True story, I met Carrie in February 2001. She trained me to be a server at Macaroni Grill! Back then, I'm not sure I understood what running was and why anyone would want to do it! I'd say we've come a long way since. It comes as no surprise Carrie is a passionate and dedicated runner, mom, wife, friend, and worker. Here's a glimpse of Carrie, A Maine Mom Running.

What inspired you to begin running?

I ran cross-country and track in high school and college, but stopped after graduation. Even though I ran every once in a while, it wasn’t until after the birth of our second son that I really had the itch to start running on a regular basis and compete again. Meeting up with an old high school friend and a couple of her friends inspired me to get out there.

How has running impacted your life?

Running has been a huge impact in my life. It has shown me that I can do hard things and push myself both mentally and physically further than I previously thought possible. It has brought me friendships both in person and through social media that will last a lifetime. It gives me solo time and is a release from the day-to-day crazies which in turn helps me be a better person in all aspects of my life.

What are one challenge and one lesson you’ve learned from your training?

Training your brain is almost more important than becoming physically strong when it comes to running. When your body is tired and you don’t think you could take another step, it’s a huge challenge to focus and fight the urge to stop. But the more you run, the more you practice mental focus, the more you will improve. With running, what you put in, you will get out. If you don’t invest the time, you won’t be fully satisfied with the results. There are no shortcuts.

“ Life gets in the way of training (no regrets), so I have no expectations other than to reach the finish line and have fun along the way. -CM”

What are your top two favorite running memories?

Crossing the finish line at the high school state meet in the 300m hurdles in first place way back in 1994 is one of my favorite memories. Second would be running the Maine Coast Marathon on Mother’s Day in 2015. Even though it was my slowest marathon to date and I had to walk the last half due to a sudden heatwave of over 90 degrees after training all winter, I had the best time just enjoying the journey. Also having my husband and two boys waiting for me at the finish was a wonderful gift.

If you could run anywhere in the world, where would it be?

It’s pretty cliche, but running the Boston Marathon is where I hope to run one day. A close second would be Antarctica or Alaska. I run hot, so running somewhere cold is my ideal place.

What is your favorite inspirational/motivational quote?

"Running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are.” - Joan Benoit Samuelson or more recently, “F*&k yes!” - Shalane Flanagan right before winning the 2017 NYC Marathon (Catch that video HERE!)