41. Liz Northern: Marathoning, Mom-ing, and Beyond

In Episode #41 of the More Than Miles Podcast, physical therapists Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards and Dr. Kacy Seynders interview accomplished distance runner, mom, and former Guinness world record holder, Liz Northern. Liz’s running accolades include placing 5th at the world 50K championship in 2019, being the USATF 50K national champion in 2019 and100k national champion in 2021 and most recently placing 16th at the IAU world 100k championships held on August 27th, 2022 in Berlin, Germany! She even held the Guinness world record for running a 10k while pushing a double stroller!

In the interview, Liz discusses her entry into running after suffering a severe knee injury as a 16-year-old while performing a jump in a dance routine (Liz danced competitively up until this injury and was involved in ballet, tap, and jazz dance). She continued to run in college, walking on at NCAA Division III, Trinity University, where she excelled in both track and cross country. After college, Liz continued to put in the running miles, many of these while pushing her children in her running stroller, and gradually increased her racing distances along the way. She started racing competitively again and continued to stay competitive, this time excelling at the marathon distance and even raced in the 2016 and 2020 olympic marathon trials. Since then she has upped her distance to 50k and 100k races, where she has represented the U.S. team on the national stage.

Liz talks candidly in the interview about some of the challenges she has faced such as getting back into running as a new mom and racing these longer distances. She discusses some of her tips and tricks to reintegrate running into her life as a new mom including creating a competitive running group, The Forth Worth Distance Project, and the structure and support that created for her. Ultimately, Liz has an amazing ability to stay lighthearted in her approach to life and running all while participating in regular 4am long runs while still prioritizing family in her afternoon and evening routine. We know you will love listening to Liz tell her running story and stay tuned for the wisdom she sprinkles throughout this interview on how to keep training fun and realistic while prioritizing family and the joy that she has had integrating these two passions of hers!