Get to know Lindsey Rendlen!
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 Lindsey Rendlen! Lindsey joined our team in January and has been an amazing addition to the crew. She is a very busy working mom who always puts family and others first! She's an inspiration and brings an incredible amount of positive energy to life and running. She's committed to improving her running and has seen progress in a short amount of her. Read her story below! MS: Everyone has a story about how they started running. What is yours? LR: I've run intermittently most of my life. However, my initial motivator for running when I was younger was to prove a physical education teacher wrong! I recall running "The Mile" in fifth grade P.E. class one very cold day and my P.E. teacher mentioned that he thought I was "out of shape" because of my time. When I ran "The Mile" I was FREEZING and my lungs were on fire and I did NOT have on shoes in which you could run! I set out to prove him wrong when I ran that same mile the following spring, and I did, and I think of him often, even to this day, as I increase my mileage in my runs. So, I guess the moral of that story is that the best way to motivate me is to tell me I can't do something well! I ran track in middle and high school, and as an adult, running has always found a way into my workouts, however it wasn't until after having my first daughter that it started to mean something bigger to me beyond just a way to clear my head and efficiently burn calories. MS: What's the most memorable experience you have had in the sport of running? LR: So far, I have two moments that stand out. The first is running my first half-marathon in April 2018. I ran the GO! Half. While it was memorable because it was my first half-marathon and that is an experience in and of itself, it was what I realized after the fact that made that race memorable: I ran that half-marathon while pregnant with our second daughter, Elaina! This may explain why she is in constant motion and never stops! The other moment that means so much to me came in October 2018, when I walked (32-ish weeks pregnant) the GO! Halloween 5k with my Husband, Tom, and our oldest daughter, Vivienne. Vivienne was able to stay cozy and ride in her stroller while we walked, but we all walked across the finish line together. Making that moment more special is the fact that Vivienne was just learning to walk on her own at that time. She has had her challenges, but she is so determined, and I wanted her to feel that empowerment of crossing the finish line. You can see her determination and pride in her big steps as she crossed the finish, and it makes my heart swell. I also think right now is a memorable experience for me in this sport, and for all runners, really. The impact of COVID-19 is not just the cancellation of races, but the end of group runs and the closure of parks as we all practice necessary social-distancing and try to find different paths, both literally and figuratively. As runners we are at a crossroads: Do we keep going or do we let the hurdles stand in our way? This experience is a true test of mental fortitude on every level and running is no exception. It means a lot right now on a long run to see another runner and wave to each other from across the street. MS: You are currently training for a half marathon. What's been the best & worst part of training for it? LR: The worst part is starting all over again, but that's also one of the best parts--you get to see how far you can go and how determined you are mentally and physically to keep going through the aches and pains. I had not run much since having our second daughter and recovering from a c-section. I had a lot of ground to cover and those first several miles did not feel great. Then I had some serious strengthening to do to prevent injury and that was frustrating because all I wanted to do was get mileage under my belt so I could feel mentally prepared to run longer distances again. Patience is a difficult trait for me! Running has helped me build that patience with myself. One of the best parts of training has been the community of people I've met through running. I've historically been a very introverted runner, but meeting Mark pushed me to get out and try some benchmark races and I did most of my long runs with the Big River Training Team on Sundays. It is such a community of pure support and encouragement in a world with a lot of judgment and it is such a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively. For example, one Sunday I planned on ten miles. By mile 8.5 I was ready to quit, but this wonderful group of women with whom I was running said "No, you're so close, you can do it." And it was just what I needed in that moment. Additionally, there exists such a wonderful social media community of female runners who just keep it real and don't cover their challenges up with the "social media gloss." For example, I can relate when see another runner mom lament that her toddler slept horrible and it is impacting her workout and how she overcame the struggle. It is relatable and inspiring at the same time. More recently, all of my races--understandably--were cancelled because of COVID-19. It is certainly a mental shift to go from having a goal race in sight only to have it cancel, however, I am taking the approach that I will be that much more prepared for when those races do occur down the road. I still ran my St. Pat's race, just by myself on my treadmill, and kept telling myself to focus on negative splits, not negative energy! I am continuing to train while allowing running to be my stress-reliever right now as I continue to practice employment law from home, my Husband is counseling his clients on investments, and our two toddlers are home (and not napping!). I am thankful for being able to get out and get some fresh air and get centered. I am also very