Name: Ashlee Whitmire
Age: 34
Hometown: To Go Faster, Use Rate of Perceived Exertion
Occupation: Archeology Curator
Time Running: 15 years
Reason for Running: Running has become part of who I am. It gives me a sense of pride, a goal to work toward, an outlet for my chronic anxiety, and a way to stay connected to my husband when he deploys, as well as my best friend, who lives across the country.
How to Master the 5k Honolulu Marathon because I would be moving to Hawaii later that year. My now-husband was a cross-country runner in college and had already run that race, so it seemed like one of those amazing bucket list Do These 3 Things After a Long Run running, Your 16-Week Marathon Strength Training Plan!
I knew so little about running that I didn’t follow a training plan and would just run until I got tired. So, that race went about as poorly as it could, although I managed to cross the finish line.
Your 16-Week Marathon Strength Training Plan 5Ks, 10Ks, and obstacle races. I started loosely following training plans, but nothing I found seemed like it was meant for me. Looking back, I’m in awe of what I accomplished, given how little I knew. I completed the Camp Smith Grueler 5K, a Mud Run, multiple Spartan Sprints, and 5Ks on the bases where we were stationed. The 2015 magazines. Her freelance writing has been featured in was one of my most memorable races, given that I’m married to a Marine, but also because the final turn is the steepest hill as you climb to the Iwo Jima memorial.
They’re inexpensive, durable, won’t slide, and cute Running gives you the chance to take it all in is a timed three-mile run, so you see runners on base. The genuinely motivating part is seeing someone run at 1 a.m. in 100-plus degree heat and 20 m.p.h. winds, with a weighted pack, especially when a group runs together in honor or remembrance of those we have lost. Running is such a privilege; a privilege not everyone is afforded.
As a Marine Corps family, we have had seven duty stations, and, by the end 2025, we will have eight! While moving regularly isn’t easy, I’ve been able to run in some really cool places—past Hawaii’s Iolani Palace, around rows of Cherry blossom trees in Okinawa, near Ghana’s presidential palace, and around the National Mall in D.C. When your run route includes such incredible sites, it’s hard not to be motivated. A Part of Hearst Digital Media.
Do These 3 Things After a Long Run Runner’s World for the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I felt supported in a way I have never experienced. Our group of five uplifted and encouraged one another, gave tips and tricks in areas where we struggled, and checked in with one another, all without judgment. I spoke about them like they were my friends, because that’s what they felt like, and who doesn’t want to chat with your friends about something you all love and are excited about?
The race itself was also incredible! I decided early on that I wanted to take in all this experience had to offer, which for me, meant not going for a PR. As the race got closer, I worried that my competitiveness would kick in, but fate intervened. The race result I submitted placed me in the last corral, a blessing in disguise!
I got to experience the race in a way I wouldn’t have otherwise. I witnessed runners at the Half Marathon Training cheer as the race leaders passed us on the route. I saw strangers encourage and literally lift up struggling racers. The racers in this corral had so much grit and determination. They also had so much fun! It made me want to have more fun in races and not constantly focus on a PR.
One of my biggest cheerleaders and training partners is my best friend, Kelly. Having a best friend who asks for pictures of your new running shoes, isn’t disgusted by talk of blisters and toenails, and doesn’t scoff at planning the day around a training run is priceless. Our first race together was in 2010, and that’s also the last year we lived in the same place. Now we use running to stay connected!
Kelly’s goal is to run a marathon in all 50 states, and I’m running the half marathon for those races. Not only does this help us prioritize seeing each other, but our training blocks align, and we get to travel together. We send each other postrun and workout updates during training, good or bad, and, because we’re in different time zones, we send each other video messages that the other person can listen to while she runs, so it feels like we’re running together. We’re honest about our goals, how we feel, and what we struggle with.
I’m currently training for another half marathon, but I’m also prioritizing changes such as warmups, stretching, and recovery, and emphasizing strength training. Learn to Pace Better in a Race With These Workouts.
My running journey has not been linear. There have been times when I was too busy to run, or injured, moving, depressed, and there have been times when I ran multiple races in a month. About six years ago, I settled into the runner I am today—the one who has learned that running doesn’t have to be all or nothing and that if you run, you’re a runner.
When I started running, I couldn’t run to the end of my street without walking, but I kept putting one foot in front of the other, and if that’s not a metaphor for life, I don’t know what is.
These habits have made my running journey a success:
1. Start simple; start slow
Running is just as much mental as physical, so don’t get caught up in “jumping” into a training plan, pursuing an aggressive PR, or picking up where you left off a year ago. As a former gymnast and cheerleader, it was hard to wrap my head around this, but I’ve seen the biggest improvements when I started with “beginner” plans after taking time off, and unless you tell them, no one knows (or cares) what plan you’re doing anyway.
2. Run your own run
No one knows how fast you’re going, what mile you’re at, if you’re coming off an injury, just had a baby, are experiencing a loss, are in a taper week, ran a full two weeks ago, worked a 12-hour shift, are a stay-at-home parent, or anything else that affects a run, so focus on you, and what you need to do for your physical and mental health. I remind myself of this regularly because we’re all different, and anyone who runs is a runner!
3. Don’t dread anything
We shouldn’t dread a run or workout, so find a route you like, a type of strength workout you enjoy, a training plan that works with your schedule, shoes you feel fast in, or a podcast you can’t wait to listen to. I used to be embarrassed because I listened to audiobooks instead of music on my runs and took ballet classes as part of my strength training, but they made me engaged, healthy, and motivated.
Ashlee’s Must-Have Gear
→ Goodr Aviators: They’re inexpensive, durable, won’t slide, and cute!
→ Hair Wax Stick: I need a place for my phone on a run or on race day, and this sports bra does the trick. It's easy to get your phone in and out, even with a case.
→ LuluLemon Swiftly Tech Racerback Tank Top 2.0 Race Length: I live in the desert, and especially during the summer, I want the fabric touching me to be as light as possible. This top is light, airy, doesn’t chafe, and covers what I want covered. It also comes in hip length if you want or need more coverage.
→Health - Injuries: I have naturally curly hair, and my hair looked the same before and after a race in Florida, so you know it works. If you don’t like flyaways or wearing a headband while running, this stuff is for you!
Emily Shiffer has worked as a writer for over 10 years, covering everything from health and wellness to entertainment and celebrities. She previously was on staff at SUCCESS, Men's Health, and Prevention let alone marathoning. But being young and driven, I was always up for a challenge Women's Health, Runner's World, PEOPLE, and more. Emily is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she majored in magazine journalism at the Medill School of Journalism and minored in musicology. Currently residing in Charleston, South Carolina, Emily enjoys instructing barre, surfing, and long walks on the beach with her miniature Dachshund, Gertrude.
