Get to know Chloe Cole!

 Each month we highlight different members of the Spewak Training Family. Our team is made up of amazing individuals who train year round while juggling families, jobs, life commitments, and other stresses. I am constantly impressed with the self discipline of our runners and their genuine appreciation for simply working hard. This month we sat down with Chloe Cole! Chloe joined Coach Spewak in 2015 before Spewak Training's existence. Chloe is an extremely exceptional human being who has made a positive impact on so many people in her lifetime. She's passionate about fitness, family, and many other things. She's a St. Louis native who loves Cardinals baseball and running to the arch! Read her story below! CS: It’s my understanding that you found running after high school. Can you please explain how you got into the sport?  CC: Every year it was a tradition for our family to run the Peach Tree Race in Atlanta with our extended family. At that time I wouldn't consider myself a runner by any means but that's how I ended up starting in the start. Then, when my older sister Blair was in high school she ran cross country runner. I thought she was psycho for running for fun. I had played field hockey and lacrosse and only knew of running as a form of punishment. Blair and I both attended Emory University. During my freshman year, Blair was training for her first marathon. Watching her complete the training and her first marathon was incredibly inspiring to me but I still thought she was crazy. Then, a year later I trained for my first half marathon and I was hooked.   CS: You continued to play sports in college. Was it Blair’s influence that helped you transition into being a full pledged runner?  CC: Yes! I couldn’t find the same competitive spark that I once had. Seeing Blair enjoy distancing running motivated me to train for my first half marathon. I ended up quitting the club and thinking, “what if I ran with Blair?” That planted the seed in my head that I could become a long distance runner.   CS: How did your first training cycle go for your first half marathon?   CC: I trained in Atlanta around all hills. However, I will admit that I did most of my training on an elliptical with very minimal outdoor running. We ended up having a great time together and that’s when I really fell in love with the sport.   CS: So I am assuming you didn't continue running on an elliptical every day? Can you tell us a little more about how you trained for your first marathon!  CC: I ended up changing the way I trained when I moved to St. Louis. At the time I had been moved to my hometown after college to teach for Teach of America. During that year, I found a free training program with Big River Running Company. I ran with their Training Team and was able to meet a lot of great people through their group. I ended up running my first marathon in 2013 in just under 4 hours. That gave me the confidence I could keep getting faster!  CS: Running a sub 4 hour marathon on your first try is really impressive! I know that running the Boston Marathon was a goal of yours. You had come up short twice before. Please share more about the road to qualifying for your first Boston Marathon!   CC: While I had success in the sport early on, I found myself getting injured in the process. In 2014 I ended up improving my marathon time to under 3:40 which was close to the Boston Marathon qualification time. I really believed I could qualify but I had lost some confidence along the way. I knew I needed smarter training to help me reach my goal and stay healthy. Then, a friend of mine named Mark Spewak was starting a coaching business and convinced me to train with him. He told me if we worked together, he would help me get to Boston. I knew I needed more structure and ended up putting my faith in Mark’s coaching.   CS: After we started working together, how long was it until you qualified for Boston? And what was your experience like in doing so?   CC: I ended up starting with Mark in the spring of 2015. We prepared for the 2015 Chicago Marathon. It was hands down the hardest cycle we had together. I ran the most amount of miles I had ever run in my life and I also ran several hard speed workouts. Going into Chicago I was really nervous with it being my first competitive race with a coach. I ended up following the 3:30 pacer who got out too fast. We ran really quick the first 10 miles but I ended up settling in and breaking 3:30. This was a goal I had worked for over a year and being able to finally do it healthy was really rewarding.   CS: Once you qualify you have to do it again. And sometimes you have to do it with your sister. Am I right?   CC: Yes! That following spring I signed up to run with Blair at the Illinois Marathon. Our goal was to run together and help her qualify for Boston. Being able to run together grew our relationship stronger. She had a plan through Mark and worked incredibly hard to toe the line healthy. She was in great shape and qualified for the first time in some miserable rainy weather.   