I'm the type of girl that gets star struck. I don't know why. I know that people are people and it shouldn't matter. I get off on reading US Weekly and I admit I occasionally spend part of the grocery budget on the National Enquirer to get my lucky blue dot. And let's just say when I'm in a restaurant with a celebrity- I get all giddy and act like a school girl. I wish I was more like my grandmother, Nanny P.P.. Yes, that's right- I called my grandma Nanny P.P.. She could have cared less who anybody was. She once went up to a Redskin and asked for his autograph. When he said, "No", and that he was "too busy", she looked at him and snapped back, "That's o.k., I was just going to wipe my ass with it anyways." Gotta love that woman.
So, picture me when I was at the gym with my friend reading the staff bios and we discovered that the trainer that we nonchalantly stalk is an Olympic contender. I'll go ahead and confess- She's our girl crush and we occasionally stare at what exercises she is doing to get that bod. We might even listen in on what she is telling her clients. There goes our cover. Well, come to find out, we now know she’s the real deal and one of the top marathon runners in the country!
It took a few trips to the gym, but I finally had the nerve to stick my head in her office and ask if I could talk to her for my blog. She was super sweet and answered every question I had- and then some. Might I introduce you to Melinda Keesee:
Melinda hails from Durham, North Carolina. She attended Otterbein College, now Otterbein University, and graduated with a BS in Sports Medicine and a minor in Health Promotion and Fitness and a minor in Dance. She ran all four years of college, all three seasons (cross country, indoor, and outdoor track). She was a year round conference champion and qualified as a National contender in all of the events she competed in. Oh, and to make me feel like even more of a slacker, she was also an Academic All American every year while holding down a job. Right after college, she took three months off and then woke up one day and decided she wanted to try a marathon. Eight weeks later she ran a 2:51 Columbus Marathon and has never looked back!
This meeting came at the perfect time. As I struggle to find the time to workout and complete a measly three miles, Melinda filled me in on her regimen. Can we say a week that averages 85 miles of pounding the pavement... with some weeks of up to 145. Gulp. Oh, and I should also throw in how a "real" runner typically only takes twenty days off a year from training. You heard right- twenty.
I'll continue with my interview in my next blog... but let me just say this is an amazing woman with a wealth of information and insight. Here's just a preview:
What is your most memorable "win" in a race?
My biggest win in a race was the combined win of the triple in college. In a conference meet only the top 10 females race. To win all three events and lap the field in all of the events was an amazing feeling. I have never finished a race crying until the last 100 in the 5k which is the last event in the series. I felt like I had finally accomplished something beyond what I thought possible.
Will you really compete in the Olympics?
I will try to compete in the 2012 Olympics in London. I have the trials to get through first :)
Oh Melinda... GOOD LUCK! Keep it up girl. I know where your office is, and I'm expecting an autograph one day.:)
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