Deena Kastor - The Brain
MARATHONER - DISTANCE RUNNER - OLYMPIAN - USA - WORLD RECORD HOLDER
ARCHETYPE: THE BRAIN
Day 84/135
Athletic Accomplishments
Deena Kastor is a long distance runner whose mentality, focus, fitness, work ethic, and talent led to her break records, win titles, and become nothing short of American running royalty.
In high school, Kastor won three cross-country state titles and two state titles in the 3200 meters. She ran at the University of Arkansas, where she was a four-time SEC champion and an eight-time All-American.
Kastor’s absolutely dominant career continued as a pro. She won two silver medals in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships (in 2002 and 2003), being honored with the Jesse Owens Award in 2003, bestowed upon the top female track and field athlete in the U.S.
The following year, Kastor turned her attention to the marathon distance, winning the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and winning the 2005 Chicago Marathon and 2006 London Marathon outright.
Throughout her career, Kastor won the USATF Runner of the Year Award four times—in 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2008. She also set records in the half marathon, 10,000 meters, and road 5K that have since been broken.
But Kastor still holds U.S. records in multiple distances, from 8K (about 5 miles) up to the marathon:
Women's marathon - 2:19:36
Masters marathon - 2:27:47 (over 30)
Women's road 10 mile - 51:31
Women's road 15K - 47:15
Women's road 8K - 24:36
Character Archetype: The Brain
American long distance running legend Deena Kastor holds 5 American records in everything from the marathon down to the 8K. She also holds titles, which no one can break or take away from her. In 2004, she won an Olympic bronze medal in the marathon, and followed it up with wins at the 2005 Chicago Marathon and 2006 London Marathon.
What does it take to be this fast and this dominant across so many miles, for so many years? It’s not just about your body. For Kastor, it was all about her mindset and mentality.
While many runners fixate on competition—running as hard as possible, for fear of losing—that only drove Kastor closer to burnout and quitting. So she didn’t have to change how she ran… just how she thinks. Kastor didn't just practice miles, she practiced a new mindset that was more positive and resilient. The results? Well, they speak for themselves.