The Highs & Lows of Competitive Running with Professional Runner Erika Kemp s6e4
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
Understanding the Highs and Lows of Competitive Running at the Elite Level
Competitive running at the professional level is rarely linear. For Erika Kemp, the highs and lows of competitive running have included breakthrough performances, championship appearances, and difficult race days that tested her resilience. These experiences reveal that success in distance running is not defined by a single performance, but by how an athlete responds across seasons.
Finding Identity in the Sport
Before becoming a professional marathoner, Erika’s relationship with running evolved gradually. She navigated uncertainty, self-doubt, and growing ambition, which are common highs and lows of competitive running in an athlete’s formative years. Her journey shows that talent alone is not enough. Identity and commitment develop over time.
When the Lows of Competitive Running Become Public
Competing at the World Championships brought one of the most visible challenges of Erika’s career. Difficult race conditions led to a performance that did not reflect her training. However, the experience reinforced a powerful lesson: the lows of competitive running do not erase the work that brought you to the starting line. They build perspective, resilience, and mental strength.
Running for Long-Term Success
One of the most important themes in Erika’s career is sustainability. Many runners assume that elite performance requires constant intensity. In reality, navigating the highs and lows of competitive running requires balance. Strategic recovery, life outside the sport, and emotional perspective allow athletes to sustain high-level performance over years rather than seasons.
Lessons for Everyday Runners
While Erika competes on the global stage, her insights apply to all runners. Everyone operates on a different timeline. Everyone experiences setbacks. The highs and lows of competitive running are not exclusive to professionals; they are part of any meaningful pursuit. The key is focusing on incremental progress, building small wins, and resisting the urge to compare your journey to someone else’s.
Chapters
00:00 Meet Erika Kemp: A Professional Runner for Brooks
03:37 Erika's Journey: From Multi-Sport Athlete to Marathoner
08:26 Transforming the Relationship with Running
16:00 The Experience of Being a Competitive Runner
21:58 Reflections on the 2025 World Championships
28:15 Preparing for the Boston Marathon
36:26 Finding Balance in Running and Life
44:51 Embracing Individual Journeys in Running
Key Takeaways for Runners
Erika Kemp broke the marathon record for American-born Black women in 2023.
Running can be a journey of self-discovery and transformation.
The relationship with running evolves over time, influenced by experiences and challenges.
Community plays a crucial role in the running experience, providing support and motivation.
It's important to celebrate small wins during races to maintain motivation.
Balance in life is essential for long-term success in running and overall happiness.
Every runner has their own timeline; comparisons can be detrimental.
Diversity in running enriches the sport and brings new perspectives.
Lessons from failures can lead to growth and future success.
Running should be enjoyable and sustainable, not just about competition.
Erika Kemp is a Professional Runner for Brooks who currently holds the Marathon record for fastest American-born Black woman running a 2:22. She is a two-time U.S. champion (15k and 20k distances) who currently trains out of Providence, R.I. She is currently training for the Boston Marathon this April.
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/imtinyrik/?hl=en
Connect with Amanda and Nick:
Instagram:
Amanda - @amanda_katzz
Nick - @nklastava
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About Your Hosts
Amanda Katz is a full-time fitness professional; a certified personal trainer, RRCA certified run coach and serves as a group fitness instructor specializing in indoor cycling, treadmill running and total body conditioning formats at Equinox in New York City. She’s a marathoner, lover of distance running and lifting heavy. Her philosophy is based on the notion that all bodies deserve a fitness experience without guilt or shame. She approaches her craft with humor, real talk and ultimately, wants her clients feeling strong and more capable in their bodies through movement.
Nick Klastava is CEO of Running Explained and started running back in 1996 and has been competitively running for 26 years now with a brief break in his 20’s. His spark for running came back in High School, being a part of a team and finding a sport that brought out the best in himself. He ran competitively in college for Monmouth University in New Jersey after college he took 8 years off from running and thought he was done forever. After moving to Maryland in 2010, Nick found his spark again with running and found a new outlook on running with less pressure and less emphasis on the numbers and broke all of his college PR's by age 38.
Nick lives just outside Baltimore, Maryland, and his favorite thing about coaching is to unconditionally support runners and their journeys.
With Coach Amanda Katz & Nick Klastava, you’re getting more than just two coaches! You’re getting mentors who understand the pressures, challenges and ups and downs of navigating running and life. They’ve been in your shoes, struggled with comparison and perfectionism, but grew through the noise to help you find a sustainable, enjoyable path to becoming your best; mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Through Running Explained, We offer training plans, online courses, and 1:1 coaching designed to help runners achieve their goals while avoiding the common pitfalls of overtraining, under-fueling, and burnout. Whether you’re training for your first half marathon or chasing a new PR, her guidance will help you train smarter, race stronger, and love the journey.
📲 Learn more at RunningExplained.com
📢 Follow on Instagram: @runningexplained
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