Friday Spotlight: Denovosibi
It's Friday and you all know what that means...
Time to get Spotlight rowdy!
Today's a real treat because I've been wanting to get this person featured for quite some time now. She's one of my favorite users and I'm glad that I get to call her a real life friend as well. She's made great strides in getting to where she's at and she's only getting better. Always around to talk about cats, make a joke or provide help, she's one of the frequenters of this sub that everybody seems to love. Ladies and gents, it's my honor to finally introduce u/Denovosibi!
Let's. Freakin'. Roll.
###The Runner:
First Name?
Kaeleigh or often just Kae
Age?
27
Where are you from?
Murray, KY
Occupation?
Health Information/Wellness Consortium Coordinator
###Running Q&A's:
What are your PR’s?
Not the most impressive times, but I'm pretty proud of them. I'm hoping with more time spent working on speed work I'll be able to get these down, but that's not my focus right now.
1 mile: 7:53
5k: 29:33
10k: 1:00:11
15k: 1:34:43
13.1: 2:19:29
What is your distance PR?
55k/34.1 miles
How long have you been running?
Since March 14, 2015. So about 15 months with a break last summer.
Briefly explain why you began running?
In 2014 I decided to walk my first 5k after beginning to lose weight. I hadn't really gotten into calorie counting at that point, but at least I was researching and trying to improve myself. I made a promise to myself I would do the same 5k again in 2015 and beat my time. So the following year, in March 2015, I started trying to run and then loved it. I had lost 110bs at the time, but still had a lot to go so I figured it would aid my weight loss as well. It did for a long time until I got into distance running lol. Oh, and I totally beat my time!
Most memorable running moment?
This seems to be ever changing for me, but it's definitely a moment from the Black Mountain Monster now. u/YourShoesUntied and I walked/hobble jogged together over half of my 10th loop and we talked a lot and yelled at the forest together. We bitched and complained about being tired and bonking and wanting to call it quits and I was about relieved that I was about to hit my goal of 50k, but Shoes convinced me to get another loop in to not only hit my goal, but exceed it. That last 5k loop put me through a roller coaster of emotions. I was so proud when I hit my goal and then as soon as I went out for that final loop I started second guessing myself. It was completely dark, the trail was hard to navigate, and I was tired. The constant looking down was killing my neck and shoulders and it wasn't getting any better now that I was having to rely solely on my headlamp to guide my way. The glowsticks marking the course weren't all that great. I wanted to turn back and return to camp, but somehow convinced myself to keep going. That last loop took me forever to finish and I cried, cursed, cried some more, but eventually rounded the corner, saw my camp, and shuffled to the timing mats one more time. Seeing 55k next to my name and bib number was extremely overwhelming and I cried in the grass for a few minutes before returning to camp. Then u/daharlow made me a veggie burger and I camped out in my chair for a long time.
10/10 - I'm ready to do that again. Honestly that entire weekend was an amazing and memorable experience and I wouldn't trade it for a damn thing.
Do you have a running mantra?
"But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep" That quote has followed me throughout high school and in to my adult life. The personal meaning behind it keeps changing, and was once to prove to myself I could get the weight off and keep bettering myself and my health, and now it ties directly into running. It means so much to me that I got it tattooed on my wrist to always be a reminder that I'm never done
What’s your highest recorded weekly mileage?
Pretty low, but 40.3 in late November. That was also the week I blew out my achilles tendon and was forced into a month long break. I ramped my mileage up too quickly and paid the price! I'm hoping to get it 40+ miles over the next few months.
What time of day do you prefer to run?
Early morning before work, but that never works out for me so I'm stuck with late afternoon/evening runs. Currently I like to run anytime I'm not going to melt into the sidewalk.
Any big races coming up?
If you know me then you know I love races. I've got 10 races scheduled up until 4/29/2017 (it was so cheap on Global Running Day!), but my big races are:
Backyard Classic 8 Hour Ultra in August - I want to see how far I can go with this, but it's in August in the South...so we'll see how I do in the heat. I'll be running this with u/causticwonder!
Monumental Marathon - My first road marathon in November! This seems far scarier to me than an ultra marathon now.
What are your short-term running goals?
