Krysta Gunvalson Has Built Her Life Around a Passion for Running

Krysta Gunvalson was not a runner in high school or college.

She didn’t start running until she moved to Minnesota from New York and started training for a marathon.

Krysta Gunvalson, Mid Race

Krysta also started running while in the process of overcoming a ten year plus battle with an eating disorder. Running turned out to be a positive outlet for Krysta instead of a destructive one.

A Love of 26.2

When I asked Krysta what her favorite distance to race was and why, she said the marathon because it is the hardest distance to run and such a challenge for her.

Krysta’s first marathon was Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota which she has since run three times.

Krysta loves Grandma’s marathon because it is a great course the runs along the shore of Lake Superior.

Plus it is relatively flat, the weather is usually great, and the people of Duluth really support the race.

Not too long after Krysta started running, she started setting some serious running goals.

Aiming for Boston

Being the competitive person she is, Krysta set her sights on qualifying for Boston.  

Krysta says her half marathon times early on in her running career indicated she should be able to qualify for the Boston marathon.

But that wasn’t happening.

In 2016, Krysta hired a running coach to help her figure out what she was doing wrong.

With the direction of her coach, Krysta started doing speed work and ran more than thirty miles per week for the first time ever.

And BAM, not long after Krysta started working with a coach, she qualified for Boston!

Nailed It

And she will run Boston this year.

Making a Career in the Running World

Krysta is one of those fortunate people who get to work in a field that she is passionate about.

She has a degree in writing and works as a freelance writer focusing primarily on running material.

She also works for Picky Bars as a field marketer.

Krysta certainly loves the flexible lifestyle her work affords her.

Future Ambitions and Lessons Learned

Krysta would like to someday qualify for the Olympic trials.

She says, “You have to be optimistic about the future.”  So she aims high.

Krysta Gunvalson Clearly Loves Running

We wrapped up the episode with the philosophical question what have the last few miles of a marathon revealed to you about yourself?

Krysta says those last few miles have shown her how strong, motivated, and capable she is.

And that she is ENOUGH.

She says, “Everything you need is within yourself, you just have to tap into it.”

After falling in love with #running, @ktaninpdx has made the sport her career. #runchat Click To Tweet

If you’d like to connect with Krysta, check out her blog and/or say hi to her on Twitter and/or Instagram!

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 With podcast 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!