Katie Kelso is an everyday woman, running an extraordinary marathon. On top of that, she has a remarkable story.
Having started running at an earlier age as a way to connect with her father (they would run around six k’s and it was valuable, quality time spent together), Kelso continued to run right into her twenties and thirties. But tragically only a few months after her marathon debut in Melbourne, at the age of 29, Kelso was hit by a bus that had run a red light.
Kelso, a project consultant, broke four ribs and was thrown seven metres. She cracked her head open and acquired a related brain injury that would take years to unpack and fully recover from. One of the integral things to aid in her recovery? Running. Interesting, given the doctors had also mentioned her fitness had hugely contributed to saving her life at the time of the accident.
So in light of this, and Kelso’s partnership with New Balance, we caught up with her to chat about the importance of running, recovery five years on, marathon training and the art of thoughtful shoe rotation. This article is brought to you by New Balance.
Women’s Health: Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and how you got into running?
Katie Kelso: I’m a Project Consultant based in Melbourne, specialising in high-end residential and commercial fit outs. I grew up beachside on the Mornington Peninsula and started running in my early teenage years, alongside my parents.
WH: Can you tell us about that incident and how you rebounded from such a terrible accident to become a successful runner?
KK: I was running across a major arterial road in Richmond (corner Punt and Swan) around 7am, when a bus ran a red light from a slip lane outside my peripheral vision. I didn’t see it until it was too late. I woke up on Punt Road in a pool of blood, surrounded by commuters and paramedics.
Aside from broken ribs and a huge laceration to the back of my head, I physically came away relatively unscathed. But a large intraparenchymal brain bleed left me with basically every possible side-effect of an acquired brain injury, including depression, anxiety, anger, nausea, fatigue, and most scarily, amnesia. I had no way of telling if this was my new forever reality.
I was unable to work for 6 months (in hindsight it probably should have been longer), coinciding with the Covid-19 Melbourne lockdowns. Being the restless person I am, I filled the time gradually increasing mileage every week. This added structure to the days and weeks that were otherwise lacking routine or purpose. Whilst I’ve always been a runner, this period set the foundation for how running came to be a permanent daily fixture of my life.
WH: London was your first overseas marathon – were there any differences in the way you approached it from races you’ve run before?
KK: Earlier this year, New Balance sent five runners from across Australia and New Zealand to run the London marathon. It was and continues to be an incredibly surreal experience, I still can’t believe it all happened.
I was nominated to represent my Melbourne crew AM:PM but had less training time than I’d usually allow for a full marathon. I engaged Pulse Running (shout-out to Tess Marks) to formulate a training plan based on injury prevention, rather than chasing a PB. I loved the experience so much that Tess is now coaching me for Melbourne marathon this October.
WH: Talk to us about shoe rotation and wearing different styles of runners for different forms of training?
KK: The New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v13 (pictured) is my all-time favourite everyday runner due to its comfort and support. I rotate through a few different pairs of these, along with the FuelCell Rebel v4 for most runs. For track sessions I alternate between the Rebel and Super Comp Elite v4s, as the higher stack and rocker soles enable extra propulsion. The new SC Trainer v3 is reserved for long runs, with extra cushioning and stability whilst retaining a carbon plate for those harder, marathon paced efforts.
I am now counting down the days to debut the new Ultra Pink SC Elites at Melbourne marathon – after a few practice runs of course, nothing new on race day.
WH: What did an average day and week of training look like in the lead up to the London marathon?
KK: Prior to London I’d never been formally coached and would approach daily training based on specific distances. I now run based on time and speed, for example: 60 minutes aerobic. This allows my coach to strategically plan appropriate muscle recovery time prior to track sessions and long runs. I do thresholds every Thursday morning with my crew, AM:PM, and gradually increase the length of long runs each weekend until taper time (roughly two weeks before the big dance). Every other run is strictly at an easy pace.
WH: Can you tell us about your nutritional intake during training and in the lead up to race day?
KK: Even when I’m not in a marathon training block I have a massive appetite.
I train before the sun rises and will frequently have at least half an energy bar before I set off. Before sessions and long runs I eat a few crumpets with honey, along with a coffee or electrolytes; Pure is my go-to brand for gels on long runs.
I’ve had a vegetarian or pescatarian diet for almost half my life, so naturally I eat a lot of carbohydrates in the form of pasta, rice, noodles and grain-based dishes. To be honest, this is an area where I could do with more professional advice… but everyone who knows me well knows I eat a lot. The 48 hours before a marathon are crucial for carb loading, and I always stick to very basic carb-dense foods least likely to upset my stomach… and overdose on orange juice. I also take iron supplements and drink a lot of powdered magnesium for muscle recovery.
WH: How did you mentally prepare for the race? And how did you maintain mental momentum during the race to deal with challenges like, for example, the ‘wall’?
KK: In the days before a marathon, one thing I remind myself is that the hard work has already been done. Race day is a testament to the countless hours of training and dedication. Of course it’s incredibly rewarding to achieve a PB, but I’ve recently stopped placing so much emphasis on that. I feel privileged to have a strong, healthy body that allows me to run 42.195km. When I hit the wall in London I thought of a beautiful friend I lost to bowel cancer at age 33. Chelsea fought so hard to live every extra day of her life, so I ran in honour of her.
WH: What does running offer you in terms of your mental wellbeing?
KK: Whether running solo or with friends, running is my daily time for me. Maintaining fitness over the years has gifted me a much greater understanding and respect for my body, my mind, and the space where the two intercept. It’s a very humbling sport – just as much a mental activity as it is physical. I don’t believe you can run for over three hours if you’re not mentally prepared to be on your feet for that long, and there’s something about getting into that mental zone that is personally therapeutic.
I’ve always been an over-thinker, but running allows time to switch off. I’m taking in my surroundings, focussing on breathing, form and movement; how my body is feeling. Sometimes it’s heavenly and other times I’m looking at my Garmin, counting down the seconds until I can stop. But you can’t argue with free endorphins.
WH: What are 3-5 tips you would give to people training for a marathon?
KK:
- Most runs should be aerobic / easy pace. Save your legs for thresholds and long runs.
- EAT. You’re training for a marathon so eat like an Olympian.
- Run with friends, find a running community. It increases motivation and accountability, especially when training through colder months.
- Follow a training plan or engage a coaching service: increasing weekly mileage too quickly can lead to injury.
- What you want to achieve through running is relative. For some, it might be to run for 20 minutes without stopping. For others, it’ll be to run an ultra marathon under 12 hours. What’s most important is that you’re moving your body and running your way.
This article is brought to you by New Balance.
