Bed-Stuy's NYC Marathon Runner: Monica Smith

Name: Monica J. Smith

Age: 42

Hometown: La Crosse, Wisconsin

How long you've been running:

I've been a runner for 29 years. I started running the summer before 8th grade as a way to get a little fitness into my life. The fitness angle quickly became sort of an incidental benefit; running opened up a whole other world to me. I've run through nearly three decades; it is a link to my past that also keeps me present in the moment.

What you enjoy most about running:

There are so many things I love about running it's hard to keep it brief, but I'll narrow it down to three: the way it allows me to interact with my environment, the people I've met and friends I've made, and the optimism and mental/emotional well-being that running generates.

Why you are running: 

I'm running for myself, for my team (Athena New York), and for and with two childhood friends who were among the first teammates I ever had; we ran the Philadelphia marathon last year and it seems that a yearly marathon may become an annual tradition for us.

What inspires you:

Every marathon is an adventure, regardless of the outcome. My best marathon was not my fastest one, and I got some terrific stories out of a DNF (did not finish) that helped keep that disappointment in perspective. You could say I'm motivated by the desire for experiences, which ranges far beyond the scope of running.

Describe your training routine:  

In preparation for the marathon, I train five or six days a week. I do long runs of 15 to 23 miles on Sundays (four or five of these before the big race), and shorter runs of four to 12 miles during the week, often incorporating some speed work. I prefer to run in the mornings, and I do nearly all of my training in and around Brooklyn neighborhoods—not limited to Prospect Park. My schedule as a freelance journalist can be erratic, but running is flexible enough to fit in around my work.

When I'm not training for a marathon, I run three or four days a week; with a long run on the weekend (12 to 15 miles) and shorter runs with speed work during the week. I also do some weight training and core work to balance things out.

Other tidbit: 

Music is my other great passion. I play violin in a gypsy swing band I founded, the Tin Roof Trio, and am also an active member of the String Orchestra of Brooklyn.