Q&A with TCS NYC Marathon Runner, Elizabeth Armstrong

Author: Stephanie Zlotnick
Community Involvement
Published: Tuesday, 22 Oct 2019

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Q: How did you get involved with JA New York?

A: Through my colleagues at Deloitte. Deloitte has been involved with JA for years and a good friend of mine introduced JA to me when I joined the firm last year!

Q: Why did you decide to run the 2019 TCS NYC Marathon?

A: It is top five on my bucket list!

Q: Who/what is your biggest motivation to train?

A: My biggest motivation for training is to run for those who can’t due to an illness, an injury or a disability. You never know what life is going to throw at you and while I am healthy and able to run I want to be able to take advantage and run in honor of those who wish they could. It is easy to give up and quit but those who are sick, hurt or have a physical limitation never give up, so I am using them as an inspiration to stay motivated and finish the 26.2 miles!

Q: How do you measure success as a runner?

A: Achieving my goals or finishing any long run is a success to me. It isn’t about how long it takes me to finish but instead that I do not give up and complete the whole run.

Q: What is the best running/training lesson you’ve learned?

A: Recovery is everything! I have never been one to spend time stretching after working out but training for this marathon has taught me how important it is to spend the extra 15 minutes after a run stretching. Our bodies need that recovery time in order to repair, rebuild and strengthen.

Q: What is the most challenging part of marathon training?

A: One of my challenges has been trying to fit in runs before or after work while also traveling each week for work. Training over the summer has also made training challenging because the heat makes each mile feel longer!

Q: What are your favorite pre- and post-run meals?

A: There is nothing better to me than a cool drink after a long run! I love making big smoothies with mixed berries, protein powder and peanut butter.

Q: What are some songs on your favorite running playlist?

A: I love listening to the Two Friends Big Bootie Mixes. Each mix is about an hour long and it is a mashup of songs that change every 30 seconds. These mixes keep me distracted and entertained throughout the whole run. I also love running with friends because talking keeps me from looking at my watch every .25 miles.