Carrie Dunn

Q: When did you begin running and why?
I began running at an early age, in elementary school. Every year our school had a field day and as part of it, there was a one mile “fun run” I participated in each year. I thought it was so fun that each year I would beat all the boys! After that, I continued running on my own and in middle school, was asked to start practicing track and cross country with the high school team. I started competing in track and cross country in high school in 9th grade and continued through 12th grade. I then went on to run both track and cross country at the University of Virginia.

Q: How did you find out about DCRR and when did you join?
I was first introduced to DCRR by my neighbor, Rich Mendelowitz. I think we all know who Rich is. Rich invited me to join the Thursday track group to see if I might like the club. I’ve been hooked ever since! I believe I joined back in 2014 – it might have been a little earlier, in 2013.

Q: What are you training for right now?
Right now I’m training for the Boston Marathon in April. I also hope to run the NYC marathon in the fall. In between, I’m planning on racing a few triathlons as well.

Q: What is the toughest run or race you’ve ever participated in?
Gosh, that’s a tough question to answer because I’ve run many tough races! Running the 800 in college was brutal. I would get sick after almost every race. Most recently, the toughest race I’ve run in my adult racing career was the 2017 Army 10 miler. The conditions were terrible. It was very hot and humid. I knew by mile 2 it was going to be a race I was going to need to grit my way through. They ended up cutting that race short, due to so many people who were being treated on the course for heat related issues. I was glad to have finished but it really took a lot out of me.

Q: What’s your favorite part about being a DCRR member?
My favorite part of being part of the DCRR community is the camaraderie. I’ve met so many great friends through our group. I love that we all share a passion for running and that we’re all so dedicated to our sport. Getting up to run 10 miles at 4:45 a.m. is so much easier when you know you have such a wonderful group of people to run with! I also love that it’s brought me back to the track. I love our Thursday track group and look forward to it every week!

Q: What’s the most important lesson running has taught you?
Running has taught me so many lessons, but I think most recently, it’s taught me a lot about patience and flexibility. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve suffered from a few injuries that have required both time off from running and surgery. It’s difficult as you get older coming to the realization that your body can’t keep up with your fitness (at least this is true for me!). I’ve really learned to be patient with my body and listen to what it’s telling me. I’m not one to run in pain. If my body is hurting, then I adjust my training and take time off as needed. It’s difficult doing this, especially in the middle of a training cycle, but I know my body and I’ve learned to listen to it. In addition, I’ve had to learn to be a little more flexible with the type of training I’m doing. I do a lot more cross training—swimming, biking, and Pilates—in recent years to try and keep my body healthy. The upside of trying new things is that I’ve gotten into doing triathlons, which I really enjoy too.

Q: What is your favorite route in the area?
One of my favorite routes in the area is the Big Loop. I’m so bummed it’s closed right now. It’s my favorite 21 mile loop. Guess I need to find a new one soon!

Q: What race day traditions do you have?
On race day, I always make sure to plan my running outfit the night before. I make sure my watch is charged and ready to go too. The morning of the race, I typically shower to get my body and muscles warmed up and have a nice breakfast. Depending on the race distance, I’ll typically have banana, a piece of wheat bread with almond butter and sometimes a small bowl of plain oatmeal too. I need to eat a lot before I race! I also stretch out a bit and will foam roll.

Q: What’s your proudest running moment?
I think my proudest running moment was winning the Virginia State Championship in the 1600 meters my junior year in high school. I won the event in indoor track and it ended up being my fastest mile time to date. I don’t think I will be breaking that time anytime soon—or ever! I loved the thrill of running on an indoor track. I loved the sounds of the crowds cheering for you! Qualifying for the Boston Marathon after running my first marathon was pretty special too.

Q: What’s your life like outside of running?
Outside of running, my life is very busy! I am a Mom to four children—ages 10, 9, 7, and 5. Their little lives keep me quite busy! In addition, I own my own sleep coaching business, working with families who are struggling to get their little ones to sleep.

Q: What is one thing you wouldn’t run without?
I think the one thing I wouldn’t run without is my water bottle. I take it on every run with me—even my shorter runs. I am one of those people who is constantly thirsty so I can’t imagine not having water with me while running. Oh, and my watch. I forgot it the other day and felt lost without it! Luckily I was running with a friend that day who had her watch.