451. The Everyday Runner, Lara Kondor

"I just had to keep moving forward… I never let myself stop and wallow in it, because I was afraid that if I did, I'd never stop. I just had to keep going. So I did."

Lara Kondor is — and always has been — tough. She's a 46-year-old ultra-running mom of three who lives in New Hampshire, and on this episode, she talks about how she found running, and about the powerful role running has played in her life. Lara is a 13-time marathoner and nine-time ultramarathoner, with dreams of hitting the 100-mile mark in a single event. (Her longest so far is 92 miles at The Hamsterwheel 24-hour race.) Both on the run and off, Lara is a full-time caregiver for her oldest child, Noah, who is 25 and was diagnosed with autism at three years old. Noah is mostly nonverbal, but running has given him a new way to communicate. In this conversation, Lara talks about Noah's diagnosis, about new motherhood, and about how they started running together. She talks about asking for help, about accepting help, and about seeing Noah thrive (and get faster!) on the run.

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What you'll get on this episode:

• All about Lara's childhood growing up in Florida (4:15)
• On having children at a young age, and what it was like getting Noah's autism diagnosis when he was three years old (6:20)
• How Lara found running (17:25)
• Why Lara loves running ultras — on a track (31:40)
• How Noah found running (36:00)
• Why Lara and Noah joined the Millennium Running Club (42:30)
• What's next for Lara and Noah? (55:40)

Check out:

Clearwater Running Festival

Melissa Cummings on Episode 375 of the Ali on the Run Show

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