GIVEAWAY: Allie Kieffer + R8 Custom

“My mantra this year is to run free and uninhibited like myself as a naive kid- without inhibitions or expectations. To be honest, mantras have never worked for me in the past though. I always get to the painful place in training or a race when you call on your mantra for inspiration and think way too logically. Would my child-self really want to inflict pain on its future-self? Probably not is generally my reaction and I slow down or queue the immediate onset of dramatic heavy breathing and self pity instead of going for it (which is really the reaction I’m after).

I’ve reflected on that little girl and what running meant to her. I wasn’t very good at school, or popular, or have a vibrant home life to get back to. Instead I had teammates - a random conglomeration of a few girls that didn’t fit in either, laughter on the bus ride to meets, a welcome escape that maybe everything in my life wasn’t so ‘normal’, and absolutely no pressure because historically we’d lost almost every meet. Individually I was good, but beyond a few high fives most of the reward was just a deep sense of personal pride. It was my stage to shine.

Now, before practice I think about that energy - shining, achieving, and running free of fear as I roll out. Then I warm up with my new teammates and it almost feels like I’m back; we laugh and escape the daily pressures, we’re just a lot cooler and faster now ;)” - AK

Allie Kieffer is an elite American Distance Runner, coach and nutritionist. She's run 2:28 in the marathon and has placed 5th and 7th in the NYC Marathon.

FOLLOW ALLIE

Instagram - @kiefferalli

Website - allieland.com