Annie Donnell, St. Louis Chapter Leader, Achilles International

Automated Transcription

Interview

Joe Borchard: [00:00:00]  welcome to I run because podcast, we all have a reason why we run. Each person has a unique purpose to answer their, why your, why moves you?

Your, why get you across the finish line and your why could motivate others? I run because seeks to inspire others by exploring the why of athletes who run for charitable organizations and causes. I'm your host, Joe Borchard. And I have my lovely cohost and guide in life. My wife, Christine. 

Christine Borchard: [00:00:28] Hello, 

Joe Borchard: [00:00:30] tonight, we have a we're excited.

We have any Denelle from the st. Louis chapter of Achilles. , welcome to the show. Any, how are you?

Anne Donnell: [00:00:38] I'm good. How are you?

Joe Borchard: [00:00:39] Good. Good. Thanks. So, , we're gonna, we're gonna jp right into this, Annie, , because I know you and I we've talked and I'm really excited for our listeners to hear your story. So, , why don't just start with us of how did you get started running? Were you always a runner or were you late to the game?

Anne Donnell: [00:00:55] I started running in high school. I joined my high school track team and I mainly ran the 400. And then after that, I went to school for college at Belmont university in Nashville, Tennessee. And I wasn't sure if I'd be able to run there, , because I need a guide and I'm blind or visually impaired. And so I happened to hear about Achilles Nashville my sophomore year.

So I started running with them. No I've been running ever since

Joe Borchard: [00:01:35] Nice. So you ran with, , with Amy and Lizzie down in Nashville, right?

Anne Donnell: [00:01:38] I did.

Joe Borchard: [00:01:39] They're, they're friends of the show. We, , we had an opportunity to talk to Amy and Lindsay they're, they're great people, such wonderful people, and they've got a really good chapter down there in Nashville. , so how long did you, while you were at Belmont university?

, just out of curiosity, what did you, , study while you were down there?

Anne Donnell: [00:01:56] My major was communication studies and my minor was education.

Joe Borchard: [00:02:03] And you ran with them. Did you do any road races while you were down in Nashville?

Anne Donnell: [00:02:07] I did, I did a bunch of five Ks and, , while I was running with Achilles Nashville, I ran into half marathons and one marathon.

Joe Borchard: [00:02:19] Really Holy smokes. So you go from the 400 meters in high school to a marathon. , 

Christine Borchard: [00:02:24] I'm sorry. , when you were in high school, did you have a guide for the 400 meters?

Anne Donnell: [00:02:29] I did have a guide. , I typically link arms and run. Now I'm in high school though. I used the tether because it was all flat.

Joe Borchard: [00:02:40] Really you'd link arms. What's we've been running for awhile. I'm not sure if we use the tether, I've always used a tether. What do you do when, when you link arms, 

Anne Donnell: [00:02:49] so basically with the, when I wake arms, , my guide is usually on the left of me and then we just run that way.

So you're not as your arms aren't as free, but for me personally, I find that I'm able to know. Where my guide is more and feel the physical movement that they're doing. So they still tell me all the verbal cues and things, but I'm able to make turns quicker. And I'm also just more comfortable that way.

They're also closer, whereas using the tether and feel kind of far away and kind of more behind them, whereas she's, my guide would be closer in front of me.

Christine Borchard: [00:03:32] And that doesn't bother you like the swinging of your arm or like, do you have to switch sides often? Cause I feel like when I'm hold the tether, I'm only good for like a mile. And then I have to switch to the other side, like even now when I'm running with a water bottle, because all the water stations are closed, I'm holding a water bottle and I'm not swinging that arm.

Like I really feel like I need to move my arms. Are you able to do that when you're locked arms?

Anne Donnell: [00:03:54] so the, my left arm stays stationary and then my right arm moves, , just at a 90 degree angle. Like the entire time basically. , but I guess I'm just so used to it

Christine Borchard: [00:04:06] Yeah. Whatever's comfortable for you. 

Joe Borchard: [00:04:07] Yeah.

Anne Donnell: [00:04:08] Yeah. It's also the same arm I used to do study guide. So I've kind of, I guess, developed it doesn't really bother me.

