Name: Julie Smith
# of Years Running: Off and on since high school but consistently the last 4 years.
Favorite Race Distance: 50K - I love all the highs and lows you go through in that type of distance. There’s something powerful about feeling like you can’t move anymore, yet you keep going and finish. Plus you get to eat ALL the food!
Last race: ICY 8-Hr Endurance Race
Current Shoes: Road - Brooks Ghost, Trail - New Balance Hierro
Training For: My “A” race this year is the Yeti 100 miler in September. I also plan on fitting in some local 5K & 10Ks, the Marine Corp Devil Dog, and as many trail races as I can.
Trails, Roads, or Track: My love is the trail, but out of necessity I run a lot of road miles.
Group runs or solo: I mix it up a lot. My whole family runs so on the shorter runs my daughters and husband run with me. On the longer ones I’m usually solo.
Longest run: 50 miles at Dam Yeti 50 miler this past summer
Why I run: I run to stay healthy, for stress relief, to spend time with my family, and to spend time in my favorite place - the woods.
Favorite thing about running? The feeling you get after you are done, like you can accomplish anything. Getting to see lots of trails and new mountain summits. Oh, and that I can eat ALL the foods!
Best race experience: It's a toss up between ICY8 and Dam Yeti 50. I love being out there on the trail. The community that is involved in a trail race is like no other.
Worst race experience: I haven’t really had one...I feel you get moments in every race that you just hate but I always come out feeling great after. I haven’t met a race I didn’t enjoy yet!
Advice for new runners: Keep moving! One step in front of the other. Sometimes you really don’t want to get out there and run but you won’t regret it. Sometimes the hardest step is the one that gets you out the door.
Fun Fact: I’m always up for an adventure! I love hiking, hammock camping, trail running, anything that gets me outside. I love introducing people to the great outdoors.
