Gaither Smith

Q: When did you begin running and why?
I started running in middle school and have been running ever since. I first opted to run because at the time there were only a few options for middle school sports—I didn’t want to play volleyball or basketball (I never had great hand-eye coordination for it), so running it was. I competed in cross-country in the fall and track in the spring all the way through college.

Q: How did you find out about DCRR and when did you join?
My husband and I moved here from Steamboat Springs, CO in 2018 and I struggled to find a good routine with running. I wound up doing Orange Theory for a while but then the pandemic happened and I had a baby. Sometime after that I reconnected with Sara Putterman (another DCRR member) when my sister was visiting, and she encouraged me to join. My sister and Sara are good friends from their time running together at Wellesley College. Very grateful to Sara for the nudge.

Q: What are you training for right now?
Up until a few weeks ago, I was training for Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN on June 18th. We got a notification that our flight to Minneapolis was canceled about 15 minutes before boarding and given all the issues with the airlines this summer the best they could do was rebook us on a flight that landed the day after the race. Instead of trying to find another race at the last minute I decided to sign up for Richmond Marathon in November and take on a whole additional training cycle. I am also using a coach for the first time for this race.

Q: What is the toughest run or race in which you have participated?
Two come to mind: 1) running the Nashville Marathon grossly undertrained—I was in the middle of an intense graduate program and just didn’t have enough time to devote to training. It was such a slog and my legs were terribly sore afterwards. 2) Collegiate Peaks 25 mile trail run in Buena Vista, CO—it was my first trail race and I was living in Nashville, TN (essentially sea level) at the time. The course started at over 8,000ft above sea level and there was around 3,500ft of elevation gain during the race. It was a good introduction to trail running and very humbling. I remember being so confused by all the solid food at aid stations!

Q: What is the most important lesson running has taught you?
I am not sure if there is a single lesson that comes to mind, but I know when I am running that I am my best self. I feel better on every level.

Q: What is your favorite route in the area?
I run on the C&O canal multiple times a week. I love the flat soft surface, lack of stoplights, views of the Potomac, abundance of green, and all the wildlife sightings.