Christine Borchard: [00:04:17] Gotcha. 

Joe Borchard: [00:04:18] Yeah, that's interesting. You know, we've interviewed a nber of visually impaired athletes and I think it's first time that we've heard somebody that, that, , used the lock arm method. Well, I know 

Christine Borchard: [00:04:29] Jamie, when we did the Chicago marathon, I had the tether on one side of Jenny and Jamie held her hand on the other side just to keep her safe.

Cause there were so many people. So Jamie did hold. Oh, yeah. Yeah. 

Joe Borchard: [00:04:41] My wife ran the Chicago marathon with a visually impaired athlete and, , like she was saying she was on the tether and then her other guide was like, 

Christine Borchard: [00:04:49] we switched off. It's interesting. 

Joe Borchard: [00:04:52] , so, so what, , now let's, let's get into it. What, what marathon did you, , did you run?

Anne Donnell: [00:04:58] I did the New York city marathon last year.

Christine Borchard: [00:05:01] We were in the tent last year. Yeah. 

Joe Borchard: [00:05:05] Hang on. Where are you wanting to kill Achilles, dead last

Anne Donnell: [00:05:08] I was, yes.

Joe Borchard: [00:05:09] it. 

that was a great day. Wasn't it? Oh my

Anne Donnell: [00:05:12] It really was.

Joe Borchard: [00:05:14] energy in that tent is you could just bottle it up. I mean, that was my first, , full marathon. Well, not my first full marathon cause I ran the Seattle marathon, but that was my, my first New York city marathon last year. And Christine, that was your second, third, 

Christine Borchard: [00:05:29] third, 

Joe Borchard: [00:05:30] third, and 

Christine Borchard: [00:05:32] second in the Achilles' tent.

Joe Borchard: [00:05:33] Yeah, that was so many inspiring athletes. There are so many amazing people we met that morning and 

Christine Borchard: [00:05:40] the energy, 

Joe Borchard: [00:05:41] no, no party. And it went and went so fast too. Like I remember

Anne Donnell: [00:05:45] It really did.

Joe Borchard: [00:05:46] like we got off the bus and I was super nervous. And then, you know, we got into the tent and all of a sudden it was just talking with people and having so much fun.

Next thing, they were like, all right, let's go. Your wave is up. I'm like, no, that was a great day. So,

Anne Donnell: [00:06:01] It really did go by fast.

Joe Borchard: [00:06:03] Good for you. So when you ran that race, did you have, , one or two guides when, when you ran that one

Anne Donnell: [00:06:10] I had one.

Joe Borchard: [00:06:11] and did you bring guides with you from, , from st. Louis or did you, , get a guide from, , you know, New York chapter

Anne Donnell: [00:06:20] I actually ran with one of my really good friends who also we met through Achilles in Nashville. I ran with Taylor, so I wasn't able to run with her, which was a lot of fun.

Joe Borchard: [00:06:32] Congratulations to you and Taylor. That's awesome. That was such a great day.

Anne Donnell: [00:06:36] Thank you.

It really was. An amazing experience.

Joe Borchard: [00:06:41] Where are you going to do it again? This year?

Anne Donnell: [00:06:44] I was not, , I wasn't ever planning on doing it this year. , but it's definitely a bmer, 

Joe Borchard: [00:06:53] Yeah, 

Anne Donnell: [00:06:53] why. , but I can't really imagine training and not being able to do it. So, , but hopefully sometime in the near future, not sure when Taylor and I were thinking, we might do. After the race where you were talking about what races we wanted to do.

Cause we were so excited. , and we were thinking doing a half marathon first and then maybe some time down the road doing New York or a different marathon 

Joe Borchard: [00:07:21] Yeah, 

Anne Donnell: [00:07:22] later on.

Joe Borchard: [00:07:23] we were scheduled to run a New York city and I know my wife was when, when the race got canceled, she was, it hit her a lot harder than, , than it hit me. I kind of was excited that I didn't have to train for 26.2 miles. She was really, she was really 

Christine Borchard: [00:07:39] bmed. I didn't think I would be, but I was.

