Life of a Runner: Kelsey Kemp (Me)

So I know many of you have read my profiles on other runners. Many people that I did profiles on told me that I should do one on myself. 

Life of a Runner: Kelsey Kemp, 20

Me, on the right

What is your running history like? 

I had a late start in running. I decided my sophomore year in high school that I wanted to do cross country the following fall. I was never the fastest, I actually ran most of the meets at the back of the pack. During postseason, I did a lot of training through the winter and spring. This all led me to putting way more than plenty miles in the summer and I ended up running varsity for a single meet my senior year (fractured my foot, so it was one of the 2 meets I ran that year). I now run cross country at Coe College, in the spring, I train for a half marathon or two, and I also work at Running Wild, a local specialty running store. I eventually hope to run a half marathon in every state (I have 4 already completed).

What shoes are you currently using?

Gosh. I have too many. In my current rotation, I have two pairs of Saucony Echelon 4s, and a pair of the Saucony Kinvara 5, the Nike Pegasus 31, and the Newton Distance III. I consider myself to be in an open relationship with Saucony, as I have ran in many of their shoes in the past, and they seem to be what my feet like the most, however, I try to incorporate different brands into my rotations.

Are you training for anything at the moment?

Yes. I am doing the Market to Market Relay in Jefferson, Iowa on May 9th, then I plan on doing Relay Iowa in the summer. I am super pumped for both races as I have never done a relay before, and the Relay Iowa is supposed to be a blast, running across the entire state of Iowa (393 miles). I might also do a half sometime in the summer, but I haven't made my mind up yet. 

What is the most interesting thing that has ever happened to you on a run?

Goodness. I have 3 really good stories. The first one, I was running along one of the main roads in Dubuque, when I heard a car making a ton of noise coming from behind me. I turned my head and this suv had all of its windows down, blasting music as loud as it could go. Now this is where I had to stop running because of too much laughter. From the backseat window, a guy wearing a horse head mask sticks his head out and starts dancing at me. It was too funny. Second involves birds. In the midwest, there are different seasons that you have to be cautious about which birds you run by. Geese are trouble in the spring, and red-winged black birds are demons in the summer. I have stories about each. With the geese, I was on a run one day on one of the local trails, when I turned a corner only to see about 5 big mama geese and their 20 or so offspring. This corner also happened to be at a very busy intersection, which the walk signal was not displayed. I had to consider either being eaten by geese or being hit by a car. I chose a car. I booked it past these hellish creatures and crossed the road, luckily missing all cars. The last story has to do with the black birds. Now some of you may not believe me, but this is a situation many midwesterners have to deal with. (Check out the video below if you want more proof). So I was running on a trail that runs by the river, when I kept hearing a screeching noise that seemed to follow me. At one point, it felt like something had touched my pony tail, however, I shrugged it off. I continued to hear the cawing of this bird, and would check behind myself as I heard it. It was following me on the telephone wires. When I neared the end of this trail, I saw it dive at me, not once but a couple times. Pretty interesting run.

Finish this Sentence: I run because _______.
I love it. I know that is a cheap answer, but I love the strength and the overall feeling that running gives me. I love the high, and sometimes the low.

Running is not a pain free sport. Have you had your share of injuries and how have you overcome it?
I have. My senior year of high school, I had a problem in my foot, and the trainer at school had told me that she thought it was mortons neuroma, an inflamed nerve cluster in the foot, and a doctor also thought that it was that. Ended up getting a second opinion and it was actually a fracture in my third metatarsal. Besides that, I have posterior tibial tendonitis in both my legs, so thats fun. Ive had this problem for 3 years now.

Why did you first get started running?
When I was in high school, I was lazy and overweight. I played softball in the summer, but I didnt enjoy it all that much. My uncle introduced me to running when I ran a kids one miler. I enjoyed it and realized I didnt need too much coordination to do it, and I had a lot of friends, who then convinced me to do cross country.

Long or short distance, and why?
Long. Long. Long. I hate short distance, and I think its mainly because I am not fast. I like LSD running, and no, this doesnt mean that I like to do drugs and then go run, LSD means long, slow, distance. The best running there is.

Describe your perfect race. 
Wow, um, my perfect race would have to be good weather, about 50 degrees and sunny, with a little bit of wind. Also, a half marathon with around 10-15 thousand people. I really enjoy bigger races because there is always someone running next to you. Also, I like a couple rolling hills in a race, nothing too flat or too hilly.

What is your favorite quote about running?
"Nothing is impossible, even the word itself spells I'm possible." I dont know who said this, but I clung on tight to this saying when I first started running, because there were a few people who thought I couldnt do what I was doing. I didnt believe I could do what I was doing even.