you're gonna get better yourself, whether it's in running or any piece of life.

Oh, I love that, Maddie.

Melanie Lassen: That's such a good message and I love you so much. And [00:52:00] also I will say and Grace, I like this is probably the same for you too. 'cause we did all of our training alone. Like along that note too, like there were some posts that I would, so like for me, I always say that this training block I suffered from OCD.

Obsessive comparison disorder to myself. So like my pre 'cause I followed the exact same training plan. So I literally have to, at achieve, I did this workout in 2023. These are my splits. I'm doing this workout in 2025. Oh my gosh, my splits are 20 seconds slower. But again, like being by myself.

And there were a couple of posts that I would like, I was like, oh man yo, that was really hard. Why did that feel hard? Blah, blah, blah. But just like my friends, the running community, there were so many times that people would comment on my Strava kinda like what Maddie says, like syncing up on Strava and people would be like you would nail this if you were running with people.

Or or oh my gosh, great. This is so good. So it just felt really, I just feel really grateful to have the support from afar too. And that's just what I, when I say that this, the weekend was just so rare and special and those those are the reasons why like you get to sync up and be back with your people and just have [00:53:00] such a great time.

But yeah, feeling the support from afar through Strava, it was like amazing as well. It's

Chris Detzel: pretty cool.

Grace Chow: I think there's still something to be said about training solo in very cold environments with daylight savings early in the morning when it's dark and in a new environment too. Mel and I just went through some big transitions moving.

It's a totally new location. So I started this training block, and Mel sounds did too in totally new running routes that we had never done before. Finding brand new tracks, wondering if they're gonna be open, if there's gonna be bathrooms of the track. So all of the places I ran, it was, now it's good memories on the different locations because it's this is where I did one Ks, this is where I did my speed workouts.

This is where I would do tempo workouts. And so driving past them now I'm like, oh, thank goodness I'm not doing those workouts anymore. But. That's what I'm associating with this new place that I live.

Chris Detzel: That's pretty cool. I'm gonna use Maddie's quote in the newsletter whenever it's written. I like it.

I've heard that a lot too. And then the other thing, Melanie I love is that, you [00:54:00] kinda look to the community on Strava, which Strava has now become really a powerful tool for people to use and look at. And like you said, you get some people saying things and you kinda look at your own splits or others and seeing how they're training, and so one is. Community that Maddie mentioned and Grace didn't have, but she's still done. And so did you, Melanie, but you guys took the opportunity to do what you had to do and still look to the community, but yet still did it by yourself, to some degree. And I love that. And look, I think community is key.

And the three of you came together with the other slots and whoever else came probably that was motivating. Anytime you get to go to a race with your friends, is always cool, and all. And then. PR is for all three of you and a lot of other people, that, it's freaking awesome.

That inspires me and it gave me goosebumps when I saw the three of you hit under two 50. I was like. Holy cow. I wanted to tear up a little bit, and and no, I did y'all are inspiring to me and I think you're inspiring to not just other women, but for sure other women, just people in general.

The, it [00:55:00] is just the effort you put into these races. The training the amount of kind of commitment that you have to take when you think about, kids and husbands and. All those things, it's a commitment on their end too, right? And so it's pretty cool to see and you're doing what you love and you're kicking ass.

And I love it. So ladies, this has been great. I really appreciate the three of you spending your time with me for an hour and talking about your experience. It was an amazing conversation. So thank you.

Grace Chow: Thank you. Yeah. Thanks for having us. And one final thing that I did lead up. And I know we all were itching to say it, but Brandon, Danny and Dan get the biggest thank yous of all for letting us train, watching children way more than they signed up for and watching them when we did our little girls trip, get away for the icing on the cake.

So thank you to all three of them. Yes. I

assume that's your husband's

just brand new

Melanie Lassen: people, we just like 'em. Same thing. Make

Chris Detzel: sure they listen to the end of this, so that they know what you said. Said, no. You can listen to all the way to the end because that's when we said it.

So this has been [00:56:00] great. So thank you everyone for tuning in to another DFW Running Talk. I'm Chris Detzel. Please subscribe to the newsletter at DFW running talk.substack.com. Until next time, ladies, thank you so much.

Thanks guys.