RACHEL TOOR is a distance runner who used to be an “either/or” kind of person. She thought: either you were a nerdy little egghead, or you were an outdoorsy jock. She spent the first thirty years of her life indoors with a book. Then she started running. Two decades, 50 or 60 marathons, a dozen or more ultramarathons, a couple of wins at the World Championship Ride and Tie (which combines trail running and endurance horse riding), a number of years leading 3:50 and 4:00 marathon pace groups later, Rachel’s learned that life is richer and more full when it’s “both/and.” Now she’s both a nerdy little egghead and a big ole outdoorsy jock.
For most of her working life, Rachel has had jobs and careers that require a lot of butt-in-the-chair time. She was an editor of scholarly books, an admissions officer at Duke University, and is currently a professor in the graduate creative writing program at Eastern Washington University in Spokane. She’s published three books, the most recent of which is Personal Record: A Love Affair With Running, and has written for all of the major running publications, including a regular column in Running Times, where she is a senior writer. In keeping with her both/and philosophy, she also has a monthly column in The Chronicle of Higher Education. She may be the only person in the history of the world to write about running for that eggheady publication.
The sport Rachel has a particular attachment to is unfamiliar to many. Ride and tie consists of a three member team, two people and a horse, covering 20-100 miles of trail, where the humans take turns running and riding, leapfrogging down the trail. Rachel has won both the woman/woman and the man/woman divisions at the World Championship Ride and Tie. She has also, with a woman partner, twice won races overall. What she loves about ride and tie is the connection with the horse, and of all the horse sports she’s tried — endurance riding, jumping, dressage, and saddle seat — ride and tie is the one where Rachel feels closest to her mount. She, her teammate and their horse cover the same ground together, all getting tired and sore and hungry. It requires an ethic of care to do well; it’s a team effort.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS & CREDENTIALS:
- 50-60 marathons, PR 3:14
- A dozen or so races longer than marathon (50Ks and 50 milers)
- Marathon wins: Black Mountain Marathon (NC), Gold Country Marathon (CA), Lewis and Clark Marathon 2004 (MT), Mt. Everest Challenge Marathon (India) and Second Place in Himalayan 100 Mile Stage Race (India)
- World Championship Ride and Tie, winner of woman/woman and man/woman divisions. First place overall in two races.
- Has run the Boston marathon five times, and will again in April 2012
- Ran the Grand Canyon from rim to rim to rim (three days after running up and down Mt. Whitney)
2012 INTENTIONS:
- Run the Boston Marathon in April (though training will be hard during the Spokane winter)
- Run well in some half marathons
- Tackle some more ultras, maybe the Elkhorn 50K in August in Helena, MT
- Do as many ride and ties as possible
- Become a ski freak
- Run the Snow Joke Half Marathon right after she turns 50 on February 22 (entered in the canine division with her dog, Helen)
- Be as strong, fit and happy as she can going into her sixth decade
- Compete in more women-only races, especially half-marathons
WEBSITE: RachelToor.com »
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You inspire me in everything you do. Can’t wait to see what you have to say here!
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What a fantastic choice. As a recovering academic (and 2009 sponsored athlete), Rachel is my writing hero. Eager to read her contributions and to learn more about ride and tie!
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so much for my theory of having to retire from sports in my 40s. Rock on girl!
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Love that you keep it real……that is truly inspiring. I will enjoy your blogs.
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Dang. Those are some mighty big ears. And some mighty fine writing.
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You’ve inspired me for as long as I’ve known you. I see you’re determined to keep doing it.
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Wow! Thanks for such an inspiring post! As as fellow “nerdy egghead” who didn’t start running until my 30s, I really idenify with your journey. It took me a long time to realize that just because I wasn’t athletic that didn’t mean I couldn’t be active. looking forward to reading more of your posts!
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Wow, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your / this blog, may there be plenty more, I’ll be looking out for them all the way from Stellenbosch, South Africa !! so BTW can relate to every word spoken !!
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This was very interesting/think we could be friends. I’m a “both ends” person–love my books and love to exercise. I’ll be looking for your writing!
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This is exactly what I needed to read today. I’ve been running for over 50 years and my knees are giving out, but I still manage to get out there most days and walk/run. Everyone can do some kind of exercise. I recently became a personal trainer at 60! I look forward to being further inspired by you.
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There is something very special about single females and their dogs. What a bond! Who needs a boyfriend/husband with such full lives? Men want to sit home and watch football, talk on the cell during dinner, and snore. My terrier Hector does none of those!
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Thank you for your powerful words. I needed to hear this today. My call is coming to an end ( I am a Pastor) and now I am seeking another call but all I receive are reject letters. Lately, I feel like an imposter. So I going to use this time to work on my self differentiation. To do this i am going to take my yoga practice off my mat and integrate into my life.
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“..life is richer and fuller when it’s “both and.”" That is spectacular!. I am haveing a wonderful life being a typical either or person. How could it get better? Both and. That’s going on fridge, the white board at work. Both and.
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Nice writing.
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I need to make a copy of your article….I’m a road biker…64 years old…I fall…I pick myself up and go on.
My biking friends know me now and when I fall they tell all of those around me that I’m am the best at falling off a bike that they have ever seen! I’ve never really hurt myself badly…just skinned knees and elbows and bruises…they heal…I go on! I love my bike…I love riding!
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I remember reading about one of Rachel’s ride and tie adventures in the Chi blog and loved that her sport involved horses and she talked about the teammate portion of her equine partner. I do 3-day eventing and sharing the athletic test with a horse is a challenging and rewarding experience beyond words! So the Athleta blog is particularly inspiring to me. Actually, as I write this my mare (who I’ve trained with for 6 years) and I were set to enter a pretty hefty competition—today we’d be collecting our number and making last minute preparations. Instead she’s battling an illness so I withdrew our entry and instead of checking into the competition I’ve checked her into an equine hospital. I’ll be there all day in hopes we can find out what’s wrong so I can get my girl back to her sparkling, strong, energetic self. There will be a road to recovery but isn’t that what a partnership is all about? It will make riding the course with the “horse moguls” next year all the more worth it!
I’d love to know if Rachel struggled with being in top form but having her horse be unable to compete for one reason or another.
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I’m 66 and working towards a fitness contest/bodybuilding contest to show women that this is what You are going to go through some day and I am so stoked about being 66 and doing this – a dream that developed long ago and was dormant because I was just not able to devote the time and energy to it when it became an acceptable thing for the female gender. Now I have the time and the love of weigh training is bigger and better than ever. Not too many senior women doing this, but they will when they take the time to try it.
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I’m almost 50 and have just started to run. I’m running away from 50 extra pounds, smothering depression, and a horribly stressful job. Thanks for your inspiration, and wish me luck.
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