Here at runladylike.com, Fridays are all about sharing the inspiring stories of fit people who motivate all of us to be better tomorrow than we were yesterday. My Friday FITspiration series profiles runners, triathletes and casual exercisers who are making choices every day to be as healthy as they can be – in both huge ways and through simple, small victories.

“Running has taught me that no matter what, you need to keep moving forward.” ~Tina Muir

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Tina Muir, an elite runner who is chasing her dreams of representing her country in a major World Championship. Tina grew up in England and moved to the United States when she was 18. Today, Tina lives in Kentucky with her fiancé Steve and works for Runner’s Connect. She also blogs at Fuel Your Future with Tina, where she shares running advice, delicious recipes and gives readers an inside look into her running adventures. Last fall, she ran a speedy 2:45 marathon time, and she has also run a 1:14 half marathon, 33:24 10K and a 16:08 5K. I had a chance to catch up with this speedy runner and incredibly kind lady. Check out her inspiring advice.

When did you start running and what inspired you to start?
Believe it or not, I actually did not like the idea of running initially. In fact, I actually hid in the bathrooms when I was in school so I didn’t have to do a time trial where they picked the cross country team! However, within my cross country classes in PE, I realized I was pretty good at it, and I ended up on the cross country team at 14 years old.

When I started to run pretty well within my town, one of my teachers recommended me to a local running coach, Brad Plummer. He helped me grow and run faster without sacrificing my long-term development. I am so thankful for him now, as a lot of coaches with younger athletes tend to push them too far and break them.

When it comes to inspiring, my first inspiring moment was seeing Paula Radcliffe run by me on her way to a world record in the London Marathon. I remember going home and running later that day, thinking about how one day I wanted to run a marathon … and now that moment is not only here, but Paula herself will be standing on the start line with me!

What is the greatest lesson running has taught you so far?
Running has taught me a lot about who I am. In those dark moments during a race when you’re really struggling and everything in you is screaming to stop, you learn about who you really are and confront those deep dark demons.

I think running has taught me that no matter what, you need to keep moving forward. There will always be setbacks, but those setbacks lead to the greatest accomplishments. All you have to do is persist.

What running/racing accomplishment are you most proud of?
Running in the 10K in the Great Britain Olympic Trials. I finished third, which was an absolute dream come true, and standing on that podium was one of my greatest moments.

However, I would not say that was my best accomplishment overall. Finishing the Philadelphia Marathon when I was in a terrible state at 19 miles was an incredible achievement. I still do not have any idea how I willed myself to finish when I was barely conscious. That showed me just how tough I am, even if my mind wasn’t there, something deep inside me kept going that day. I am so proud of that part of me.

What is your running mantra(s)?
My favorite is the Rocky quote:
“It ain’t about how hard you hit, its about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward. If you know what you are worth, then go out and get what you are worth, but you gotta be willing to take the hits.”

I know that’s a little too long to recite in a bad moment, but I just say keep moving forward, and I know what that means.

I also love “Take what your body gives you,” which is what my fiance/coach Steve made up. It tells you that all you can do is the best that you can for that day. As long as you do that, that’s all you can ask of yourself. The result will take care of itself.

You are passionate about helping runners try to beat their personal bests. What advice would you give to runners of all abilities who are trying to take their training and goals to the next level?
I think the best thing I can say is just be patient. This past year, I’ve had to learn the importance of trusting your training and that things will work out for the best when the time is right. We tend to struggle when we force things – our bodies when they are not ready for a jump in mileage and our minds when we put pressure on ourselves. If you put your head down, work hard and just let the result take care of itself, it will, even if takes a little while.

Oh, and make sure you do strength training to supplement your training and strengthen those areas that put you at a higher risk of injury. You cannot just run!

You are sponsored by Saucony, a brand that is known for its “Find Your Strong” campaign. Where do you find your strength in the challenging or dark moments of a race? How do you keep pushing when your body wants to give up?
I had a lot of dark moments these past few months. I really did struggle, and I did consider my future as a runner. But I honestly think those downs are all-good for us. They make us appreciate running and help us find who we really are.

During the race itself, I try to think of the finish line and how good it feels when you cross that line knowing you have given your all, especially when it’s tough. When you know you did not back down, when that voice was screaming at you to slow down, that makes that feeling at the finish feel even better. I also try to think about workouts in training where I overcame bad conditions or ran tough on a day I struggled. That helps give me strength to know I can do this.

As an elite runner, what keeps you hydrated and fueled the best during long training runs and races?
I am pretty good at keeping hydrated, but one thing I do that is different is make sure I add my electrolyte spray from Enduropacks into my drinks. This is more important than most people realize, and I find it helps a lot.

Right now I love using Genucan for my fueling during long runs, but I am going to have to figure something out for London Marathon as I will not have my own bottles in the race. I put Twin Lab Clean Series protein in soy milk for a post run recovery drink within 20 minutes of finishing.

You are constantly whipping up amazing recipes and sharing them on your blog TinaMuir.com. What are your top 3 favorite healthy recipes you’ve created that all the runners out there should try?
Oooh that’s tough. I have to start with pancakes. I do most of my long runs in the mornings, so pancakes on a Sunday are my go to. These Strawberry Shortcake ones are probably a favorite: http://tinamuir.com/meatless-monday-hearty-strawberry-shortcake-oatmeal-pancakes/

I also would say my Mango and Sweet Potato Tacos:
http://tinamuir.com/meatless-monday-mango-and-sweet-potato-tacos/

And of course, my specialty dish, butternut squash lasagna:
http://tinamuir.com/butternut-squash-lasagna-2-0/

What goal do you most want to accomplish in 2015?
I am actually calling 2015 the year of the anti-goal, because I have put too much pressure on myself in the past to run a certain time or place and it just stresses me out. Therefore, my goal for this year is to enjoy the marathon, have a positive experience with it and cross the finish line happy knowing I enjoyed the race and ran a time I can be proud of.

Finish this sentence: I run because _______________________.
The feeling when you cross the finish line knowing that all the time, effort and tears that you put in were worthwhile is the best feeling in the world.

How can people connect with you?
Blog: http://www.tinamuir.com
Twitter: @tinamuir
Email: fuelyourfuture@tinamuir.com (I LOVE it when people email me!)
Pinterest and Instagram: @tinamuir88 pinterest and Instagram
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fuelyourfuturewithtina

***

Do you know someone with an inspiring story that should be featured on Friday FITspiation? If so, email runladylike@gmail.com.

What inspires you most about Tina Muir’s running journey? How do you push through difficult and/or dark parts of a race?