Supreeth Mannava on being patient and enjoying the process
Why do you run in the first place?
I first started running back in sophomore year of high school because it meant I got to hang out with my friends during the summer at cross country practice. After that season, I took a long break from running and didn’t come back to it for about 10 years. At that point, I was looking for a way to challenge myself and stay in shape a few years out of college. I signed up for the Austin Half Marathon at that point and never looked back!
What inspired you to join RCTC?
The last couple of years when I was living in Austin, I ran with a lot of different groups and experienced how much more enjoyable running can be when you share the miles with friends. When we moved to Portland, finding a group to train with was a high priority for me. I stumbled upon RCTC on Instagram and liked the general vibe of the team.
I also thought it would be fun to run for a team again. Hopefully when I’m out racing and things get hard, knowing that I shared some hard training sessions with teammates and that there are people out there rooting for me will help me bring the best performances out of myself.
How has your experience been so far?
It’s been great so far! Everyone has been really welcoming and friendly. It’s also been fun getting to explore different neighborhoods in Portland and get to know the city a bit better.
What do you think are your greatest strengths when it comes to running?
I think my greatest strength in running is my ability to listen to my body, get into a rhythm and hold it. I think all those years of percussion paid off!
Tell us about your approach to training.
I try to find a balance between being serious about my training but finding a way to stay relaxed. I obviously care a lot about how my training is going, but I try not to get overly analytical and just stay focused on getting the work done. I know that if I can be relatively consistent and make small gains in speed or volume over time, I’ll benefit massively come race day.
What advice would you tell your younger self about running and training?
Be patient. Don’t worry about tough runs or bad workouts. Just enjoy the process and trust that the fitness will be there when it counts.
Where do you want running to take you?
Hopefully all over the world! Whenever I travel for work, I like to get out and run in different cities, but I’d love to do that when I visit different countries too. One day, I hope I can do all the marathon majors also!
Anything else you’d like to share about yourself?
In my free time, I love cooking and nerding out over making coffee. Also, I like to get out and golf whenever I get a chance. If anyone has any golf course recommendations, send them my way!
Bonus: What book(s) are you reading right now?
Loads of books. I’m currently re-reading Harry Potter - working on the Order of the Phoenix right now. I occasionally read some Sherlock Holmes short stories and am reading Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card and The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - one of the better new books I’ve picked up.