grateful for my Husband who understands sometimes I just need to run out of my front door and go! I deferred my half-marathon to October, so my eye is still on the prize! I am looking forward to seeing how much progress I can make with some additional time to build mileage and speed. MS: Do you listen to any music when you run? LR: Always. I am actually working on being a more "social" runner because I love to pop my AirPods in and go! MS: Can you share your favorite songs to listen to with us! LR: This is where it gets really interesting.....! It very much depends on the day and my mood--and it is ever-changing! Some constants are: Aerosmith, Living on the Edge. Aerosmith, Dream On (catching a theme here?!). Tom Petty, Runnin' Down a Dream. Incubus, Pardon Me. Kid Cudi, Pursuit of Happiness. Aloe Blacc, Make Way. Alessia Cara, How Far I'll Go--From "Moana" (for my Vivienne). U2, Where the Streets Have No Name, and generally anything EDM and with a good beat. It is a VERY long and varied playlist! MS: I know family is a huge motivation for your training. Can you explain how your kids and husband have inspired your training and racing? LR: I began training for my first half-marathon in 2017, shortly after Vivienne turned one. She had a difficult delivery and birth experience, however those impacts did not begin surfacing until she was about six months old, and we then dove head-first into a world of specialists and testing and therapies and ruling out different issues. In fact, the only consistent answer we did have was one provided by Vivienne: She simply kept pushing forward and making progress. I saw her determination from the moment she was born and I was able to hold her. At the time, I ran not only as an outlet for myself and to be the best Mom to her mentally and physically, but more importantly, because every step I took was one that I knew she would be able to take someday on her own. And she did! She crossed her first 5k finish line at the GO! Halloween Race in October 2018 wearing her bat wings! My younger daughter, Elaina, was born in December 2018, so she has actually already completed a half-marathon (April 2018) and a 5k (October 2018) before she was ever born! Elaina is a ball of infectious energy and as she is learning words it gives me great joy to hear her exclaim "Shoes!" when she sees my running shoes and "Mama!" when she points to my water bottle. I am far from perfect, but I can only hope that by growing up seeing a woman set goals, personally and professionally, large or small, and work to attain them, they'll see the possibilities they hold within themselves, they'll push boundaries, and they'll be happy in the process. I just want them to know that anything they set their mind to is within reach. And, last, but certainly not least, is my Husband, he is the support system that makes it even remotely possible for me to train and run. He, more often than not, is feeding our girls breakfast during the week so that I can get my miles in. On Sundays, he holds down the fort while I am gone for hours logging miles only to return and disappear into the bathtub. He is not a runner himself, but he lets me talk and talk about running and he cheers me on. In recent memory, the first time I was setting out to run 9 miles for a long run he kept saying "You've already done this, no big deal." For a few days I dismissed it as he was just trying to say something supportive so I wouldn't be anxious, but I thought about his words on that run and realized he was right, I had run 9 miles already when I ran the 2018 half. My Husband also gets me "treats" for after my long runs or races--that's the best part! MS: What do you crave most after a long run? LR: A long soak in the tub and giant sweatpants after! Then, I usually want a burger! After my half-marathon in 2018, I napped and then headed to Sportsman's Park for a Guinness and a burger. MS: How would you describe the sport of running in 5 words? LR: Nothing changes if nothing changes. It is simple and applies to virtually all aspects of my life. I say it to myself a lot! As to running, if you don't get out there and put one foot in front of the other, nothing is going to change. If you don't push yourself, even in small increments, nothing is going to change. You aren't going to get faster or go farther by staying stagnant and in your comfort zone, and you aren't going to realize your potential if you don't make small changes. I generally despise the word "can't." It doesn't have a place in my family's life, especially when it comes to my daughters. We prefer the word "yet" because it reserves the possibility of reaching a goal or a milestone that may not be quite within reach....yet! One caveat to my "mantra" is to be gracious with yourself and be grateful to your body and your mind in the process. Coming back to running after pregnancies is no joke between the healing, the physical changes, and the lack of sleep. It is hard both mentally and physically. I really try to celebrate the small, simple victories along the way, even if it is just being grateful that I felt better running than I did the day before. MS: Do you have a favorite park or area to run in? LR: In St. Louis, I am a classic St. Louis runner. I love Forest Park. My family vacations on Sanibel Island, and has since I was a baby. I would run that stretch of beach to the Lighthouse and back every day if I could. MS: What goals do you have moving forward in the sport of running? LR: Big picture goal: I see people who are out at these races who are in their 60's and 70's and beyond and they're happily running, and I am so inspired. I want to be them someday. So, my overall goal is longevity in this sport. Shorter-term, I want to work on speed and continue running half-marathons and other races and see where consistency and dedication can take me!
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