Podcasts Sports Running Ali on the Run Show 64. Desiree Linden

64. Desiree Linden

Published: March 15, 2018, 1 a.m.

\u201cWe fail all the time, and we learn from it and we get better. I think that\u2019s amazing. You fail your way to success. That\u2019s how it happens, and I\u2019m super comfortable with that. I have no problem pointing out a bunch of failures in my career. But I don\u2019t define myself or my career as a failure.\u201d \u2014Des Linden

Desiree Linden is a professional distance runner who has represented the United States at the London and Rio Olympics. She runs for the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project in Michigan, and is a strong, consistent 2:22 marathoner. In one month, Des will race the Boston Marathon, and on this episode she talks about how her training has been going, and why she\u2019s in it to win it. She also talks about why she thinks women are often hesitant to admit their big, scary, awesome goals, and opens up her recent running burnout \u2014\xa0and how she busted out of it. Plus, Des talks about failure \u2014\xa0and why she\u2019s not afraid of it \u2014 and shares her big post-Boston goal. (Hint: She wants to make big moves in 2020.)

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What you\u2019ll get in this episode:

  • How Des is feeling a month out from the Boston Marathon and what her training strategy and approach have been this time around (2:10)
  • Whether Des has had any of those magical runs yet in her Boston training (4:50)
  • The marathon taper: Love it or hate it? (6:40)
  • What would make Desi\u2019s husband say, \u201cShe\u2019s batshit crazy\u201d (7:45)
  • Whether Des is superstitious or what her pre-race rituals entail (9:45)
  • How Des thinks she\u2019s evolved as a competitive athlete (11:40)
  • How Des evaluates her race performances (13:00)
  • What Des is thinking when she\u2019s standing on the start line (13:35)
  • How Desi became such a consistent runner \u2014 and ran perfectly even splits at last year\u2019s Boston Marathon (16:00)
  • Who Des says is her biggest competition at this year\u2019s Boston Marathon (17:00)
  • Des shares her best advice for Boston first-timers (18:10)
  • Whether Des notices spectators when she races \u2014 and what YOU need to yell to her when you see her run by! (18:45)
  • Why Des never looks rattled or emotional when she runs (21:40)
  • How Des is feeling about the United NYC Half
  • The women Des loves racing against (24:30)
  • How Des kicked her running slump (25:05)
  • How Des feels about the word failure (26:00)
  • How Des met her husband, Ryan, and the hilarious story about their first encounter (31:05)
  • How Des would describe herself as a runner (37:00)

What we mention on this episode:

Boston Marathon

Hansons-Brooks Distance Project

United Airlines NYC Half

Arizona State University

John Hancock

Shalane Flanagan

Kara Goucher

New York Road Runners

Diane Nukuri

The Moth

Banff Film Festival

Bayshore Marathon

Joan Didion

Joan Benoit Samuelson

Amy Cragg

Maximum Mobility

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