Standing on the beginning line on the 2024 Paris Olympics marathon as a member of Crew USA is the second main accomplishment. The primary one comes roughly six months earlier than, when it’s important to race to earn your spot.
On a scorching and humid morning in Orlando, Fiona O’Keeffe received the Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:22:10. To name it a surprising debut marathon can be an enormous understatement. O’Keefe commanded the lead in a discipline of deeply-talented runners with a calm-yet-complete confidence, and received by over 30 seconds.
O’Keeffe, 25, is on no account new to working. (She was a six-time All-American at Stanford College.) However she is new to the extraordinary highlight that Olympic success usually brings. Fortunately, the Crew USA star excels at defending her peace.
“I’ve been with the PUMA Elite Operating Crew for the final month or so of my coaching buildup in Mammoth Lakes, California, which is considered one of my favourite locations on the planet,” O’Keeffe says. “It’s so calming and delightful to only spend time exterior right here—there are stunning alpine lakes and forests full of pines and aspens throughout us. I additionally discover it useful to have a pleasant group of teammates up right here, so I’m not continually pondering of solely my very own preparations.”
The soft-spoken, under-the-radar racer caught up with us forward of her Olympic debut to share a couple of wholesome habits that not solely hold her stress in test, however hold her mentally and bodily on prime of her recreation.
Associated Tales
1. She is aware of learn how to bounce again
Restoration is a large a part of her precise job, particularly throughout a marathon coaching block. So this isn’t a spot that O’Keeffe skimps on. Actually, she’s usually contemplating learn how to maximize her restoration even whereas working.
“Coaching within the PUMA ForeverRun NITRO and Amplify NITRO 2 sneakers provides my legs a bit of further love after they’re feeling drained,” she says. “I additionally get common sports activities massages—not at all times a soothing expertise!—and use a foam curler and lacrosse ball to focus on tight spots most days.”
However the piece that makes the most important affect on how she ensures she’s being constructed up somewhat than overwhelmed down by powerful coaching? Prioritizing bedtime.
“Sleep is big for me,” O’Keeffe says. “I at all times have a pair of earplugs and a bodily guide on my nightstand—I have to learn a bodily guide at evening to go to sleep.”
2. She finds time to unwind
When she’s not working, there’s probability you’ll discover O’Keeffe with a guide–normally a bodily copy–in hand.
“My style in books is a bit everywhere,” says the voracious reader. “I rotate between classics, enjoyable gentle reads, non-fiction, and memoirs. I just lately learn Emily Henry’s Seaside Learn in addition to Lindsey Vonn’s memoir, which was fairly inspirational. At present, I’m working my method via Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls and a Paulo Coelho novel.”
She places her personal pen to paper, too.
“I do quantity of journaling,” provides O’Keeffe. “I’d describe it as fairly unstructured. Writing has at all times been a pleasant outlet.”
“Sleep is big for me. I at all times have a pair of earplugs and a bodily guide on my nightstand—I have to learn a bodily guide at evening to go to sleep.” —Fiona O’Keeffe
3. She outlets good
O’Keeffe could be very enthusiastic about environmental points, and tries to dwell extra sustainably and eat extra consciously.
“I positively use a reusable water bottle each day and at all times have it readily available to do my finest to remain hydrated,” she says. “Nonetheless, I believe the most important method we are able to dwell extra sustainably is to cut back our general consumption somewhat than specializing in particular merchandise. If there’s a particular fashionable merchandise on social media, I attempt to discern whether or not it could actually be one thing that holds up and that I’d use for a very long time. If not, I attempt to go on it.”
4. She retains it easy
O’Keeffe is a superb reminder that not sweating the small stuff is an lively alternative. Her favourite non-running accent in the intervening time? A pair of sun shades she picked up from the grocery retailer. “They simply occurred to suit completely,” she mentioned. “You’d by no means guess!”
From how she retains her beautiful locks wholesome (“My hair care routine could be very easy—the most important factor just isn’t washing it too regularly and utilizing conditioner on it,” she says) to her pre-race packing checklist (“I pack in a small black PUMA curler bag—so long as I’ve my uniform, trainers, and a guide I’m good to go!”), O’Keeffe doesn’t waste vitality worrying about all of the little issues. And because of this, she has extra vitality to care in regards to the huge issues, like bringing her finest 26.2 to the streets of Paris.
You may catch Fiona O’Keeffe competing within the ladies’s marathon on August 11. NBCUniversal is the official U.S. broadcaster for the Paris 2024 Summer season Olympics, however you you can too watch O’Keeffe on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, USA Community, CNBC, and E!
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