798. Gabi Rooker, Ready to Run the 2025 Boston Marathon

"I want to go out there and just absolutely smash it out of the park."

Next week, the pros and everyday runners alike will descend on Boston, MA, to run the 129th Boston Marathon. For most of these runners, getting to run Boston is a longtime goal or dream. One they worked hard at for years. And that's true even for professional runner Gabi Rooker.

In this conversation, the former gymnast turned Nike-sponsored athlete and internal medicine physician assistant (what can't she do?!) talks about the road to her Boston Marathon debut. Gabi will race her first Boston this year, and it's been a journey to get to the start line. Gabi talks about how she recovered — physically and emotionally — from the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials, and reflects on that five-second personal best (2:24:29) at the 2024 Chicago Marathon. Plus, what she'll be wearing on race day, what it's like being coached by her husband, Alex, and how she's feeling after logging 122-mile weeks throughout the Minnesota winter.

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In this episode:

• How Gabi would sum up her Boston Marathon training cycle (3:00)
• How Gabi balanced working as a physician assistant during her Boston training (4:15)
• Gabi's career dreams, how she pictures her future in both running and in her medical career, and her approach to balance (9:55)
• With less than two weeks to Boston: Has Gabi checked the weather? (12:00)
• Gabi's history with the Boston Marathon, and why she's running this year's race (17:00)
• Gabi's experience working with sport psychology coach Emily Saul (26:30)
• What Gabi's Boston Marathon weekend entails (34:10)
• Gabi reflects on the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials (37:35)
• On healing the heart and body after the Trials (43:30)
• Gabi reflects on the 2024 Chicago Marathon, where she ran a five-second personal best, and Gabi's approach to fitting racing into her schedule (45:00)
• On being "the people's hero" (50:00)
• What Gabi will be wearing in Boston (52:50)
• What Gabi's like on race morning (57:00)
• What's top of mind for Gabi right now? (1:03:00)

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