Maria Langholz is an elite runner who inspires me every week during workouts with Northeast Track Club (Washington, D.C.). Maria is the ultimate Minnesota hype-woman and is responsible for my running Grandma’s Marathon in 2022. I hope you enjoy this interview!
— Q&A Written by 2023 Grambassador Matt Naugle
Where in Minnesota are you from?
I was born in St. Paul, lived there until I was 10, and then moved up to Ashland, WI. I went back to St. Paul to attend Macalester College for undergrad and also spent a few years after school doing political & environmental work there in Minneapolis.
What’s your favorite thing about Minnesota?
Lake Superior would be too easy, so eating a burger and drinking a good IPA by the lake after a long run or hike (likely lots of dogs around).
What’s your favorite winter activity?
Unfortunately, DC doesn’t have a real winter, we barely get any snow and it’s just a slushy mess. When I lived in Minneapolis, there was a group of neighbors who shoveled off a path on a portion of Lake Harriett so that you could skate around a portion of the lake. It was so fun to actually go somewhere on skates instead of just skating around in a little circle. Also, snowy runs on country roads up north can’t be beat.
When did you start running? Did you compete in any other sports?
I started running a bit during high school and ran consistently from the beginning of college through 2019 (9ish years). I didn’t really race during that time though, just went out and ran whatever felt good that day.
What is Grandma’s Marathon special?
Grandma’s is sneakily one of the bigger races in the country, and from everything I’ve seen, the team behind it is a well-oiled machine at this point. Alongside the Duluth community, they host an incredible weekend each year, and really do a great job of supporting athletes to have a special experience on race day. I love the course, it’s fast, beautiful, and the weather *knock on wood* is often idyllic.
How and when did you make the transition from running for fun to approaching Olympic qualifying time?
GREAT QUESTION, and one I don’t really have an answer to? I’ll start by saying, I very much am still running for fun. In addition to races like Grandma’s, I try to keep running light-hearted by doing relays like Hood to Coast and The Speed Project. I both like the team aspect of relays, and it’s just a completely different experience than trying to grind out 26.2 miles. To more directly answer your question, I ran my first marathon in 2019 (3:23:22, Banff Marathon), and I think I have done something like 7-8 of them now. Until last year, I didn’t ever think about the Trials, or any other specific time goal, I just was trying to “get faster.” After each marathon, I took a short break and then kept rebuilding, pushing a little harder, and focusing on areas where I had the most room for improvement. Last year at Grandma’s, I ran 2:38, and suddenly the Trials were in play. While it will be an awesome experience to run at the Trials with some of the speediest, and most awesome, ladies in the country, I’m still the most motivated by seeing myself progress and push further than a specific achievement.
What is your training like? Also, with your day job, how do you find the time to get race ready?
Well, I’ll start by saying that I work from home and have a fairly flexible schedule, my training would look very different if that weren’t the case. I love to run late in the morning, which I can often fit in between calls. This allows me to get a bunch of work done, take a break to run, and be refocused. It really helps with productivity and energy levels. I will admit that I’ve attended more than a couple of conference calls while on easy runs…
On training itself – when I’m in the thick of a training block, I’m usually doing just over 80 miles a week, plus a couple of strength sessions, yoga, and PT. The training pieces outside of running are really what has allowed my body to be healthy and keep getting stronger. On average, I’m taking one day off every week and a half or so. I know that’s what works for my body, and has prevented me from being sidelined by injury.
Who are your favorite elite runners and what’s it like competing with them?
Well, there are the pros and then there are other people who are “elite” and run similar times to me. I’m obsessed with the camaraderie amongst the elite women. It’s a lot of people working their butts off to get faster but who have jobs outside running, have other social activities & hobbies, many are mothers. It’s really fun to get to know that crew. Of the pros, I love Des Linden, Nell Rojas, and Keira D’Amato. They all seem very personable and don’t take themselves too seriously. I appreciate athletes who are warm, can poke fun at themselves & prioritize community building within the running world. All three of them do those things well. And… I’ve never raced at the same race as them so TBD on what it’s like competing with them 🙂
What is your favorite pre-race breakfast?
Peanut butter toast and a banana. Race day and every day.
And speaking of food, where is the best food in Duluth or nearby?
By far the best food nearby to Duluth is New Scenic Cafe, though that’s a little upscale for post-marathon IMO. The Duluth Grill has surprisingly tasty versions of cafe classics like biscuits and gravy, meatloaf, BLTs. Comfort food made with largely local and organic ingredients, often with a little spin on the classic. Ursa Minor Brewing is *the best* beer in Duluth (I will happily die on this hill) and they also have woodfired pizza. Beer & pizza is undoubtedly what I’ll be having after the race.
Any plans on moving to Duluth and running for Mayor?
Ha! Well, the current mayor of Duluth, Emily Larson, is incredible. Once she’s Congresswoman Larson or Governor Larson, I’ll consider it.
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: @mnaug