172. Amanda Nurse, Elite Marathoner for adidas

"We decided, 'OK, I’m gonna run in the Trials and then we’ll hopefully get pregnant right away, and then I’ll maybe even be able to run a fall marathon the next year!' And…it didn’t happen like that." You probably know Amanda Nurse by her Instagram moniker: Amanda Runs Boston. And she sure does. Amanda is a 20-time marathoner and two-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon. She's a clinical social worker turned adidas-sponsored runner and coach who has taken her marathon time from 3:26 to a very impressive 2:40. On this episode, Amanda talks about her road to elite distance running, her decision to make a major career change, and her adventures in motherhood. She opens up about her "plans" to get pregnant and what that means for a professional runner, and shares what actually happened on her road to having Riley, her now two-year-old son. It's an honest, real-talk-filled conversation about the realities of new motherhood. (And fun fact: Amanda is coached by former Ali on the Run Show guest Kaitlin Goodman! Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your Aeropex wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: Did Amanda always want to be a runner? Plus, the time Joan Benoit Samuelson called Amanda a sandbagger (2:50) How Amanda met her husband at a local 5K (13:00) Amanda reflects on the first time she qualified for the Olympic Trials in the marathon, and what running the Trials was like (22:00) How Amanda has improved her mental strength (30:30) On deciding to have a baby, and the surprising amount of time it took to get pregnant (34:40) How Amanda felt throughout her pregnancy, and her adventures in postpartum running (45:00) On postpartum emotions, depression, and more (54:10) What Amanda wishes she had known as a new runner (1:02:35) What we mention on this episode: Beach to Beacon Dana-Farber Cancer Institute How Bad Do You Want It by Matt Fitzgerald Barre3 Kara Goucher on Episode 43 of the Ali on the Run Show Molly Millwood on Episode 155 of the Ali on the Run Show Amanda’s postpartum post To Have and To Hold by Dr. Molly Millwood Follow Amanda: Instagram @amandarunsboston Twitter @amandarunsbos Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Twitter @aliontherun1 Facebook Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!