Name: Christina Reynolds Grisby
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
Year of first #IndyMini: 2007
Fun fact about yourself: The only other thing that may surpass my love of running is the love I have for dogs! If you ever happen to be out running with me, don’t be surprised if I interrupt our conversation to acknowledge any and all passing dogs. I’ll even most likely suggest some way to “steal” said dogs without getting arrested. Don’t worry! I have yet to act on this…yet, lol! I’m positive I’m the best dog mom to the best dachshund ever, Dexter and dog grandma EVER to his nephews, Rocky and Alfie.
When I’m not hanging out with my fur-gang, I’m orchestrating group runs and meet ups at local races with the local running groups I admin on Facebook, Ladies Running Indy and Circle City Runners. I’m also the local Indianapolis chapter leader of a women’s only, all paces welcome, national running group, Moms Run/She Runs This Town.
Favorite place to run: As long as it is outside, I love to run almost anywhere! My favorite runs are
usually when the husband & I travel. While traveling, one of my favorite places to run is on Rockledge Dr. along the Indian River in Cocoa, Florida with my husband. We visit there frequently and it is our go-to route anytime we want to run while visiting. Another favorite place to run and a tradition of mine, is when visiting Vegas, I always make a point to run from our hotel down to the famous Las Vegas sign and back. If I’m not traveling, you can find the husband & I frequently running in two of our favorite local
spots, the Canal Walk in downtown Indy or in the Fort Ben Harrison State Park.
Advice for first-timers: Always have fun and take lots of pictures! Once you figure out how to incorporate fun into running, head to your local running store and buy high quality socks. As a new runner many years ago, this was one of the things that took me many blisters, bandaids, and years passing to figure out. You may spend $12 and up per pair of socks, but you’ll thank yourself for it later. Once you have the socks figured out, make sure you get fitted properly for running shoes. Do not pick out the prettiest or most stylish running shoes. These shoes should serve a purpose and that is to get
you through your training and races injury free. If you’re lucky enough to find those stylish running shoes that serve the above said purpose as well, consider yourself lucky. What may be the best running shoe for your best running friend, may not be the best running shoe for you. Remember, function over style!
Just like your shoes, what nutrition may work for your best running friend, may not work for you. Figure out what works for you, whether it be race gels or more natural foods, prior to race day. This should also include your hydration. There are many products out on the market. You don’t want to rely on the race water stops for a product that may not suit you. Race day is not the day to find that out. You should be testing these out on your training runs. Training runs are not just for the mileage, but to try out your shoes, socks, nutrition, & hydration strategies. As much fun as running can be, the reality is, running is hard. To get you through these tough times when it is hard just to get your foot out the door, find a running group. The accountability, the motivation, and most importantly, the friendships you’ll gain are immeasurable.