This week, we are excited to welcome our good friend, 29 time marathoner, Jen Enge to the show! We've been friends with Jen for the past 15 years and we actually didn't meet through running - we met through a mutual friend (shout out to Ellie!) and the rest is history.  Jen is an incredible athlete that ran a big PR last year at CIM in a blazing time of 2:51:58! You can see in the picture we posted that she is pushing with everything she had to run under 2:52 (she told me she didn't have time to smile, she was too busy working her butt off).  Jen started out as a swimmer, swimming competitively for Northwestern, then went on earn her MBA from Harvard University and moved to Portland to work for Nike for 4 years. Jen has also raced an Ironman in under 11 hours and lives a fun filled life in beautiful Mercer Island, WA with her husband Craig and their four terrific kids!



In this episode we chat with Jen about her amazing running journey, including how she didn't began racing marathons competitively until the age of 41, her pure love for the sport, Jen and Nat's plan to run her 30th marathon together, how social media has made her faster and so much more. Lots of laughs are guaranteed in this conversation friends! We then dive into the stunning beauty of Mercer Island and Jen shares with us the most breathtaking places to run, where to refuel, from healthy to indulgent and so much more.


Do not miss this conversation with our incredible friend, Jen Enge.


*This episode is sponsored by InsideTracker and we are so excited to have them on board as a ongoing  sponsor of the show!* SEE BELOW FOR AN AWESOME GIVEAWAY!
Click HERE to be entered for a chance to WIN.

ONE LUCKY WINNER WILL RECEIVE:

  • An Ultimate blood test from InsideTracker ($589 value)
  • A one-on-one consultation to review your bloodwork results with a Registered Dietitian ($100 value) 

Follow InsideTracker, Natalie Mitchell and Suite Run on Instagram for more entries. 

Where to find Jen:
Send a note to Nat and she will forward on to Jen. We love that she isn't on social media :)

Where to find Natalie and Jerold:
Natalie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natrunsfar/
Suite Run Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suiterun/
Natalie's Twitter: https://twitter.com/natrunsfar
Suite Run Twitter: https://twitter.com/suiterun
Natalie's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natrunsfar
Suite Run Website: https://www.suiterun.com/
Suite Run Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuiteRun/
Natalie's Blog: http://www.natrunsfar.com/

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Intro music: Pipes of a Stranger


RUN

The Mercer Island Perimeter Loop
13.1 miles
Road that goes around the perimeter
Hilly with lake views and tons of trees
East - Cascade Mountain range views
South - Mt. Ranier views
West - Olympic Mountains and Seattle skyline

Luther Burbank Park
She does interval loops here
1.2 mile loop intervals + loops of all different sizes
Dirt trails and hills
Beautiful sunrises in the morning

Off Mercer Island

1.Start on at the north end of  Mercer Island and go west off the island, 2 miles over a floating bridge to the Seattle side (there is a pedestrian lane). You can also drive over the bridge and then run.
Connect with Lake Washington Blvd. Run 3 miles down the lakefront, you will hit Seward Park - there is a 2.5 run that goes around the park. There are no cars.


2. Head east off the island over a bridge toward Bellevue and end up at Eastside Corridor trail (or you can drive and park at Newcastle Beach Park) which is a dirt path that goes right along the lake on the eastside shore.


3. The Snoqualmie Valley Trail
30 minute drive east of Mercer Island, So worth it - beautiful!
Trail is over 30 mile long. Different access points along the trail.
Jen at an entrance with flat a 4 mile run and the starts to climb up into the mountains. Very quiet, not a lot of people.

1:02 - there is a point, where you pause a little too long after Jen says how beautiful it is because of the water and mountains.


EAT

Homegrown 
Great breakfast and lunch sandwiches, oatmeal bowls
Order at the counter
Farm to table locally sourced

Sano Cafe
Health food cafe
Homemade granola, avocado toast with smoked salmon, smoothie bowls, salads

Happs
Old service station turned into a burger joint.
Burgers, fries, shakes (grass fed beef, organic potatoes)

One wonderful idea is to order take out and then go to one of the local beaches and picnic at sunset.


STAY

There aren't any hotels on the island, but you can rent an Air BnB on island. Another option is to go to Bellevue or Seattle for hotel options.


PLACES OF INTEREST

Seattle is two miles away for city sightseeing if you want to be in the city.

Come in the summer and enjoy the lake.

Rent kayaks and paddleboards at Midenbower Bay in Bellevue and kayak across the lake to Mercer Lake and kayak or paddleboard along the shoreline.
You can also splurge and rent a boat.


Local Beaches

Clark Beach
Groveland Beach
Luther Burbank Park


DRINKS

The Roanoke

Barrels (new wine bar). Giant wine barrels with chairs around the wine barrels.



RACES

Mercer Island Half Marathon (they also have a 10K). Not a PR course, but scenic. This race takes places in March.

The Lake Sammachich Half Marathon (faster, flat course  in March)

Rock n Roll Seattle (in June) - Jen recommends the half marathon, instead of the full.