MEMBER: Margaret Vido
Name: Margaret Vido
Hometown: Nazareth, PA
High School: Nazareth High School
College: University of Pennsylvania
Occupation:
Personal Bests
Track 5k: 17:32
Road 5k 17:10
Road 10k: 36:26
10 mile: 56:56
Half-Marathon: 1:19:07
Marathon: 2:42:47
Career Highlights:
Member Spotlight
Interviewed by: Jessica Fragola (04/20/16)
Tell us a little about yourself: when did you start running and when did it become a passion for you? Did you run in high school, college? Outside of running what else do you do?
Let’s see…I started running in middle school, but at that point, I couldn’t finish a 2-mile race without walking and was entertaining the idea of being a long and high jumper. I continued to run throughout high school and I ran for UPenn in college (where I met Mike ) and I’ve been running since. I did the 3k, 5k, steeple, and XC in college with XC being my favorite hands down. Honestly, I’ve loved it more and more post-college and am excited to see where it goes from here. Outside of running, I am a first-year med student trying to find the time for family, friends, traveling, etc.
The question on everyone’s mind is how was the marathon Olympic trials? It looked like a brutally hot day. What was it like to be running in such an elite race surrounded by some of the top distance runners in the country?
Olympic trials were bittersweet. I had a rough race (stomach + dehydration) and ended up dropping out around mile 14. That was disappointing, but the experience was great. It was fun to be in such a competitive race, and it definitely serves as motivation to get there again in 4 years!
How did you prepare to race in the trials and did you have any specific goals going in? What was your training regimen when you qualified?
I missed the trials time in the Philly Marathon this year, so I continued to train after the marathon with the hopes of finding a half or another full to get the qualifying time before the deadline in January. Luckily USATF bumped the time back and I got in. I just kept trying to keep my momentum going from the marathon with long runs and workouts, but I think I was a bit burnt out by the time February rolled around, so my goal was just to go out there and enjoy the experience.
Are you planning/aiming to qualify again in 2020? Any other big running goals on the horizon?
The big goal is to go again in 2020 (and qualify earlier this time). For now, I am trying to get in some good races and figure out what the next big race will be. At some point, I also want to do a full Ironman (Mike and I have done a half Ironman, but I think it will be a while until we find the time for at full).
What is your favorite race distance and why?
Good question…I have been loving the marathon (but around mile 22 I tell myself I am never doing another one…until I cross the line), but I think I am going to start focusing on 13.1 and shorter so I can fit more than one big race in a season.
Do you have a pre-marathon ritual? Foods you eat? etc?
I’m a little OCD about pre-race stuff…pasta and meat sauce the night before, pb bagel and banana the day of…same outfit and clothes etc..but I’m trying to let go of those things!
You are also pursuing a degree in medicine. How do you balance being a medical student and a serious runner?
I think running has been a great outlet; it keeps me sane and on track with school. It also helps that my husband (Mike) and my closest friends are also runners in med school. It really isn’t that different than making the balance work in college. It’s never perfect but it’s not that bad.
Any tidbits from medicine you’ve picked up that help your running?
I’m still waiting on this one. Once I find some medical information to improve training/racing, I’ll pass it on!