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Author Archive | Angie Spencer

A strong, powerful, female athlete

By on February 22, 2022 in Coaching, Success Story

Lauren (left) with Coach Athena (right)

Here is an awesome letter from a Texas runner named Lauren. She worked with MTA Coach Athena for six months inside our Coaching Services. Reposted with permission.

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Coach Athena,

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how grateful I am to have gotten to work with and learn from you.

So much of what I’ve gained from our time together goes beyond running, and it’s hard to put into words just how impactful you’ve been on my life since we connected last year.

When I reached out to MTA for coaching I never imagined I’d end up getting connected with someone who not only provided excellent training and guidance but also served as a key role model I so desperately needed.

You filled a gap I hadn’t realized existed (or perhaps just hadn’t acknowledged) – that of a mentor. And not just any mentor – a strong, powerful, female athlete. Continue Reading →

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Getting Real About Running Injuries

By on February 16, 2022 in Injury, Listener Question, Podcasts

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In this podcast episode I answer a question from a discouraged runner and share statistics, tips, and hope on dealing with an injury so you can keep doing what you love.

Many of the episodes that we do are inspired by emails and feedback that we get from listeners.

The question that prompted the topic of dealing with injury came in from Megan who asks,

“Question for Angie.  She’s been dealing with a hamstring injury.  I’m curious if she in hindsight feels like she did something wrong that could have prevented this injury.. . For someone who has all the tools and knowledge to prevent injury like you guys, to still get injured is disheartening to me.  I like to think if you’re smart, you can be an injury free runner, but I guess that’s not the case.  I’m dealing with a debilitating posterior tibial tendon disfunction that will likely never go away.” -Megan. Continue Reading →

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Marathon Success Story with Dipti Pandya

By on January 22, 2022 in Back-to-Back Races, Beginner, Interview, Podcasts, Success Story

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In this podcast episode we bring you a marathon success story as we speak with Academy member Dipti Pandya, a radiologist and mother of two, who just completed the Disney Dopey Challenge.

You will hear about the setbacks she faced during her training, including a cancer diagnosis, how she finds time to train, and what it was like to cross the finish line of her first marathon.

Enjoy!

Continue Reading →

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Favorite Books from 2021

By on January 3, 2022 in Books

As you may know I love to read! I finished a total of 262 books in 2021 (kind of a cool number for a marathoner).

It broke down to 131 fiction and 131 non-fiction. About 30% of these were audio books. Pro tip: with the app Libby you can get free audiobooks through your local library.

Below I provided a list of my fiction and non-fiction favorites from 2021.
Continue Reading →

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Interview with Sally McRae -Keep Your Heart Up ❤️

By on December 9, 2021 in Interview, Mindset, Podcasts, Trail Running, Ultramarathon

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In this episode we speak with ultra-runner Sally McRae winner of this year’s Badwater 135.

Sally grew up fast after tragedy struck her family at the age of 17.

Hear what it means to to “keep your heart up” as a runner. Plus, she looks back on how she conquered the fear of running at night; and gives practical tips for running defensively out on the trails. Enjoy!

Continue Reading →

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On the Ground at the Boston Marathon

By on October 22, 2021 in Podcasts, Race Recap

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In this podcast episode we recap the 125th Boston Marathon. Feel the energy from the crowds and hear from runners at the MTA Meet up. Coach Angie takes you along the course and shares interesting facts about the world’s most prestigious marathon.

The date of the 2021 Boston Marathon was changed from Patriot’s Day in April to October 11th– a full 910 days after the last Boston Marathon in 2019. It took place the day after the Chicago Marathon (a number of runners did a double requiring logistical and physical endurance).

Continue Reading →

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How to Modify Your Goal When Things Go Wrong

By on May 29, 2021 in Injury, Race Day

At my most recent marathon, the Revel Wasatch, I had to modify my goal mid-race. I often talk about “doing hard things”, pushing yourself, and getting comfortable being uncomfortable. All of these are necessary elements in long distance running.

But we don’t often talk about is how continuing to push yourself can sometimes work against you whether in training or during a race. It’s important to stay strong but also be mentally flexible. There is a point when pulling the plug on your race goal is the hard thing to do but also a necessary choice. Continue Reading →

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