Episode 25: Elisa Laverty on The Grand Loop FKT
by Nikki Parnell – September 18, 2020
In this week’s Run Hard Mom Hard episode we get to know Elisa Laverty, a multifaceted woman, a partner, mother, runner, cyclist, climber, food lover, baker and soon-to-be yoga instructor. She recently completed a FKT on The Grand Loop in Washington State’s Olympic National Park, which is a 43 mile loop with over 13,000 feet of elevation gain. She did this unsupported and alone in remote wilderness. We get to hear about all the factors that went into an effort like that from anxieties the day before, to helpful mindsets that got her through, to her hopes of inspiring women to keep going after big goals.
Right off the bat we get a glimpse of who Elisa is and the heartening perspectives she has in all aspects of life. The very first reminder we have from her is to appreciate and hold our kids close at this time when the world is chaotic and yet our little buddies remain a bright, innocent light, looking at the world through wondrous eyes and reminding us to do the same. We hear how Elisa has adapted and moved forward in positive ways since COVID and she shares her backstory and evolution into the sport of ultra running and how she balances running and parenting with her partner, Keith, who is also a phenomenal athlete.
Elisa describes her running journey through pregnancy and the early postpartum days and how she listened to her body and kept expectations low but was also able to compete in some big races soon after having her son. The races went well but she echoes Stef and I’s constant cry for better postpartum care after we have babies! Our health care falls so flat in this area — where are the mandatory and covered visits to pelvic floor specialists so we can recover properly?! It’s infuriating. But I digress. I loved Elisa’s realization that it’s okay to NOT be doing all the crazy long distance running when you’re in a season of motherhood when it takes more than it gives back to you. Our best running days are ahead and though we have FOMO from seeing people do big adventures on social media, we need to hold onto the longterm view, be smart, be patient and avoid burnout.
The buildup to Elisa’s FKT attempt was one with unavoidable stress and emotions. Elisa spent a long day hanging with her son the day before her big effort while her husband was attempting an FKT on the same loop! She wasn’t crewing per se but there was anxiety felt in waiting for her husband to finish and hoping he was having a good day on the trail. There was typical parenting life moments and resulting fatigue, there was making dinner, staying up late, caring for Keith when he came through in slightly bad shape (which added to the nerves) and a straight up funky, self-doubting headspace. BUT she started. She started and as she kept running those worries were overcome and conquered. It was an emotional experience with gratitude to be out there, tears, fears and determination.
There were a lot of logistics with this endeavor – like nutrition (fueling early and fueling often), water filtering, and navigating the mountains with hiking poles. Backpackers ended up being a big part of the trip where Elisa could make connections on the trail even though it was a solo outing.
Elisa is a true mountain runner. Her sweet spot is technical, gritty trails with big climbs and I love her play by play of certain moments she had on this course — particularly soaking in the beauty of the sunrise, pushing hard on the last brutal climb (not letting herself be it’s b*tch!), ripping down descents and a super satisfying finish to the day. When there was a low point on the route, she would focus on things within her control and “work the problem.” What Elisa wanted out of this experience was to go out and set a high bar for other women. And she did just that. So ladies, who’s next?!
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Show Notes:
Find Elisa on Instagram
The brands that support her:
Elisa’s Favorite Race: Gorge Waterfalls 50k
Elisa’s Favorite Meal:
Bowls with:
- Brown rice cooked with turmeric (for inflammation as well as taste)
- Roasted veggies like red cabbage (turns out to be so good) – chopped into bite size chunks, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted at 425/450 to get it crispy. Roasted sweet potato with salt, pepper, garlic powder and spicy chili flakes. And anything else like broccoli and mushrooms.
- Might add ground turkey or crispy chickpeas for protein – (chickpeas rinsed, drained, tossed with olive oil and spices and roasted)
- For sauce Elisa makes tahini dressing (tip – add sweetener if you’re struggling with a recipe) or green dressing – pureed salad greens with lemon juice, garlic and olive oil.
Or taco bowls!
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