Why is Alexi Pappas running a marathon in a bedazzled costume?
To prove that it’s possible for you to express yourself, embrace joy, and maintain integrity.
(A fitting symbol for a track starPappas competed in the 10K at the 2016 Summer Olympics.)
Pappas started with the elite women, but they quickly lost her.
So I was like, Ill just be a hype woman.
The spectatorsand even the race directorsloved it.
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And she could run with joy.
Its a pretty gritty sport, she says.
But I think you’re free to have grit and joy at the same time.
What her unconventional marathon prep has looked like
Pappas hasnt exactly followed a typical training plan.
She finds her body digests them well before runs, and even during long trail runs.
Girls quit sports attwice the rateof boys by the age of 14.
But its not just about younger generations.
She wants to give runners of all ages permission to bring more whimsy to their own running.
Its a sport where its best to be kind to yourself, to be smiling, she says.
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Just control what you might control, says Pappas.
(Pro tip: Skip the fiber the night before.)
More than anything, she says, embrace whatever is going to be useful for you.
The races arehopefullynot life or death.
So we should just enjoy them every time.
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