Amy Mangueira Took A Detour But Came Back Stronger Than Ever

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My guest today is someone that was first on the show a little over 3 years ago and obviously, a lot has changed in that time!

The pandemic altered a lot of runners’ race plans and she was no exception, with 3 marathons in 3 countries over the course of 5 weeks being canceled.

I am looking forward to going a few easy miles with Amy Mangueira and hearing all about how she got back on track accumulating her World Major stars.

A Huge PR In Chicago

Amy Mangueira found out she was accepted into the Chicago Marathon the day after she was last on the podcast.

The first marathon she ever ran was New York City and Chicago would be her second.

The Chicago Marathon was part of her plan to both complete all the World Marathon Majors along with hopefully run a Boston Qualifier.

Her build-up to the race was great and her race performance was further proof that her fitness was there.

Amy took about an hour off of her first marathon time, but narrowly missed a BQ by a mere 5 minutes.

She was proud of her accomplishment, but she realized that her mental toughness would need to be improved.

At mile 20, Amy negotiated with herself as the race began to get harder, and ultimately she allowed herself to slow down.

Following the race, Amy knew what she needed to work on and was confident she could run a BQ in her next race.

From A High To A Low

Amy took a brief recovery period following Chicago, and then immediately went full-on into training for the Tokyo Marathon.

The Tokyo Marathon was scheduled for March of 2020.

Amy had the best training cycle of her life and was confident heading into the race that she could run a BQ.

The pandemic shutdowns first began overseas, including Japan, canceling the marathon 3 days before she was supposed to travel.

Amy was devastated and even with the world falling apart around her she still had her eyes set on a BQ.

At the last minute, she registered for the Myrtle Beach Marathon in an attempt to capitalize on her fitness.

Race day was anything but ideal as Amy dealt with GI issues and less-than-ideal weather.

Ultimately she did not finish the race and had her first DNF.

Uncertainty Abound

As the world began to shut down around her, Amy was uncertain if she would ever run the marathon majors.

Along with the pandemic wreaking havoc in the world, Amy was also dealing with her own health issues.

She was dealing with an autoimmune response in her body that made running nearly impossible.

Amy went from running a 7:40 marathon pace to not being able to walk a mile a few months later.

Rather than focus on what she couldn’t do, Amy began to get into cycling.

Towards the end of July of 2020, she began to get her health under control.

Amy resumed running again in August of 2020 and vowed to never take it for granted again.

Time Doesn’t Define Her

After being forced to step back from running, Amy was just happy to be able to do it again.

From that moment forward it became clear that her times don’t define her and as a result, she became less focused on a BQ.

Though her focus shifted from attaining a BQ, she was still determined to finish what she started and run every marathon major.

In mid-April of 2021, Amy committed to running both the London and Berlin marathons which were only a week apart.

One week later, Girls On the Run (GOTR) Boston contacted her about running for their charity.

Amy had volunteered with the organization in the past and was grateful to have the opportunity to represent them in the Boston Marathon.

Her plan was taking shape again, but this time the 3 marathons would take place in the span of 3 short weeks.

Finishing What She Started

Amy likened training for 3 marathons in 3 weeks similar to ultramarathon training.

Her training went smoothly and she was finally able to line up at the start lines.

Berlin was the first race and Amy had the most fun running it.

She finished feeling good, but a little beat up.

London was the next race and it was also a turning point in her life.

During that race, Amy did a lot of reflecting and realized she desperately needed balance in her life.

By the time she lined up in Hopkinton, Amy was overtired but so grateful to have made it that far.

Upon crossing the finish line in Boston, she had never felt so proud.

Tokyo is the last major left and she is scheduled to run it in 2023.

Focused On Balance

As mentioned above, Amy had a huge revelation about her life as she ran London.

After all the travel and races Amy was determined to create more boundaries with work and protect her time.

Her life is more balanced which allows her to be more present.

Running has given so much to Amy that she wanted to give back to the sport.

Along with her full-time job, Amy also got certified to be a run coach.

She also decided to finally address her passion project that has been on the back burner for years.

Amy wanted runners to be able to wear a physical representation of their running accomplishments.

Her vision will soon be a reality with the launch of Victory Co.

From A Vision To Reality

Amy first came up with the idea for her company because race medals aren’t meant to be worn as jewelry.

She made a bracelet for herself which included charms representing the various world majors she has completed.

The bracelet has been a unique way for her to remind herself daily about what she accomplished.

It has also been a conversation starter when others see it.

Amy is hoping to do a pre-sale launch in mid-February of 2022.

Her vision is that runners everywhere can capture important victories and wear them everywhere.

Looking Ahead

Amy isn’t slowing down as she’s headed into 2022 and 2023.

She is currently training for her first 50-mile race which is slated to take place at the beginning of April.

Her initial plan was to complete the world majors by the time she was 40.

The pandemic has thrown off her timeline, but she got back on track since her unexpected detour.

Though she didn’t hit her deadline of 40, she will earn her sixth star just a few years after.

Along with all the miles she will be logging, she is also focused on her mental strength.

The past few years have opened Amy’s eyes to what really matters to her when it comes to running.

The only personal best that she cares about is hers and not what others are doing.

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Mentioned In This Episode:

• Amy Mangueira Won’t Let Her Health Dictate Her Goals (Round 1)
• Victory Co. Instagram
• Girls On The Run
• Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star System

Stay connected with Amy Mangueira by following her on Instagram.

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Amy Mangueira had big plans derailed by the pandemic. She's back on track to being a six-star finisher and the detour gave her the courage to pursue her career dreams. Click To Tweet

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As Always, I’d Love to Know What Stood Out to You From this Episode! Let Me Know Your Takeaway in the Comments Below!

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