Stay on track with my training plan during the warm months is key for me right now Complete my first marathon
What are your long-term running goals?
After I'm cleared and healed from surgery (in December) I plan to focus on improving my pace with speedwork.
PR 5k distance Sub-1 hour 10k Sub 2:10 half marathon
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
Yes, it sucks right now, but it gets better. STOP QUITTING YOU TURD!
What is something you need to work on to become a better runner?
I need to keep pushing myself to go harder even when it feels like I can't. I know that I can, but I give in. Most of the time this concerns my pace during races. I can go faster, longer, but my mind takes control and is all "it's okay to slow down...I can walk now...this is fine". NO! I know I can do better.
What is your current shoe choice?
Brooks Ravenna are my favorite, but I'm really enjoying my Newton Kismet for runs under 3 miles.
What’s your comfy pace?
10:30...living the slow life!
Trail? Road? Track? Or Treadmill?
Trails are still new to me, but I've loved them. I need/want to get out on them more, but it's a bit of a drive for me to get to some major trails. Road is my home. I have a feeling I'll be using the treadmill more often during the peak of summer.
What is your ideal running weather?
50-60 degrees F, sunny to partly cloudy, with a light wind.
Do you have any social media accounts you’d like to share? [Facebook, Strava, Twitter]
If you want to add me on FB then find me though the running FB page :)
###Just For Fun:
What’s your spirit animal?
A house cat. Sudden, random burst of energy to chase things that aren't there and meow frantically and then immediately grazing on kibble, finding a comfy place to snooze, and not moving for several hours. And then my human getting home and giving me treats and giving me pets forever. ]Then settling on top of my human like a tiny rain cloud and sleeping again.](http://66.media.tumblr.com/a96b04bf05a18054a35a026f3d2905d6/tumblr_mjvvy69rQK1qg2ql3o1_500.jpg) Yep, a house cat.
What hobbies and interests do you have besides running?
I play the occasional video games (PC4Life), Netflix binges (currently working on The 4400), hiking, swimming, organizing family kickball games/spending time with my family. I have a large family and my goal this summer is to get them active, especially all the children.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I play the mandolin. I used to practice/play more frequently, but it's fallen to the wayside. Chris Thile is a mandolin god.
Biggest pet peeve?
General rudeness. Say thanks, please, etc. Maybe it's because I'm from the South. Also, please chew your food with your mouth closed.
Favorite Quote or Poem?
I mentioned this above, but Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost and almost anything by E.E. Cummings.
What songs have you been listening to recently?
I could do this forever.
What are some of your favorite non-running subreddits?
/r/loseit, r/xxfitness (mainly the facebook group though), r/TrollXChromosomes/, and r/freebies lol
###One Last Question:
What is the origin of your username?
It roughly translates to "new start"/"new me" in Latin. I started this account to start a new phase in my life.
After meeting Denovosibi IRL I was beyond excited to get another chance to learn more about her while doing this Spotlight. I really liked helping to push her to do that final lap at the BMM when she thought she couldn't do any more. It takes a ridiculously strong individual to carry on when all you want to do is quit. I've got mad props for how far she's come in such a short time and I envy a lot of the drive she has. Every runner has unique qualities about them that tend to rub off a little and Denovosibi is definitely one of those people who makes you want to try to work a tad bit harder. Plus I'm a bit jealous that she knows a few things about the mandolin. Really glad I got to interview Kae this week because I've been waiting for what feels like forever!
#Please tag u/denovosibi's username when asking her a question in this thread!
If you don't the running Gods will give you incurable shin splints for the rest of your life and you'll die a sad lonely wanna-be hobbyjogger.
If I see that you've failed to tag her after asking her a question, I'll try my best to respond to your question by tagging her myself. So be aware. Tagging her username alerts her that her attention is needed. This way, she doesn't have to sift through all of the comments one by one, which can be a rather daunting task when there is a lot of traffic to the thread. Please don't forget that all of our Friday Spotlight athletes may need time to respond to your comments and questions so give them some time to reply.
####Thanks for reading everyone!!!
Previously Featured Spotlight Runners:
Posted Jun 17, 2016, 11:09 AM UTC