Keira D'Amato: From "Hobby Jogger: to American Marathon History
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Keira D'Amato: From "Hobby Jogger" to American Marathon History
At one time, Keira D’Amato described herself as a “hobby jogger”, but she’s about the only one that would see it that way. After a stellar high school and college running career, Keira became a professional runner, but injuries and the pressure that comes with being a pro lead her to retire in her mid 20’s.
She took eight years off from running, got married, had two kids, and that’s when the hobby kicked in. On this episode of Pay Your Dues, Keira takes us through the amazing transformation she engineered in her mid-30’s, going from hobby jogger to one of the faster marathon runners in the world. She topped that off by breaking the American Women’s marathon record, an amazing feat for anyone, let alone someone that had been away from running for nearly a decade.
Her book, Don’t Call it a Comeback, is chalk full of great stories and plenty of laughs, and so is this conversation. Keira is the “every woman”, except she just happens to be really fast. Her story will inspire you to seek new challenges and to have fun along the way.
(Note, after taping this episode, Keira decided to address a hip injury that had been bothering her, so she will not be running the Boston Marathon in 2026, but we do look for her to get back on her feet and to come back strong for her future races!)
Guest Resources
IG: @keiradamato
Website: www.keiradamato.com
Book: Don’t Call it a Comeback
If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star rating!
Want to skip to the good part? Here’s this episode’s segments:
Chapters
00:00 The Boston Marathon
04:31 Round One vs. Round Two: A Runner's Evolution
07:22 Finding Balance: Motherhood and Running
10:33 The Power of Community in Running
13:30 Overcoming Guilt: A Mother's Perspective
16:23 The What If Mentality: Embracing Possibilities
19:45 Breaking Records: The Houston Marathon Experience
29:39 Breaking Barriers: The Journey to a New Record
34:22 Life After the Record: Balancing Fame and Family
37:01 Playing with House Money: Embracing the Second Chance
38:45 Adapting Training: The Evolution of a Runner
40:36 Mental Toughness: Preparing for the Pain Cave
44:11 Welcoming Community: The Support of Fellow Runners
46:26 Lessons from Disappointment: The Olympic Qualifier Experience
49:47 Training at Altitude: New Challenges and Opportunities
52:56 Encouragement for Dreamers: Pursuing Goals Authentically
54:21 Aiming for the Future: The Road to LA 2028
55:49 The Mental Benefits of Running: More Than Competition
57:02 Overcoming Doubt: The Power of Belief
59:11 Not a Comeback: A Journey of Growth
