Interview with Kasie Wallace Enman

When I first thought about contacting runners for interviews, Kasie was the first person I thought of. Kasie and I went to Manchester Central High Scool together (CHS) and graduated in 1997. I don't know how she has time for all she does, but she is so inspiring.  I have been following her on Facebook and her racing career is impressive:

• 2 Time Olympic Trials Women's Marathon Qualifier 2008 & 2012, PR of 2:37:14
• Runner-Up in the 2014 SkyRunner Ultra Series (1st place at Trofeo Kima 50k, 2nd place at Speedgoat 50k, 2nd place at The Rut 50k)
• Winner of the 2012 Vermont City Marathon (1st Vermont woman to get the title there)
• 2011 World Mountain Running Champion
• All-American and NCAA team champion while at Middlebury College

She is preparing for the NYC Marathon on November 2nd and hoping to clinch her third Olympic qualifier. I hope you enjoy my interview with her!

What are you currently training for now and what are your goals?

I just finished up a season of long distance SkyRunning (high altitude, technical mountain racing) and am turning my focus to the New York City Marathon.  It will be a short training block, but I have a huge training base behind me so my hope is that with enough rest and a little tuning up, I'll be able to get in an Olympic Trials qualifier there.  If it's a really good day and everything lines up perfectly I'd love to give a PR a try.  It's kind of a big experiment as I've never entered a marathon off of so much endurance and so little speed.

How do you balance training, rest, friends, family etc?

How to find balance is a constantly evolving question for me.  I have two young children now, age 1 and 4, plus a pile of other commitments so it's all too easy to get run down with too little sleep, too much stress, or just lack of ability to focus.  My personal athletic goals are more easily lost in the fray than they used to be.  My current strategy is to stay in the moment as much as possible and remember that, while everything I'm trying to do can seem overwhelming, it's all good.  

Do you have a philosophy on diet and nutrition?

Eat the food that's healthy for you first, then whatever else you want after that.  I eat lots and often.  Of course, I've been either pregnant or breast feeding continuously for the past 5 years on top of lots of running, so my metabolism is through the roof.  Oh, and I also have a major addiction to chocolate.  Ghiradelli's 60% Cacao chocolate chips to be specific.

What was your lowest point in running and how did you learn from it?

This is an interesting question because what comes to mind is actually the lull that came after each of my biggest highs.  The focus is always on setting a goal and striving toward that goal, but we sometimes forget to think about what comes next when you actually meet that big lofty pie in the sky goal.  It can been a bit disorienting.  I associate as being the underdog or always the bridesmaid never the bride, so the few times when I've come out on top I've had to go through a period of feeling lost and unmotivated before getting my bearing back.  It all evens out in the end, I guess!

What is your favorite cross country memory from CHS?

After my last race at Derryfield Park, I remember getting together with the other Seniors on the team, laying down, and rolling down the hill from the finish line to the starting line.  I was go happy to never have to run up that again!  It's funny, I actually ended up coming back to Derryfield quite a few times with the high school team that I coached from Vermont and have finally gotten to a point where I think it would be fun to race there again, just to see how fast I could run there now.  I heard there is a new citizens race on the course.  Maybe I'll put it on my race schedule for next year!

Favorites:

Race: Loon Mountain Race in Lincoln, NH

Running shoe: Salomon Sense 

Running store: Ski Rack in Burlington, VT

Way to relax: jumping in a lake or river on a hot summer day

Athlete: That's a hard one.  I get a little bit of inspiration from a ton of different athletes, plus all my runner friends and teammates.  

Recovery meal:  A burger

TV show: The Voice

Movie: A Christmas Story

Book: Unbroken

Singer/Band: Brett Dennen

Places in Manchester: Dorrs Pond

Places in Vermont: Sleepy Hollow Ski & Bike Center (full disclosure - I live there & it's my husband's business)

Mantra: Hmmm.  Depends on the circumstance.  

Guilty pleasure: Chocolate.

You can follow Kasie on Twitter and Facebook. 

Thanks again to Kasie for letting my interview her, I know she is busy and I appreciate her time. Good Luck in New York, we are all rooting for you!