Boston Here I Come - Vanessa

My name is Vanessa Supple and I am a Clinical Dietitian here at NWH. I started out here as an intern and was hired on this summer. I have been dreaming of running the Boston Marathon for years now and I almost can’t believe it is finally happening. This is going to be so fun!

I started running in college to balance out the copious amounts of pizza and burritos I consumed. I started with slow, painful one mile jog/walks but eventually learned to love the sport. After college, I joined a running team and began training for races… first 5Ks, then 10Ks, a few half marathons and finally my first full marathon in 2011.

I believe you can split a room of marathon runners down the middle based on one simple question: Will you ever run a marathon again? Many will answer “Heck NO! I crossed this off my bucket list and I am d-o-n-e!” But the rest of us? We’re hooked. My first words as I crossed the finish line at the Twin Cities Marathon in 2011 were “That was crazy hard… I want to do it again.” Some people call it crazy, I call it fun.

Running Twin Cities meant a lot to me as I was born and raised in Minneapolis. The entire course was lined with friends, family and team members cheering me on. Boston was next on my list to conquer for the same reason. I’ve been living here for four years and have made this city feel like home. Running to the heart of this city I love with the support of the local community for all 26.2 miles is a great way to celebrate my life here… plus it’s a great excuse to explore new brunch spots after long runs on the weekends!

The only fear I have as training begins is injury. It took me two years to get my first marathon as I had to sit the first year out after stress fracturing my hip and pelvis with overtraining. I do NOT recommend stress fractures. They are no fun. That being said, my training plan this year is to take it easy. Focus on stretching, strength training and cross-training and forget about time. My goal is to finish strong and stress fracture free.

In addition to my physical training, I will of course be focused on fueling my body properly—I am a dietitian after all! Learning to stay hydrated and get enough calories without bingeing on ice cream after 16-mile runs can be difficult, but I plan to listen to my body and make choices that will support quality runs and overall health… with the occasional trip to JP Licks when I need a boost :)