Secret of My Success: Maria Lauretani

Maria  Lauretani, who was born and raised in Pelham,  ran her first marathon during the New York City marathon in 2008. Before that, she was just a treadmill junkie. Since then, she has  run 6 more marathons, a dozen or so half-marathons and several other races ranging in distances from 1 mile to 12 miles.  She finally ran her first sub 3-hour marathon this past October in Chicago and will be try to do the same in 2012 at both the Boston and New York City marathons. She won several races in New York City and Westchester and has been nominated for the past 2 years for the New York Road Runner's "Age-Group Runner of the Year "Award. In addition, sh was recently asked to become an Ambassador for the the yoga and running athletic apparel company, Lululemon Athletica, Inc in Greenwich, CT.

Laurentani moved back to Pelham with her husband and two children in 2009. When she is not running, Laurentani is at home full-time raising her, children and doing her best to stay actively involved in their school activities and functions. She also stays committed to her running team, The Westchester Track Club, which she joined in 2010.


What drew you to you running? What do you find interesting about it?

I've always been involved in sports from a young age, but never competed specifically in cross-country or track.  In order to stay in shape, I would run three to four miles a couple days a week mostly on the treadmill, but it wasn't until I decided to run my first NYC Marathon in 2008 that I became addicted to running more seriously.  For my first marathon, I trained completely on my own and ended up qualifying for Boston, which is the standard by which all other marathons are compared.  I love the fact that running is both something you can do completely on your own to get away from the daily grind or something you can do with a group to build friendships and camaraderie.   

How did you balance training and competing your career and family life?

As I got deeper into training and became a member of The Westchester Track Club, I had to rely heavily on the support of my family.  I currently train 6 days a week and without their support, I would not be able to do so.  In addition, with the many hours of running that I put in on a weekly basis, I also tend to get an occasional injury in which my husband, who owns Symmetry Physical Therapy in Pelham, has been able to help me overcome over the past three years.  

What are some key lessons you've learned in your professional and personal life that you think everyone can learn from?

The most important life lesson I have learned is that people should set goals for themselves and never give up no matter how hard the task.  I've personally been able to shave almost 25 minutes off my marathon time in only three years when at first I didn't know if I could even complete one.  Secondly, you should always trust the people that believe in you and those that are there to help you.  Without my coach, Mike Barnow from the Westchester Track Club and some of my teammates, I would never have been able to grow as a runner and get to where I am today.
 
What are the three most important things a person needs to be successful? Why?

First, people need dedication.  Without dedication to a sport, a profession or a relationship, you will not be able to put 100 percent into what you are trying to accomplish and will end up being unsuccessful in the long run.  I also feel that consistency is vital in anything that you do.  With a consistent training program, or a consistent positive approach to your daily life, you will give yourself the best chance to achieve your goals. And lastly, I feel that support from your family, friends and teammates is essential.  There were many times when I wanted to stop pushing myself during training, stop at mile 20 in the marathon or not put the work and time needed with physical therapy, but with the support of those close to me, I have been able to keep pushing myself to the limit.  

What is your definition of success?

My definition of success does not concern winning or losing, but simply setting a goal for yourself and having the peace of mind that you did everything in your power to try and achieve that goal.

If you could give advice to a someone who begin this or any sport, what would you tell them?

I would tell them that above everything else - nutrition, training programs, sneakers, etc, that being patient is the most important quality to posses.  Running is an extremely humbling sport that breaks even the best runners.  If you are patient and give yourself time to adjust to a routine and to build on the previous week's work, then you will be able to accomplish your goals in due time.  Training for a marathon should be taken as just that, a marathon, not a sprint.