“Are bananas gear?” replied Melissa Hardesty, when asked about her favorite piece of running gear. It’s this kind of simplicity and practicality that has led Melissa to the 2016 Olympic Trials in Los Angeles the second weekend of February, a feat that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. She reached that milestone this year in the CIM Marathon in Sacramento in December, but her journey, like all runners, has a unique and inspirational backstory.
“Watching Melissa qualify in Sacramento was pretty emotional for me,” said Kimberlie Meeker. “I knew how hard she had trained, how many sacrifices she had made, and how close she had come before. She ran one of the smartest races I have ever seen. She deserved it and we are all so inspired by her.”
Melissa took a break from training to graciously answer some questions for Runologie. Check out her story below.
1. So you haven’t been at this running thing that long and you’ve achieved some amazing milestones. Tell us about your start?
MH: I started running for exercise in 2006 when I was about 28 or 29 years old. I began by doing 1–2 laps around my neighborhood and just built mileage from there. The idea of racing made me nervous, so I didn’t touch that aspect of the sport for a few years. In 2007, some of my classmates in graduate school came in on a Monday with sore legs from the Chicago Marathon, and it seemed like such a big accomplishment. I think I was a little jealous. I signed up and ran the 2008 race, just to prove to myself that I could do it. That was it for a few years. I didn’t race again until 2010. I met my current boyfriend, Joe, while running on the lakefront path in Chicago, and he convinced me to try racing. That’s when I got interested in really pushing myself and trying to compete. He probably didn’t know he was unleashing a monster!
2. What about work? We’re guessing running isn’t paying all of the bills. What is your day job?
MH: I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at NC State. That mostly involves teaching classes and doing research.
3. How do you fit working, running, life all in a day?
MH: My life IS working and running! I wake up pretty early to get my running out of the way, then work during the day and evening. My house tends to be messy because of time constraints (and personality traits), and a lot of my social life revolves around running. The key for me is that I treat running as an obligation, like a job.
4. How many times did you try for the trials qualifier?
MH: I made one “sort of” attempt in November 2014 and three serious attempts in 2015. When I ran the Philadelphia Marathon in 2014, I thought I was in 2:44–2:45 shape, and the standard was still sub-2:43. I ended up running 2:43 pace (6:12) for much of the race because it was either run with the pack or run alone. I faded at 22 miles to finish in 2:45 but was happy to finish 5th and in the prize money. After that, I tried to qualify at Grandma’s Marathon in June 2015 and missed by less than a minute (2:43:54). That ended up being a retroactive qualifier when the standard was changed to 2:45 in December 2015, but of course, I didn’t know that yet.
I ran the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in November 2015 and was very confident going in because I was in the best shape of my life. I still have no idea what happened. I faded hard in the last few miles to finish in 2:45 for second place. I came across the line in that race and immediately told my boyfriend that I was done with trying to qualify. About an hour later I was Googling races. I decided to take my little bit of prize money from Indianapolis and head to CIM four weeks later.
5. Can you describe the CIM (California International Marathon) race where you qualified?
MH: I really had no idea what to expect from myself because I had just run a marathon a month prior. It was a little rainy and overcast at the start, but nearly ideal conditions for the most part. I love running on cloudy days, so that was nice. CIM has a reputation for being a fast course and having great amenities for people trying to get the qualifier, and that proved to be true. On paper, the course looks like Boston without the hills. In reality, the first half was a lot tougher than I expected. When I reached the top of the first hill very early in the race, my quads felt awful! I thought, this whole plan of running marathons a month apart was really stupid! But I tried to push those thoughts away, and to my surprise, I was able to settle comfortably into pace by about 5 miles.
There was a 2:43 pacer with a LOT of women (at least 30), so there was a lot of positive energy and support. I didn’t have to think much about pace. A lot of the race was just clicking off the miles and making sure I was staying within my fitness and close to the pacer. The pack was really strung out by mile 21, but I was still feeling good. I really didn’t start to feel tired until mile 23. At this point, I tried to maintain my cadence and form and just kept telling myself that this was not the time to wimp out. There were a few slower miles in there, but nothing terrible. I had race splits for a 2:43 flat race written on my arm with a sharpie, and I distinctly remember hitting the 26 mile marker right on the second. I knew I had gas left in the tank and just pushed as hard as I could. There was a left turn shortly after that, and I remember being in serious game mode, running as fast and efficiently as I possibly could. Women had a separate finish line, which I had forgotten about during that last stretch. I almost ran past it, but people were screaming, “Turn! Turn!”
6. When did you know you had the qualifier at the CIM?
MH: And that’s pretty much when I knew I had the qualifier, right after that final turn. I could see the finish line and could tell that I was closing in on it with a handful of seconds to spare. I thought, “Don’t fall!” I even made an effort to jump over the timing strip at the finish line so I wouldn’t accidentally trip. It was all business, all the way to the line.
7. How has your training been going leading up to the trials?
MH: Training has been a bit of a challenge because I’ve had to recover pretty quickly from CIM and jump back into training. With the ice storm, I’ve done a lot of treadmill running lately, but I’m staring to get into the groove.
8. What is your goal at the trials?
MH: I want to run strong and have fun. My goal pace is about the same as it was when I was going for the qualifier — 6:10–6:12 pace.
9. Have you had any major injuries/obstacles on your journey to the trials? How did you overcome them?
MH: There’s always some nagging pain! I strained my back once before Grandma’s Marathon and had to take a few days off. I also had some hamstring tightness after Indy, but I’ve been staying on top of foam rolling and stretching, so I’ve been able to keep it at bay. I try to incorporate light stretching and strength exercises most days of the week. I have very mild scoliosis, so I focus a lot on maintaining strong abs and a strong back.
10. Any nutritional tips that have especially helped you in your training?
MH: I have a sensitive stomach, so I really have to pay attention to diet when I’m training hard. I don’t eat wheat when I’m at my training peak, but I would not recommend that to other people, unless they have food allergies or intolerances.
I do try to eat a lot of protein, usually eggs, black beans, lentils, tofu, and lots of nuts and trail mix. I’ve been a vegetarian for about 20 years, so that’s why I don’t incorporate meat sources of protein. If I’m being good, I’ll have a smoothie with protein powder after hard workouts. I’ve read that the high protein/high carb mixture is good for post workout recovery and maybe glycogen storage. I also eat lots and lots of snacks and don’t shy away from carbohydrates or fat.
I eat the following things almost every day: eggs, black beans, chocolate, avocado, nuts, and bananas.
11. Runners like to talk about their gear, any go to training items that you can’t live with out?
MH: Are bananas gear? I eat a banana or two before every race and workout. Can’t live without them. In terms of real gear, I like neutral cushioned trainers. New Balance has a lot of nice options, but I’ve also worn a lot of Mizuno Wave Riders over the years. I always race with a Timex Ironman watch. I also love my compression socks, especially for racing marathons (if it’s not too hot) and for post-workout recovery.
That smile says it all. With all of Raleigh supporting her, Melissa will race in the trials in early February 2016.
Originally published at www.runologieraleigh.com on February 1, 2016.