CS: Your relationship with your sister Blair is really important to you. Can you please explain how much it has meant to have her by your side in the sport of running.   CC: My relationship with my sister Blair is the best thing to come from distance running. I don’t think we would be as close if we didn’t have the sport. We have been able to bond over long distance runs while training for different marathons. After we ran Boston together in 2017, Blair convinced me that we needed to run Boston together in 2020. We are always pushing each other and she has had such a positive influence on me. I have learned so much from her and I am incredibly grateful to have her by my side in this sport.   CS: And it gets better, Blair isn’t the only supportive person in your family. Tell us more about how instrumental your family and your husband Zach have been in your running success.   CC: My family is so supportive. My husband Zack was around the sport as a kid and has runners in his family. He totally gets it and is so supportive of my running addiction. He will regularly ride his bike alongside me on long runs to keep me company. My dad was a distance runner growing up. My mom and him totally geek out at every race we do and find so much joy in spectating. My mom unfortunately has dealt with some injuries but she consistently trained for different races when I lived in St. Louis. Even Blair’s husband Zach supports what we are doing! Both of our husbands enjoy bonding over biking while they ride alongside Blair and I running. It’s a fun way for us to hang out and connect.   CS: It’s very clear that family has played a major role in your love for running. Running hasn’t always been easy for you. You have dealt with health issues these last few years while still finding ways to squeeze out major PRs in all distances. Please tell us what you have been able to do to stay in the game.  CC: I have been through a lot these last few years. Looking back on 2015, I am extremely grateful for what I was able to accomplish. More importantly, I have so much more of an appreciation for how hard I was able to work while healthy doing it. For several years, I have struggled with different health issues. My perspective with running has always been I want to be competitive but more importantly I want to enjoy this sport for a lifetime. Running with Blair and having my family see me run healthy is what’s most important to me. We have changed the way I have trained. We are biking more and running less miles which has seemed to really help. Also, I have been able to get some of my health concerns fixed and that has allowed me enjoy running pain free again for the first time in awhile.    CS: Your comeback story is remarkable. I am so impressed with your long term approach to the sport and your appreciation for simply running. Even after all of this, you have found yourself still succeeding in the sport! Tell us more about your fall marathon in 2019.  CC: Blair convinced me that I needed to qualify for Boston again so we could run together in 2020. We will be doing it virtually in a few weeks. I decided to run a small town marathon and put very little expectations on myself. The goal that we had was to train for the distance and the qualifying time but make sure I was healthy and ready to go on race day. I ended up running a huge PR of 3:16! It was really special to do that after the last few years of training. This was nearly a 13 minute PR too which made it all that more exciting!   CS: Your story is a reminder that there is no “right” way to the finish line. You have made major adjustments with your training which have ultimately led to you running PRs in all distances. What are you most appreciative of with your own individual running?   CC: I think I have found myself in such a better head space. In 2015, I was too consumed in trying to qualify. I put a lot of pressure on myself during those years. I also didn’t have a lot of confidence in the sport then. When I ran my last marathon, I felt really confident and strong going into it. Now I don’t take any run for granted and I really enjoy training. I feel like the best version of myself in the sport now.   CS: Now onto the important questions. Tell us about your dog Moose! Does Moose like to run?  CC: Yes, I have a dog named Moose. I can get Moose to run a little but he is lazy. He would rather be dragged up the hills. We won’t go far together and it’s hard for him to run during the summer time. Honestly he gets really bored so distance running isn’t his favorite activity.   CS: You are from St. Louis and now living in Philadelphia. Is it true Ted Drewes is the best frozen custard shop in the world?   CC: Yes! I haven’t had anything like it outside of St. Louis. I am also a huge fan of ice cream too. I will say Clementine’s Creamery is also really good.   *Spewak Training coaches are accepting new clients. Please feel free to reach out to us contact@spewaktraining.com to learn more about our training services.*