691. Gabi Rooker, 2:24 Marathoner

Ali on the Run Show

Ali Feller

Fitness, Sports, Running, Health & Fitness

4.9 • 4.2K Ratings

🗓️ 23 January 2024

⏱️ 70 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"You take what you have and make the most of it."

Gabi Rooker was an anti-running competitive gymnast growing up. After college, she began working full-time as an internal medicine physician's assistant. Now, she's headed to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon as the eighth-fastest woman in the field. In this conversation, Gabi talks about her unconventional road to becoming a 2:24 marathoner. Gabi ran her first marathon in 2021 — a 2:56 finish at Grandma's Marathon in her home state of Minnesota — and in just two years progressed to a 2:24 finish at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. Gabi is coached by her husband, Alex, and she just signed her first major sponsorship deal with Nike at age 36. The Trials are just 11 days away, and Gabi's name is one you should know.

FOLLOW GABI @gabirooker

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What you'll get on this episode:

On being "one to watch" at this year's Olympic Marathon Trials, and what live has been like lately for Gabi (2:45)
On the pressure and stakes of this year's Trials (6:00)
How Gabi's life changed after the 2023 Chicago Marathon, and her thoughts on experience vs. newness (7:20)
How Gabi feels about being the 8^th-fastest woman lining up at the Trials (10:50)
Gabi shares her goals for the 2024 Marathon Trials (12:20)
Growing up Gabi: the life of a competitive gymnast (14:55)
Gabi's introduction to running (23:00)
How Gabi's husband, Alex, became her coach (29:30)
All about Gabi's work as a physician's assistant (32:15)
Why Gabi wanted to run a marathon (39:45)
On signing with Nike, and moving to part-time PA work leading up to the Trials (48:30)
The magic of the Mill City Running community (54:10)
How Gabi is feeling a few weeks out from the Trials (57:00)

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Alley on the Run show. I'm your host
0:07.0	Ali feller and every week I talk with people who are doing exciting
0:11.2	things on the run and beyond. From professional athletes and
0:15.0	celebrity runners to the everyday amateur and back of the pack runner, we are here
0:19.3	to celebrate everyone and anyone who enjoys a life on the run.
0:23.5	Whether you are running towards something big or away from something
0:26.3	that's been holding you back, I am here to help you pick up the pace.
0:30.5	My guest today certainly does not need my help picking up the pace.
0:33.4	Today we are hearing from Gabby Rooker.
0:36.5	Gabby is a 224 marathoner who will be competing at her first Olympic marathon trials in just a few weeks,
0:44.1	and she has got a great story.
0:46.0	Gabby is a former competitive gymnast
0:47.7	who was anti-running for most of her life.
0:50.2	Can you relate?
0:51.3	She ran her first marathon in 2021, finishing in two hours and 56 minutes.
0:57.6	And in a short two-year span, her progression in the marathon has been remarkable.
1:04.0	Last fall, she ran a 224 at the Chicago marathon,
1:07.8	and now she is headed to the trials
1:10.0	with the eighth fastest qualifying time in the entire women's field.
1:14.9	Gabby is coached by her husband Alex, they live in Minnesota,
1:18.3	and in very exciting news, Gabby just signed a sponsorship deal with Nike.
1:24.1	Until very recently, Gabby was doing all of this,
	...

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