Nynke Adams
What quote/saying do you lean on when the going gets tough?
It may seem cliché, but I always come back to “Progress over perfection” every time the going gets tough. Every run or race, regardless of how easy or tough it feels, teaches me something, helps me improve, and gets me one step closer to my goals.
Do you have any pre-race/competition rituals/superstitions?
One of my pre-race rituals is putting together my “Flat Runner” the night before the race. I basically lay out e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g I will need on race day. Clothing, shoes, accessories, hydration pack, gels, first aid supplies, you name it! Since I’m not a morning person, it means I will be 100% prepared when that alarm goes off and I won’t forget anything when I rush out the door. BONUS: it’s always fun to post your “Flat Runner” on social media! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been able to pick out fellow runners in the crowd on race day, spark up a conversation, and make new friends.
What or who inspires you to push yourself to the next level?
There are countless strong female athletes that I look up to, but really what inspires me is the every day running community. As someone who wasn’t athletic growing up, and started running late in life, I just love watching the average persons running journey unfold on social media. Whether its someone training for their first 5km or 5th Ultra, there are just so many inspiring stories out there! When im not feeling motivated or I’m feeling down about my training or progress I look to the athletes who are just like me. If they can put in the work, so can I!
What are some of your other favorite hobbies when you are not training or competing?
When I’m not training, I still love to hit the trails either hiking or skiing (depending on the season). And if it’s truly a rest day, you can find me working on a jigsaw puzzle with a nice warm cup of tea.
What is your proudest athletic accomplishment?
It may seem silly, but my proudest athletic accomplishment was completing the virtual Boston Marathon in 2021. Until that point, I had only ever ran one marathon and said I would never do it again (I know, most runners famous last words, right?). As someone who was not athletic growing up, and somewhat new to running at the time, I never thought I would have the discipline to train for a full marathon on my own with no formal event or finish line at the end. I grabbed a few close friends of mine (some who had never ran a marathon before!) and we trained together every week and supported each other every step of the way. We ran a route from Banff, AB to Canmore, AB and had our family and friends setup aid stations along the way and even a faux finish line banner for us to cross at the end. It turned out to be the most rewarding “race” I ever ran and trained for. I was beyond proud of my friends and myself for how hard we worked and all we accomplished that day.
What is your go-to workout song?
My running playlist is so random – I have every possible genre of music on my list. If I had to pick though it’s probably something from a musical or a movie soundtrack. I love a really powerful musical score. Something that makes you feel that main character energy or like a super hero. Right now, it’s probably ‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked…
What is your go-to mantra for living an active life?
“I am enough”.
It’s so easy (especially with social media) to get caught up in what others are doing, start comparing yoruself to others, and get down or hard on yourself about your fitness level . Just because someone else ran further than you today or had a faster pace than you, shouldn’t ever diminish how you feel about your accomplishments. We should all be celebrating our own “wins” equally. I always try to remind myself that my running journey is mine alone, my accomplishments are mine alone, and as long as I keep showing up for myself, “I am enough”.
What is your story?
Growing up I was that kid that had asthma and came up with every excuse in the book to sit out of gym class let alone run laps around the field. It wasn’t until my mid 20s when I went through a dark period in my life and some pretty big life changes that I started looking for different ways to improve my mental health. I laughed when someone told me to try running…but I was desperate, so I gave it a go anyway.
I still remember training for my first 5km race, it was awful. I felt like I was dying and I couldn’t understand why people actually pay to sign up for races and do this on a regular basis. But, when I crossed my first finish line, something changed. For the first time in forever I felt like myself somehow, I felt at home, and I felt determined to go further…so I just kept at it! 5km turned to 10km, 10km to Half Marathon, Half Martathon to Marathon, and (hopefully later this year) Marathon to Ultra!
That first race taught me to push my limits and get comfortable with being uncomfortable – and I loved every minute of it. It also brought me a new appreciation for my body and made me realize that I am capable of so much more than I ever imagined. I am so grateful that I found this sport – my only wish now is that I would have done it sooner!