Emily Palmer explores limits, both physical and mental, through running long distances

Tell us your running origin story.

In college, a friend and I went to the gym and I thought I’d try to run a mile or two. I had never identified as athletic, and two miles felt like a tall order. I ran two, felt good, and decided to run another… this continued until I ran 6 miles. I kept shouting to my friend “I’M STILL RUNNING!” And after that, I suppose I haven’t stopped running. 

What drew you to RCTC?

I recently moved to Portland and was seeking out a cohesive group that pushed and supported each other. Running can be such a lonely endeavor but when shared with friends can mean so much more. I saw RCTC’s camaraderie and community and knew I wanted to be a part of that!

Why do you continue to run?

Initially, it was to see what I was capable of – to run distances and times I never thought possible. It’s morphed into a practice where if I am consistently running, I feel most myself. It’s given me friends I would’ve never crossed paths with otherwise. But all that said, I still continue to run to push myself and find out what’s possible. 

You recently ran Boston. How did it go?

GREAT! I ran the first 22 miles on feel – I knew I was pushing but it felt sustainable. There were so many spectators cheering that it was hard to not have a great time. At 22 I finally looked at my watch, checked in with myself, did a little math, and decided to put my foot on the gas. The last mile was my fastest! The marathon distance is a fickle one and I’m really proud of how I executed it. 

 What are some of your strengths as an athlete? What do you want to improve?

My strengths are consistency and a genuine love of running.

My perpetual area for improvement is doing more strength training! **seeking an accountability buddy**

What inspires you to run longer distances?

When I signed up for my first 50-miler the distance sounded legit impossible. It sparked a curiosity of whether I was physically capable of doing it. During the training I found that I was pretty good at running steady for hours week in and week out. I love ultras/trail running since they can bring you to extraordinary places and test your physical/mental limits.

What about running makes you laugh?

This is moreso a funny running story than something generally funny about running – but when I was training for my first ultra I was practicing eating real foods while on the run. I wanted foods that weren’t sweet, so I baked potatoes, wrapped them in tinfoil, and stuck them in my hydration vest. So yes, I ran around the woods carrying potatoes. I mentioned this to some friends and it still gets brought up along with the name “potatohead.” (for anyone wondering, potatoes are great long distance fuel!!)

Tell us about your life outside of this sport!

I was born and raised in the northwest but spent the last 12 years in various corners of the US! I moved out here with my partner, Luke, and our animals, Gaia and Rowena. We just bought a house in North Tabor / Montavilla and have been spending our time making it home. Professionally, I’m an environmental engineer and work on all things water infrastructure!