Hi Reddit! I'm Mary Cain, a professional runner for the Nike Oregon Project and a senior in high school. I'll be racing the Women’s Wanamaker Mile at Saturday's NYRR Millrose Games in New York City.

Proof: https://twitter.com/runmarycain/status/433748440795713536

I’m going to be here to answer your questions for 30 minutes, then I've got to get back to my homework.

*PS: I have someone helping type my answers so I can answer more questions.

EDIT: Thanks for the questions, everybody. I should be getting back to homework right now, but I'm banking on a snow day tomorrow. Watch the NYRR Millrose Games on Saturday!

Comments: 263 • Responses: 18  • Date: 

duckshirt38 karma

Hey Mary!

What is your current training like? Weekly mileage? Workouts?

Any goals for the outdoor season yet?

Good luck!

runmarycain44 karma

My typical training is like one long run and a couple hard workouts a week, try to get 60 to 65 miles in. For outdoor I'm still playing it by ear at this point. Build up, get some confidence and see how I'm doing.

xenonscreams33 karma

  1. Who runs your Facebook page? Is it official or unofficial? Is it you or someone else? I follow it and love it but could never figure out if it's actually you or not.

  2. How often do people recognize you in public? Do you like it or does it get annoying?

  3. Do you ever read the LetsRun forums? (If you don't, you probably shouldn't)

PS keep being awesome! You're the future of women's distance running on the world stage :)

runmarycain34 karma

  1. My legit Facebook page, that's me! I've been doing that once since eighth grade. I honestly only really go on there for school reasons.

  2. A relatively good amount. More than I suspected but it's not like I'm getting ambushed or anything. It's usually very sweet and I want to let people to know that I appreciate the support and it's awesome.

PS thanks so much, that's very nice :)

DJtellyD28 karma

How do you feel about Alexa Efraimson running that 9 flat 3k? Will you be racing her this weekend at Millrose?

runmarycain40 karma

It's actually been really exciting this year for girls high school track and field as a whole. I watched the NXN girls championship and that was an exciting race! I think now we're showing girls and everybody out there we can do it, we can run fast and set the bar high for everybody.

It will be nice to have a fellow high schooler in the field. Somebody to empathize with!

BooneMayorClawson118 karma

What is it like still being in High School and having your Coach across the country? How do you manage to communicate with the distance and the time difference?

Also, your answer at the press conference for the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix about "where would football be without running?" was genius.

runmarycain24 karma

Thankfully we live in the 21st century, a lot of it is email, text, calls. Since I do travel for racing I get to see him a good bit.

It's just facts!

blah_blah_blah_i_say18 karma

Hey Mary! I'm a female collegiate runner for a D1 university so it's been awesome watching you the past year and seeing the positive attention you bring to our wonderful sport. Also, I love your Flotrack interviews; you're such a sweetheart!
So I'm curious if you have any running superstitions leading up to a race about what food you eat, lucky socks, etc. I love hearing the quirky things runners tend to do for a "good" race, haha.
Well good luck at the mile this weekend! I'm also racing the mile at the Spire Invite in Geneva, OH so I'll be thinking of you!

runmarycain50 karma

I do typically try to eat my pancakes four hours before a race. And each time I run I try to change my hair ribbon. So I have a different piece of flair, like in Office Space.

blah_blah_blah_i_say14 karma

I hope you have at least 37 different hair ribbons. :)

runmarycain29 karma

I definitely do, don't worry.

Da_Car17 karma

Pancakes or Waffles?

runmarycain39 karma

That's a really hard question, I'd have to go with pancakes. Pancakes are typically my pre-race meal.

justanormalguy3717 karma

What is it like working and running with Galen Rupp

runmarycain34 karma

He's actually very funny. We're all kind of making fun of each other all the time.

It's awesome, everyone in my team is so much fun. Obviously they're inspirational. Everyone around me. When I look around the table, I'm like oh my gosh I'm hanging out with these people.

Thaisoundsgood15 karma

Do you prefer a fist bump or a high five?

runmarycain18 karma

Fist bump

Muellerja15 karma

Wanna race?

runmarycain44 karma

Sure

socialmedianerd14 karma

What are you most excited about this weekend's NYRR Millrose Games?

runmarycain33 karma

Getting to run on what I consider my home track, the Armory. It's so close and I love to compete there. And being in the Wanamaker Mile is so great and I'm definitely pumped.

penayzee14 karma

Hey Mary, Nice job on your 1000 on Saturday! It was fun to watch live. What's your favorite post run meal? Also, what's your favorite movie?

runmarycain31 karma

Post-race meal, I don't know. I generally like to have a little candy. Like Starburst or something. When I travel I usually have a Hershey's bar so I can look forward to that.

I guess I love the Harry Potter series (books & movies), we have a dog named Albus Dumbledore, he's an old poodle it's perfect.

Dbinder13 karma

Hi Mary - What do you like best at the Winter Olympics?

runmarycain22 karma

I always enjoy watching the ice skating of course. And the hockey is always exciting. That is something I can't do.

iStryker13 karma

[deleted]

runmarycain25 karma

Starburst! I love swedish fish too.

carpe_vitam12 karma

How often does someone shout, “yes you Cain!” at you?

Actually though, what quote or motto gets you through your training and races?

runmarycain29 karma

Typically when I'm on the track I try to zone out and get into my race mode.

One quote I always say to myself, the race hasn't been run until it's run, won until it's won, done until it's done.

astronaut_surfer10 karma

Where is your favorite place to get a sandwich?

runmarycain24 karma

There's this place in our town called Lange's. I always go in there to get a sandwich and they're huge. I usually get turkey with mustard and swiss and lettuce and tomatoes and everything, just throw everything on there.

Devils_lettuce_9 karma

If you have one advice to runners, what would it be?

runmarycain32 karma

Always love the sport. Make sure you're always having fun with it. That's one thing that's been key to my running career. The moment you start to feel like it's not fun and you stop enjoying it (that's a problem). That's what life's about. Always just make sure you have fun with it. At the end of the day that's what life is about, having fun.

fatman478 karma

What is your go-to pump up song?

Also on a scale of 1 to 10 how cool is Salazar?

runmarycain18 karma

I feel like it changes every other day. I don't really have one. Kind of changes. And it depends on how I'm feeling, if I'm wanting to get motivated or really pumped up.

Alberto is like 100.