Nancy Lieberman

President, Spirit of St. Louis Marathon

By Leslie Gibson McCarthy

Photograph by Pete Newcomb

When she’s not planning what amounts to a two-day street party for 15,000, Nancy Lieberman does a little running herself, plus an Ironman Triathlon or two. She founded the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon in 2000 and has watched the event grow each year. Lieberman slowed down just long enough to talk …

How did it all begin? After my first marathon, I was amazed by the contagious energy. We weren’t doing much in St. Louis then in terms of fitness-type events, so, in 2000, we formed a nonprofit organization and decided to make the marathon an event the whole family could participate in, not just a race. Our goal in the first five years was 10,000 participants. We actually hit it last year, with about 10,400. This year, we’re aiming for 15,000.

To what do you attribute your success? St. Louis isn't necessarily a runner's paradise. [Laughs.] No, it’s not. The success is because it’s about fitness and not necessarily about running or walking. We’ve been able to create different kinds of events.

Like the children's Read, Right & Run Marathon? Yes. When we started the Read & Run Marathon, in 2001, our objective was not only fitness but also reading proficiency. By reading 26 books and running 26.2 miles over several months, kids complete a very, very challenging event that’s unique to St. Louis. In 2004 we extended it to the Read, Right & Run Marathon because we wanted to incorporate character development. We originated this idea in St. Louis, and we’re now up to 79 schools, with more than 3,000 kids participating.

How do you choose a marathon course? You need a course that is interesting and that gives a feel for the city, especially for participants from out of town. You want straightaways. You actually want hills, because hills really mix it up. To run 26 flat miles is hard on your legs, because you’re only using one set of muscle groups.

You ran your first marathon at age 47. Why? We all walk or run for a reason. Some do it to get into shape, some to relieve stress, some might be bored at work and looking for a challenge, some might be escaping things that are going on in their lives. I had a very dear friend who was dying of breast cancer. I was running three or four miles three or four days a week, and I found myself lost in thought as I ran. I’d wake up and find I had run six or seven miles.

What's the single most challenging race you have endured? I did an Ironman Triathlon in Wisconsin in 2004. It’s a 2.4-mile swim in open water—no lanes, no black lines on the floor. Then you bike 112 miles. Then, when your quads are killing you from all that riding, you have the pleasure of running 26.2 miles—running then walking, running then walking.

How do you get motivated for something like that? You have to determine why you’re doing it. Some people have time goals in mind. Others just want to finish—and that was clearly my goal. The training is long and hard, and it’s intense. There are days you get up and you think, “I can’t do this again.” What worked for me was training with friends; they added support and perspective.

Describe a typical training day. During my peak training season, I’m up at 5 and exercising between 5:30 and 7:30 a.m., usually with a long run or bike ride. I have a bagel for breakfast with some protein, like peanut butter. I work; then, at the end of the day—let’s say about 5—I do a second workout, which could be swimming for an hour, weightlifting or some other discipline. If I ran in the morning, I’m doing something else at 5, maybe cycling for an hour.

Where is your favorite place to run in St. Louis? By far, Forest Park. They’ve done such a beautiful job renovating the park and making it inviting. For many runners, Forest Park has become their back yard, where they can just go out and play.

When you're not training or planning an event, what do you do? To chill out, my favorite place is the Missouri Botanical Garden. And I like seeing independent films. I loved March of the Penguins.