Ava Martinez Was Tricked Into Liking Running And She’s Grateful For It
My guest today is someone that I’ve gotten to know a little bit via social media over the past few years and I’m excited to dig a little bit deeper into her story.
She’s a runner, a therapist, a dog mom, and the resident expert on all things San Fransisco running.
I am looking forward to going a few easy miles today with Ava Martinez.
Ava Martinez
Running Chose Her
Ava Martinez was surrounded by running communities while growing up.
Both her parents were runners and therefore Ava was exposed to all things running from a young age.
Ava was athletic, but she wasn’t immediately drawn to running.
More than anything, she enjoyed the social aspect of sports and participated in various activities.
Once in high school, Ava’s dad pushed her to try cross country for at least one year.
He encouraged her because he could see her potential in the sport and knew that she would love it if she gave it a chance.
Ava’s dad was not wrong and she stuck with both cross country and track for the entirety of her high school years.
She even became the captain of her cross country team as a senior.
Ava jokingly says that she was, “tricked into liking running.”
Various Running Personalities
Running has provided Ava a way to channel her competitive nature.
She loves racing and generally has time expectations for most road races.
Ava prefers road to trail mostly due to convenience.
Her favorite distance to race is a marathon, but she enjoys other distances as well for a variety of reasons.
She especially enjoys non-traditional race distances, often because there is no benchmark for her to compare herself to.
Ava has run the New York City Marathon 3 times already and this year would have been her fourth time had it not been for the pandemic.
She is drawn to the race for a multitude of reasons, including the energy and how well organized it is.
Ava Martinez
Forced To Get Creative
Ava, like so many other runners, had her race plans altered or canceled for 2020 and therefore she was forced to adjust.
She has found it challenging to get motivated by virtual races because she enjoys the in-person experience so much more.
This year has forced Ava to find new and unique ways to inspire herself when it comes to running.
She is part of the Oiselle Volee team and has found a great deal of motivation through their online groups.
Ava has leaned into the online communities and participated in various group challenges.
Until she feels that races are safe, she is trying to simply reconnect to the joy of running.
Running Is NOT Actual Therapy
As a licensed therapist, Ava takes offense to the common phrase, “Running is therapy.”
She understands as well as anyone that running does provide mental benefits.
Those benefits do not in any way equal actual therapy.
Each serves a different purpose for mental health and she understands that not everyone can always afford a therapist.
Ava explains that it can be dangerous to conflate things that are beneficial to things that are life-saving.
Regardless of the topic, it is often best to leave professional advice to the professionals.
The Secret Is There Is No Secret
From her years of being a runner, Ava has learned that there are no quick fixes or secrets to success when it comes to this sport she loves.
Consistency is everything and cutting corners is not an option.
All of Ava’s success in running can be directly attributed to doing the “boring” work.
The “boring” work according to Ava is the everyday things that aren’t necessarily exciting or flashy.
That work includes strength, speedwork, stretching, and showing up even on days when you don’t want to.
Throughout the pandemic, Ava has continued to put in the work so that when races can safely resume she will be ready.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Stay connected to Ava Martinez by following her on Instagram and/or Twitter.
Ava Martinez is always down to race and during a year with no races she has learned to be creative. Once a runner, always a runner. Click To Tweet
As Always, I’d Love to Know What Stood Out to You From this Episode! Let Me Know Your Takeaway in the Comments Below!
Want to Support the Continued Growth & Production of the Show?
Check out the support page for ideas and suggestions of ways you can help me grow the show. And remember, not all support involves money. Some of the best ways you can show your support are 100% free.
Subscribe to the Show
Never miss another episode of the Diz Runs Radio by subscribing to the show, and for my fellow Apple fans out there, it’s never been easier now that the podcast app is native on the new operating system. iPhone/iPod/iPad users click here. Android users click here. SoundCloud users click here.
Please Give Me Some Feedback!
Take the 6 question listener survey to help me shape the future of this podcast.
Register for a Free Race Training Plan
Every month, I’m giving away a FREE training plan for the race of your choice. For details/information, and to sign up, just click here.
Join The Tribe!
There’s always room for more members of the tribe! Both the Facebook group and the email group provide opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else. The Facebook group is still small, but it is a great way to connect with fellow runners and foster community amongst like-minded individuals. The email group is THE way to stay up to date about future guests on the show, as well as getting some other freebies and offers that aren’t available to anyone else. If you’ve got questions about either/both, just let me know!
Legalese:
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. This simply means that if you decide to make a purchase using one of the links, I get paid a small commission at no extra expense to you.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!