Angie Indra has made it a part of her life to train for and run in marathons around the country.
Indra, who has been a psychologist at the Mental Health Center of Northeast Kansas for 7 1/2 years, works with children and their families. She also has a home-based business with Arbonne International Inc., an all-natural health and wellness and skin care company.
In her spare time, Indra runs. She didn’t run much in high school, she said, but really got into it after graduate school. She started graduate school at Emporia State University in 1996 to 1998. She found a running partner, Gemma Comstock, when she moved back to Emporia seven and a half years ago. Comstock died of cancer a few years ago, Indra said.
“I ran my first one-half marathon with Marc Comstock in Topeka,” Indra said. “I swore I would never run another — a few years later I met some new running partners and lifelong friends — Deb Oden and Charlotte Pinick. They convinced me to brave marathons. We had no idea the addiction it would bring.”
Indra and her friends’ first marathon was in Omaha, Neb. They then ran in Boston, Chicago, Las Vagas, Trail Marathon outside of Kanopolis State Park, Fargo, N.D., and then Boston again.
Indra said she isn’t sure what got her interested in running, but she’s always been interested in working out.
“It’s an awesome adrenaline release and addiction,” Indra said. “I get a bit cranky if I miss a run.”
It’s that adrenaline rush that keeps Indra running marathons.
“There’s so much to be said about the adrenaline rush and the sense of accomplishment crossing the finish line,” she said. “Along the way meeting so many new people, it’s so exciting hearing everyone’s story of where they started and how they got where they are today.”
Indra qualified for the Boston Marathon during her very first marathon in Omaha.
“I remember being one to two miles from the finish and knowing that ‘I’ was going to Boston,” she said. “That was enough to pull me to the finish!”
Running a marathon is tiring, and the outcome depends on several things, Indra said. Differences can occur, depending on how fast a race is run or whether it’s being run for fun or for a time.
“There are other variables that come into play,” Indra said. “How you feel that day, what you ate that day...the weather conditions. You could train perfectly and have a horrible run. There are so many factors that come into play.”
There is training involved in preparing yourself for a marathon. Indra said she and her friends use training guides by Hal Higdon and Jeff Galloway. The guides break up the week into mileage. On Monday the guide would suggest a three- to five-mile run; Tuesday, hill and track work; Wednesday another three- to five-mile run; Thursday, tempo; Friday, off; Saturday, medium mileage; and Sunday, a long run, which typically is 12-20 miles. The training program is 18 weeks, Indra said.
Indra also enjoys the long training runs.
“Running has definitely become more of a social engagement for me,” she said. “You really find out a lot about a person with lots of heart-to-hearts on 20-mile weekend runs!”