Joe Borchard: [00:07:41] Yeah. , 

Christine Borchard: [00:07:42] I'm over it now though. Annie I'm okay. Sitting on the couch and having cosmos it's okay. 

Joe Borchard: [00:07:49] For those of you listening at home, it's nine o'clock in the morning. She's on her second. Cosmo. It's not running. No, I'm joking. So, do you have any, , any half marathon that, that you're looking for? Any goals in mind, as far as, , which one you might want to do?

When, when things start to open up

Anne Donnell: [00:08:06] That's a great question. , we haven't really looked for a little while. , I always, well, I did the CIM, the relay a few years ago. , Nashville, we went with them and that one was a really fun race. And I did the st. Jude half. , maybe we were talking about Chicago or maybe the I've never actually done.

Surprisingly. And when I was in Nashville, I never did the rock and roll a half marathon there.

Christine Borchard: [00:08:35] They're always fun.

Anne Donnell: [00:08:37] So maybe that one, or maybe the st. Louis one. I'm not really

Christine Borchard: [00:08:42] marathon, they give, , they're metal. They have a braille metal if I don't know if you use Berlin not, but that was super cool. When Jenny

finished, 

Anne Donnell: [00:08:49] not use braille. That's amazing. I

Christine Borchard: [00:08:51] it was amazing. It was a, they, I guess they knew when Jenny crossed the finish line because they handed it right to her.

, , no line too. , when we went to the tent, the recovery tent, somebody handed her the metal and was in braille and it was, , it was amazing. 

Joe Borchard: [00:09:06] I remember you called me. And that was the 

Christine Borchard: [00:09:10] best part of my cause. You know, we, we got across the finish line and it was great, but when Jenny sat down and she was, , you know, holding onto a metal, it really was emotional.

Like to have a metal in braille is pretty cool. 

Joe Borchard: [00:09:22] She was reading it to you and, , Yeah, I think they 

Christine Borchard: [00:09:24] didn't, they, they spelled something wrong or she told me something was wrong on the metal, but, you know, I it's just like the little things they took. Very good care. Just like New York. They, , Chicago took very good care of their disabilities with them.

, athletes with disabilities, we had attempt before attempt after just was like, she was treated like royalty and it ended perfectly with the braille metal.

Anne Donnell: [00:09:46] that's awesome. So do they do braille metals for both the half and full

Christine Borchard: [00:09:50] I don't know. I don't know. I definitely, it was, , the full marathon. I'm not

Anne Donnell: [00:09:54] okay.

Joe Borchard: [00:09:56] Yeah, there you go. You're just going to have to do the full marathon. 

Christine Borchard: [00:09:58] That's it?

Anne Donnell: [00:09:59] I know it's definitely an incentive for

Christine Borchard: [00:10:01] It was really cool. I think I have a picture of him somewhere, but it was very 

Joe Borchard: [00:10:04] cool. Cause I remember you. I remember when, , right after that you called me and you, you were telling me the story and you, you took a picture with you and Jenny with the metal and it was so cool.

Christine Borchard: [00:10:13] I, it was the same exact metal, like the pit, you know, the embossed like city skyline, but just all the words were in braille. It was not the lanyard part. Did the metal itself. 

Joe Borchard: [00:10:23] let me just go, go back a second. So you, you were running with Nashville, , with our friends, Amy and Lizzie. And so you came, came back to, to st. Louis, right? And you started your chapter in st. Louis. So if Achilles is that right?

Anne Donnell: [00:10:40] Yes. , So I started with Achilles Nashville of January, 2000, , 2016. And then, , or sorry, January, 2017. And then, so it was there my sophomore through when I graduated in 2019 and, , the Nash or the st. Louis chapter started. May, , May 15th, 2019 was our first practice. So we're just over a year old now, our chapter.

, so that's been exciting and, , we have about 15 athletes with disabilities signed up and we have on the roster that are registered around like 40 guides, , or volunteers. So that's been really cool. , so we have had a really good turnout, which has been really exciting and, ,

Joe Borchard: [00:11:38] that's not a really good turnout. That's, that's fricking amazing in, in less than a year to have that many athletes and to have that many guides and volunteers. I mean, you certainly created something that was certainly a need in the community to have that many people come out and join the program.

That's that's amazing. ,  

Christine Borchard: [00:11:59] I'm just doing the math. I'm like, you're a sophomore in 2017 and you graduated in 2019 and I'm thinking to myself either you started college very young or older, or you're just a very young person. I don't want to ask how old 

Joe Borchard: [00:12:12] you are.

So Annie, when you registered for a race. What age group do you usually fall within this way? We're not going to ask your age. We're going to see what age group do you fall within.

Anne Donnell: [00:12:26] The 20 to 24.

Christine Borchard: [00:12:28] So you started your own chapter in the age group of 20 to 24. Well, most people are just sitting on the couch and watching Netflix. You are amazing, and you have 

Joe Borchard: [00:12:38] that many people joined in your chapter. Mmm I'm floored right now, holding cabinets. That really is. That's amazing to have to be that young, to create something so needed in the community because when you have that many guides and that many athletes, you're definitely serving.

I mean, it's, it's been a year in a year, in a year. Wow. That's congratulations. That's, that's

Anne Donnell: [00:13:01] Thank you.

Joe Borchard: [00:13:02] else. That's something you should be really proud of. And you know, and 

Christine Borchard: [00:13:05] it's funny, cause you were saying 2017, I'm like, well she was a sophomore. I'm like, wait, how old is? Cause I didn't meet you.

And I don't know. You I'm like how old is she? 

Joe Borchard: [00:13:13] Wow, my wife and I were looking at each other and we're trying to do the math and we're writing it down on a piece of paper and we both came 

Christine Borchard: [00:13:19] up, but then I wasn't sure. Cause I'm like, well maybe she went to college and she was 30 and she went like a little bit later in life.

But then, 

Joe Borchard: [00:13:26] so to be fair, when I register for races, I'm in the 46 to 49 year old category. Me too. No, you're not. 

Christine Borchard: [00:13:35] No, what 

Joe Borchard: [00:13:37] you're in like the 52, 

Christine Borchard: [00:13:41] but good for you. 

Joe Borchard: [00:13:42] That really is, listen, anybody listening, you can always join Achilles. You can become a member. You can become a volunteer and guide an athlete. Or if you want to follow Annie's footsteps, you can start your very own chapter.

, that's something else that's really, I'm, I'm floored with that. , So, let, let, let's get to the, , the heart of, of our, , our podcast. And, you know, some of the things that we'd like to do is really try to find out, , why people run. So I'm just going to throw it right out at you. , why do you run.

Anne Donnell: [00:14:15] I run because it definitely helps me clear my mind. , so when I run. I really don't think about anything else, which is really great. , I also run because it's great for physical activity and also you meet a bunch of people, especially through Achilles. I've met some of my best friends through Achilles and running also is one of the things that really makes me happy.

, and. I just have always really enjoyed running and being outside and being in the fresh air, along with people

Joe Borchard: [00:14:53] Yeah. You know, we hear that from so many of our guests that it's a, it's almost like a Zen like feeling, you know, with so much going on in the world and so much that's going on at home. Sometimes that the best thing you can do is just lace up your sneakers and just go. Out for a run, a walk, a jog just to get out, get some fresh air and clear, clear your mind.

, so is there anything special going on with, , Achilles st. Louis cause. Going on with the during COVID I'm not sure what stage you are. Are you guys in stage one? Stage two. If you're are you guys still shelter in place or locked down? How's the vibe over in st. Louis.

Anne Donnell: [00:15:37] Yes. , st. Louis is, , open to a degree. , I think we're in phase two or something. , so, but in terms of Achilles practices, we are not, , having them, , yet, , just cause all the plans and everything aren't still. Completely laid out for st. Louis. , so just trying to figure out the best timeline, , and the visitor center where we practice, where we meet, , inside is currently closed.

, so forest park itself, if you can, that's where we practice. , but in terms of getting people together, I just figure if the visitor center is closed, , it's probably best to just. Not yet. , but we have weekly Google Hangouts on Saturday mornings, , to have a check in and see how everyone's doing.

And also if they want to talk about what they've been doing for their fiscal activity, if they've been doing online zoom exercise classes, or if they. Take walks or different things like that. , we've also heard about different hobbies that people done. Some people have been making bread or just picking up other random hobbies that they probably wouldn't have done during this time.

,

Joe Borchard: [00:17:00] my wife picked up a very unique hobby during this time too, and it's not drinking the cosmos. , what, what was that thing that you bought off of Amazon? 

Christine Borchard: [00:17:09] Cross-stitch. Our first interview was, I don't know how many weeks ago I started it. And it's still on top of the, , the server. I haven't touched it since that day.

Joe Borchard: [00:17:20] So while my wife fits in that, , 46 or 49 category, I think she really belongs in like 80 to 84. You 

Christine Borchard: [00:17:27] wanted to try something new? I wanted to try something new. It's not for me, but I gave it a try. 

Joe Borchard: [00:17:35] Oh, that's great. You know, our, , our Achilles chapter, we've been doing a lot of the same. We, we have our weekly zooms and we've had, we've played games.

We've played, we we've done a metal Intel. Everybody shared their, their favorite metal. We played bingo. , what were some of the other things that we we've done 

Christine Borchard: [00:17:55] had a magician on? We are going to start our, , workouts in about two weeks. It's , yeah, we're going to like you, your guide and your athlete.

, , that's it like, that's who you are. There's no switching off. That's who you're assigned to 

Joe Borchard: [00:18:10] cold. Oh, Horan teams, quarantine, quarantine. 

Christine Borchard: [00:18:14] That's adorable. , and, , we're doing staggered times. So we used, we used to always meet at like six o'clock. Now it's going to be six, 15, six days. So when we'll be there, but we'll be running through the park at like that like different times.

So it's. Not as big of a group meetup as we normally 

Joe Borchard: [00:18:29] have. And we're doing temperature checks, , hand sanitizing before, before the run, after the run, , 

Christine Borchard: [00:18:35] masks, depending on how close you are to your athlete. 

Joe Borchard: [00:18:38] Right? So I'll tell you, I'm excited to, , to see some of our friends next week, this time, next, next week, we'll be running.

Anne Donnell: [00:18:45] Oh, that's

Joe Borchard: [00:18:46] Yeah, that'd be great. 

Christine Borchard: [00:18:47] The problem we're having is in our park. There's no, I'm like I'm having a problem. There's no place to get water. All the water stations are closed and the bathrooms. So I went out for a five mile and I'm not really a fan of taking water in my hand and I'm carrying the water and it's just, I'm glad I'm not training for anything because I definitely need my water stops.

And that's,

that's, that's become a problem in the park for me. 

Joe Borchard: [00:19:10] Yeah. Well, me too, you know, we did a. A friend. I, we did 10 miles the other day, and normally we would have gone out five, come back five, but instead we did a three mile loop just so we can keep by, you know, keep going by our car and refill and water.

Cause it was just so darn hot. so do you have any racism on the horizon? Is there anything, , in the hopper for you guys.

Anne Donnell: [00:19:33] , currently, no, , I mean, we've done. Three races this past year. , so that was exciting. So hopefully we'll be able to get, do those plus a few more. Mmm. I have no idea. , and cause some of them, the Macklin mile is coming up and it's a virtual virtual run now. And that was our first race that we ever did last year.

And , and then the two other ones were. 5k one was a five K and 10 K and the other was a 5k. , so hopefully we'll be able to do those.

Christine Borchard: [00:20:06] Soon 

Anne Donnell: [00:20:07] , they're all virtual now. , so people, I know some athletes have signed up for races and they can, you know, run one-on-one if they feel comfortable doing that. , as long as they follow, you know, All the guidelines and everything.

, so if an athlete wants to run with a guide in they're comfortable, they can, but as far as races or practices or anything, , currently we are not

Joe Borchard: [00:20:37] I'm going to give you the I'm going to give you the inside scoop on a race and, and. Anybody else that's that's at home. Don't listen to this. This is just for you and I, Annie. All right. This is because we're friends, there's a virtual race. It's a virtual hope and possibility for Achilles New Jersey.

That registration is going to be opening up real soon. Nashville has their, their virtual 

Christine Borchard: [00:21:01] hope and possibility

is coming up. 

Joe Borchard: [00:21:03] Yep. But I heard new Jersey's metal is going to be the best. I'm just letting you in and out inside scoop. I'm not going to tell that to anybody else. So anybody that's listening, , you didn't hear that from me.

you holds our title sponsor and if you run the virtual Nashville race and if you run or if you run Nashville, cause they're still open at this point and they still are, , Or, and if you also run the virtual New Jersey, you're eligible for a special that's right.

A special metal, and it's going to be limited, a very limited quantities. So we're very excited about that. It's just so funny. We just had the meeting last night with our, , our Achilles board about that race.  All right. , well there you have it folks, , well, real quickly. 

On tonight's show. We learned about Annie and her amazing accomplishments and starting the successful st. Louis chapter. And, , she did so at such a young age, congratulations to you and any, thank you so much for being on our show. We really appreciate it. Nice 

Christine Borchard: [00:22:09] talking to you, Annie.

Anne Donnell: [00:22:10] Thank you.

Joe Borchard: [00:22:10] All right. Take care and be safe.

Hellah Sidibe: [00:22:12] Here we are at week 12. Now we're going to go a little crazy. I recommend everybody. , If you can get up really early before the high temperature day, point of the day, or if you want to do it late, I personally don't like running late because it gets dark. And I realized, , since this smer has started, Even up until 10:00 PM is so hid and so hot.

So you don't want to run a dog. So I recommend you to get up early in the morning. That might mean sacrificing your sleep or go to bed early, depending on what your schedule is trying to get up early in the morning, the first day of the week, and go for a long run. So long run. We're trying to aim for 15 mile run.

Just go nice and easy. Let your body feel the run. , focus on your breath, your strides and everything. So when you come back now the second day, Of the week we're going to just, de-load immediately to anywhere four miles, six miles, no more than six miles. And the third day we're going to go for a five K pace race or whatever pace you would run.

Your five K race. You're going to do them the third day, fourth day, complete rest fifth day, we come back again with a little bit of hit, just to get our heart rate up, to get our seminar going. , there's different ways to work on your cardiovascular fitness, , aerobic and anaerobic fitness without having to actually run.

I'm so focused on that. And then, , we bring it back up again. We're going to go for another, anywhere from six to 10 miles and we'll end the last day of the week, the last of the week we're going to go for, or race pace. , if you can keep up with whatever you're going to find your happy medi between your five K race pace to the 10 miles.

So we're going to go for pushing ourselves within a race pace for 10 miles, literally pushing it. And are trying to keep a consistency each mile. So if you're going in the beginning, when your body is warming up, the mild pace is low, but if you starting to hit your stride, let's say seven 30 per mile. Try to stay within that area no more than 30 seconds off to see if you can hold yourself up there, just to build another level of stamina and endurance for yourself for week 12.

I always remember, , everybody's body is different. , see how you learn for what goes well with your body? , this is some of the stuff that worked for me when I found out that I got into the New York city marathon while running every day.

So there no rest there for me, but there is the days that I should have a rest day. I would take it very slow and keep my streak going. So always kind of figured out what works best for you and trying to use this to help you. , gets your goal cause everybody's different. Every there's plenty of training out there, but this is something that worked for me, , based on speaking to some former Olympians, , and also some current runners who advised me to kind of stick to this kind of training plan.

And it was great because I was able to get close to my goal, , running my first marathon was having a day off. So if you guys were actually taking the proper rest and doing this at the same time, I'm very confident. You'll do well.

So we 12 is the, the week of kind of pushing the limit a little bit, and then also keeping the higher mileage, , consistent. 

Joe Borchard: [00:25:09] thanks everyone for listening. We really hope you enjoyed those amazing stories. They are truly inspiring people. We get to talk to here and are forever grateful. Make sure to share this episode with your friends via social networks. We need these athletes and guides stories to get out there.

So until next time, I'm Joe 

Christine Borchard: [00:25:27] and 

I'm Christine. Thank you for listening.