Rene Kalmer on Loving Running Throughout One’s Lifetime

Rene Kalmer is a professional runner and Olympian from South Africa. In the episode, Rene tells the story of how she got into running, from her first cross country race at the age of 10 to her breakthrough running year at the age of 16. She reveals the secret to her longterm success as a deep love of running. Rene recounts her dreams of becoming an Olympian, watching fellow South African female runners Elana Meyer and Zola Budd from a young age. She explains how she transitioned from running the 1500 meter at the 2008 Beijing Olympics to running the marathon at the 2012 Olympics. Rene shares details of her marathon training, including key workouts and her relationship with Christine, her sister and training partner. She provides insight on the importance of listening to your body and how she practices this on a daily basis. Rene discusses why she left teaching to pursue running full-time. She recaps her recent experience at the Berlin Marathon where she placed 9th in a time of 2:29:27. Rene describes how she overcomes the mental challenges that are experienced during a marathon. She reflects on her three-week stay in Ethiopia, including her most memorable run and her perspective on why Ethiopian runners are among the best in the world. Rene notes the support of her family as paramount to her success. Lastly, Rene previews her journey in qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics.