Standing on the beginning line on the 2024 Paris Olympics marathon as a member of Workforce USA is the second main accomplishment. The primary one comes roughly six months earlier than, when you must race to earn your spot.
On a scorching and humid morning in Orlando, Fiona O’Keeffe gained the Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:22:10. To name it a surprising debut marathon could be an enormous understatement. O’Keefe commanded the lead in a subject of deeply-talented runners with a calm-yet-complete confidence, and gained by over 30 seconds.
O’Keeffe, 25, is not at all new to working. (She was a six-time All-American at Stanford College.) However she is new to the extreme highlight that Olympic success usually brings. Fortunately, the Workforce USA star excels at defending her peace.
“I’ve been with the PUMA Elite Working Workforce for the final month or so of my coaching buildup in Mammoth Lakes, California, which is one among my favourite locations on the earth,” O’Keeffe says. “It’s so calming and exquisite to only spend time outdoors right here—there are stunning alpine lakes and forests stuffed with pines and aspens throughout us. I additionally discover it useful to have a pleasant group of teammates up right here, so I’m not continually considering of solely my very own preparations.”
The soft-spoken, under-the-radar racer caught up with us forward of her Olympic debut to share a number of wholesome habits that not solely maintain her stress in verify, however maintain her mentally and bodily on prime of her sport.
1. She is aware of the best way to bounce again
Restoration is a large a part of her precise job, particularly throughout a marathon coaching block. So this isn’t a spot that O’Keeffe skimps on. In truth, she’s usually contemplating the best way to maximize her restoration even whereas working.
“Coaching within the PUMA ForeverRun NITRO and Enlarge NITRO 2 footwear provides my legs a bit additional love once they’re feeling drained,” she says. “I additionally get common sports activities massages—not at all times a soothing expertise!—and use a foam curler and lacrosse ball to focus on tight spots most days.”
However the piece that makes the most important affect on how she ensures she’s being constructed up moderately than crushed down by robust coaching? Prioritizing bedtime.
“Sleep is big for me,” O’Keeffe says. “I at all times have a pair of earplugs and a bodily e-book on my nightstand—I must learn a bodily e-book at evening to go to sleep.”
2. She finds time to unwind
When she’s not working, there’s a great probability you’ll discover O’Keeffe with a e-book–normally a bodily copy–in hand.
“My style in books is a bit far and wide,” says the voracious reader. “I rotate between classics, enjoyable mild reads, non-fiction, and memoirs. I lately learn Emily Henry’s Seaside Learn in addition to Lindsey Vonn’s memoir, which was fairly inspirational. At present, I’m working my approach via Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls and a Paulo Coelho novel.”
She places her personal pen to paper, too.
“I do a great quantity of journaling,” provides O’Keeffe. “I’d describe it as fairly unstructured. Writing has at all times been a pleasant outlet.”
“Sleep is big for me. I at all times have a pair of earplugs and a bodily e-book on my nightstand—I must learn a bodily e-book at evening to go to sleep.” —Fiona O’Keeffe
3. She retailers sensible
O’Keeffe could be very keen about environmental points, and tries to reside extra sustainably and eat extra consciously.
“I positively use a reusable water bottle every single day and at all times have it readily available to do my greatest to remain hydrated,” she says. “Nevertheless, I feel the most important approach we are able to reside extra sustainably is to cut back our general consumption moderately than specializing in particular merchandise. If there’s a particular fashionable merchandise on social media, I attempt to discern whether or not it might actually be one thing that holds up and that I’d use for a very long time. If not, I attempt to go on it.”
4. She retains it easy
O’Keeffe is a superb reminder that not sweating the small stuff is an lively alternative. Her favourite non-running accent for the time being? A pair of sun shades she picked up from the grocery retailer. “They simply occurred to suit completely,” she stated. “You’d by no means guess!”
From how she retains her beautiful locks wholesome (“My hair care routine could be very easy—the most important factor will not be washing it too often and utilizing a great conditioner on it,” she says) to her pre-race packing record (“I pack in a small black PUMA curler bag—so long as I’ve my uniform, trainers, and a e-book I’m good to go!”), O’Keeffe doesn’t waste vitality worrying about all of the little issues. And because of this, she has extra vitality to care in regards to the large issues, like bringing her greatest 26.2 to the streets of Paris.
You’ll be able to catch Fiona O’Keeffe competing within the girls’s marathon on August 11. NBCUniversal is the official U.S. broadcaster for the Paris 2024 Summer season Olympics, however you you may also watch O’Keeffe on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, USA Community, CNBC, and E!
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