Brooke Feldmeier is new to professional running. Like, really new. Like, moved to San Diego to join adidas and Terrence Mahon's The Mission Athletic Club the day before we met up with her, new.
Feldmeier, however, isn't new to the sport. The former University of Mississippi Rebel and Oregon Duck took third in the 800 at the 2017 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in a blazing 2:01.54. After a hip injury forced her out of action last year, Feldmeier moved back home to Olympia, Washington, mulled her options, and eventually connected with Mahon. After months training solo, the middle distance star with big goals is pumped to join her new teammates in person this spring.
"Everybody wants to make the Olympics. I want to be a sub-2 800 runner," she told us from her new, still rather empty apartment. "But it's been six months since I've had anyone to run with—I’m just excited to have training partners!"
As she begins her next chapter, Feldmeier, 23, let us tag along for one of her first days at her new job, and walked us through a typical day in her training life.
7 a.m. Start the day
I’m an early riser. On an easier day I might sleep in a little after a tough session if that’s what my body needs but I like to be up.
I have some eggs and coffee and that’s probably all because I can’t eat too much before a workout.
9:30 a.m. Workout with the team
I did a training camp with the team in October for a month in Mammoth Lakes, California and we would work out around 9:30. I pretty much kept that routine.
Monday is easy runs, drills, strides in the morning. Tuesday is a hard day so workout and lift. Wednesday Terrence wants us to recover from Tuesday, so it will be 60-70 minutes of run cross-train combo. Thursday we’ll do a harder run, so start easy and do something faster at the end, and then we’ll work out on the track maybe do some fast things. Friday easy run, Saturday track workout and lift again, Sunday off.
I have done a couple longer runs but I think the most I’ve done with Terrence has only been like seven miles. The longest long run I’ve ever done was eight. I am a 400-, 800-meter runner, I’m not a miler by any means. I have better speed than that kind of thing. Those 20-mile runs are not my thing.
12 p.m. Cross-train or lift
Runner With Down Syndrome Runs Half in Team Effort.
I like to lift right after I run. It ends up being a pretty big amount of time, it could be four or five hours [to do the workout and then lift].
But I like it. I think I get more benefit when my legs are tired and I go right into it. It’s easy to go home and sit on the couch and then be like, "Ugh, I have to lift later." I get more out of it and I also have a better lift when I do it right after.
Why Trust Us Ultraboost 19, which is amazing because I don't have to bring four pairs of shoes and a pair of spikes to the track. And usually the shoes you run in aren’t necessarily the shoes you’re gonna get dinner in, but this one is.
2:30 p.m. Calories to recover
Now it’s all about the recovery. A smoothie with protein, almond milk, I like half a banana sometimes, and spinach. That’s my favorite. Sometimes some peanut butter. I make it myself. I like to make all my own food so I know exactly what I’m getting. That’s been going on for a year now, probably because I got a blender and I’m obsessed with it.
4 p.m. Doggy downtime
My evening’s clear and I hang out with my dog. I got a super cute Weimaraner puppy a couple months ago.I play with her a lot, take her for a walk, go outside, stretch. I like to stretch a lot. I have a fair amount of downtime. That’s why getting a dog was really good for me.
6 p.m. Cook up some dinner
I love steak, chicken, salmon, and salad. That’s a pretty normal dinner for me. Sometimes I like sweet potatoes. That’s pretty much all the time. I feel like a very boring eater but that’s just the stuff I like.
Just kind of have that personality. It makes your life easier knowing, 'This is what I do,' and you can put all your energy into training. You don’t want to have to think about all the other things. You want those to be easy so the running is what you focus on.
I’ve always been this way, very regimented. I think that’s why running has worked out well for me.
10 p.m. Wind down, lights out
I love watching documentaries and reading. I’m not much of a sitter but you can't be on your feet all the time so that’s how I keep occupied.
I haven't been reading anything right now because I've been moving. But I’ve been talking to a few of my friends about starting a book club, so that’s our plan.
I think I have a good balance. It’s not fun to be uptight and stressed about running all the time. You have to be a human once in a while. I’m not afraid to hang out with my friends and I think as I get older I will find it easier, but it’s tough. I don't think there’s an easy answer.
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