LIV SIR Realtor® Runs Carlsbad Marathon In Honor Of Her Late Best Friend
LIV Sotheby’s International Realty real estate associate, Jen Burkett, made a huge accomplishment this year in running and completing the Carlsbad Half Marathon on January 16th, 2022. While over 6,400 athletes ran, Jen’s participation was uniquely fueled by the tribute she wanted to pay her best friend, Kristin, who had recently passed. In fact, Jen signed up for this marathon in honor of her best friend on the very day of her passing, and she started training mere weeks later to prepare for the run quickly approaching.
Just two months later, Jen completed her first half marathon of 13.1 miles in just over 3 hours along with her best friend’s husband, PJ, and sister-in-law, Chelsea. When asked how it made her feel Jen replied, “I am proud of the accomplishment. I ran it in honor of my best friend, Kristin, who died of brain cancer on October 26 last year, so it was a very emotional experience running and finishing it.” This difficult event provided a way for Jen to celebrate her friend’s life in a way that she will never forget, also mentioning that there were times when she wanted to give up, but that she was able to push through those doubts with Kristin as her inspiration. “My best friend ran a half marathon after every brain surgery just to prove to herself that she could do it, so when I felt like giving up, I just thought about how tough she was,” said Realtor® Jen.
We were honored to be able to sit down with Jen and learn more about her experience firsthand:
How do you feel about completing this marathon?
I am proud of the accomplishment. I ran it in honor of my best friend, Kristin, who died of brain cancer on October 26 last year. It was very emotional running and finishing it.
Did you train for this? If so, what did you do to train for it, and for how long?
I signed up for it on October 26, the day Kristin died; started training on November 12th, the day after her memorial service. That gave me just over 2 months! I used an app called “Run with Hal” to help me train, and I even ran on Thanksgiving because it was a short amount of time to train to start with. I had to take two breaks in training due to an injury and Covid, and I decided a combination of running and walking would be the best way to meet my goal, which was to finish.
How did you know you were ready to complete a marathon?
Ha! I don’t think I was ready! It was more a matter of committing to the decision to finish it than being physically ready. The longest I had ever run before the day of the half marathon was 6 miles!
What training advice would you give to a novice runner?
Get an app that works for you, stick with the training program, and give yourself more time than I had to train! Also, I had no idea how important shoes were when I started! I was running in tennis shoes that I already had when I went for my first 6-mile run. I injured both my knees and couldn’t walk for a week or run for 2! I learned that I overpronate (my feet tilt inward) when I run, and you need shoes that will accommodate that. I ran in Saucony Omni 20. I also have Hoka Bondi 7 that are really comfortable.
What is a good way to stay motivated when you are training and running a marathon?
Not listening to the voice in your head that is telling you “You can’t” or “you need to stop” our bodies are so much more capable than our minds give them credit for. Having a reason for running was really helpful to me. My best friend ran a half marathon after every brain surgery just to prove to herself that she could do it, so when I felt like giving up, I just thought about how tough she was.
How did you motivate yourself to run on the days that you didn’t want to?
I would not call myself a runner, I don’t really like running, so most days I didn’t want to run. But once I got out there and started, I was usually glad that I did! I enjoyed the quiet and the time to think. Again, having a reason to run helps with motivation too.
How long did it take you to complete from start to finish?
I completed the 13.1 miles run in 3 hours, 10 minutes, and 58 seconds
Will you be running another marathon in the near or far future?
Yes! The Carlsbad half is a part of 3 runs, in March I will be running the San Diego Half, and on August 21 (my best friend’s wedding anniversary) I will be running the AFC (America’s Finest City) half marathon, and together the runs are called the Triple Crown. My goal for the San Diego half is to run it in under 3 hours, and my goal for the AFC is to run it in under 2:30 without having to walk any of it.
—
Now that the first race has passed, the marathon continues as it consists of 3 runs, otherwise known as the “Triple Crown”. LIV Sothebys International Realty real estate associate Jen and her late friend’s family will be participating in the final two legs of the marathon. LIV Sotheby’s International Realty proudly recognizes and supports Jen in her endeavor and is excited to see if she reaches her goals for the final marathon events!
Kristin and Realtor® Jen
For more information on Jen’s cause of the marathon, you can reach Jen at jburkett@livsothebysrealty.com or by visiting her at sothebysrealty.com.
