A veteran of five marathons and several triathlons, Buffalo News sportswriter Amy Moritz is now training for her first ultramarathon. In order to reach this level of athletic achievement, she first had to stop doubting herself. Moritz recounts her journey in her first book, "I Thought You'd Be Faster: The Quest to Be An Athlete."
Moritz says her doubts were often compounded by "backhanded compliments." Some would use the term "cute" in describing the hours of sweat and effort needed to train for endurance events. Why weren't her efforts taken seriously?
Another comment provided the book's title. When acquaintances heard of her intense training, they would ask about her performance in competitive races like the Boston Marathon. When she replied that she was like most runners whose best race times fell short of qualifying for such events, they would respond, "I thought you'd be faster."
Moritz uses the book to explore those doubts and introduces the reader to professional athletes who had to overcome similar thoughts. Along the way, Moritz has clearly enjoyed the run. She's participated in half marathons, sprint triathlons, marathons and Iron Distance triathlons. In May, she will head to Webster, New York for the Mind the Ducks 12-hour run where she will complete her first ultramarathon.
