Minnesota native will run one of the toughest marathon courses in Paris Olympics with Team USA
MINNEAPOLIS — It's the very last event of the Paris Olympics on Aug. 11 — the Women's Marathon race —and it's going to be run on one of the toughest courses in Olympic history.
One of three women representing Team USA in the marathon is St. Francis native, Dakotah Lindwurm. She finished third in the Olympic Trials back in February with a 2:25:31 marathon. She followed Wisconsin native, Emily Sisson, who ran it in 2:22:42, and Fiona O'Keeffe, who finished first in 2:22:10.
Since then, Lindwurm has been back in Minnesota training. She loves running around her favorite routes in the Twin Cities.
"When I'm running around Lake Harriet or River Road in St. Paul, I get so many cheers and well wishes. Even around my neighborhood [in Edina], I'll get, 'Go USA!'" said Lindwurm.
When she's not running outside, she's at Training HAUS in Eagan building and maintaining muscle. Strength has become a key element of her training for Paris because of the course she'll be running.
"Coming [to Training HAUS] two times a week is a huge piece of my confidence because I know that I'm doing everything I can to be prepared for the hills in Paris," said Lindwurm.
She's been working with Jimmy Warmouth at Training HAUS, a strength and performance coach, for five years now.
He's added push and pull sled work to her workouts to get ready for that elevation.
"There's about an eight-mile stretch of 1,000 feet of elevation gain, so we need to train our body a little bit differently, so if we can make her stronger than all those other marathoners out there, she has a great shot," said Warmouth.
Jimmy won't be in Paris, but he'll be watching proudly on TV from Minnesota. He grew emotional talking about it.
"It's incredible to see her do this. She's put in a lot of hard work, I've seen her lead a lot of races. She might not know it, but she's got a lot of people rooting for her," said Warmouth.
Lindwurm's biggest cheerleader, though, is her mom, who she lost to cancer in 2020.
"It's hard not having her here to celebrate with, but I know she's in heaven telling everybody, 'That's my kid! She's mine!,' telling everyone how proud she is of me. I swear, sometimes I can hear her up there when I'm racing," said Lindwurm.
She knows her mom will be with her, cheering her on in Paris too.
"She's got the best seat in the house," said Lindwurm.
