Dakotah Popehn, a professional elite distance runner, gets ready to train with Minnesota Distance Elite at the Washburn High School track in Minneapolis. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
I started when I was a freshman in high school. Growing up, I played hockey, like a true Minnesotan. My mom saw how obsessed with it I was and felt like I should broaden my horizons. So I went out for the track and field team that year, simply because I was pretty good at the mile in gym class. I was horrible, but I fell in love with it because I was seeing direct results and getting significantly better as the season went on.
If I’m on an easy run, sometimes I’m dreaming of the next race. Sometimes I’m thinking through problems. But sometimes you’re simply lost in the run. While I’m racing, it’s a little different because you have to be thoughtful about what’s going on.
Dakotah Popehn, a professional elite distance runner, trains with Minnesota Distance Elite. She finished 12th in the women’s marathon at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Most days, I wake up between 6 and 7 a.m. I’m out the door for my first run by 8, which is usually around 10 miles. I come home, and I sauna, do core strength work, eat. I try to take a nap in the afternoon, but I’m usually going back out for a second run, between 6 and 8 miles, around 2 or 3 in the afternoon.
Races start a lot earlier. Most races, I’m up by 4 a.m. The first thing I’m doing is figuring out how I’m going to get coffee. I like to do makeup and my hair just to feel good about myself, then I’m catching a bus to go to the start line.
If it’s a marathon, we’re definitely celebrating after. I love to get pizza and some sort of beer. Maybe an old-fashioned. If it’s a 10K or a half marathon, we’re definitely still celebrating a little bit, but it’s not as fun.
Dakotah Popehn, center, a professional elite distance runner, usually does two training runs a day. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Basically, I get zero days off. There’s not really any sort of vacation. Even when I’m on vacation, I have to be thinking about running. I have to make decisions that get me closer to my goals. If I go to the Timberwolves game, I have to be thoughtful about, “Oh, that means I’m not going to get as much sleep.”
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