Meet XOSKIN’s October Athlete of the Month, Kristy McBride. Kristy is an ultra-runner and obstacle course racer from Charlevoix. Michigan. When Kristy isn’t training or competing in a race or event, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and going on fun outdoor adventures.


Q&A With Kristy

How old are you?

31

Have you always lived in Michigan?

No, I grew up in Sylvan Beach, New York.

What school(s) did you attend?

University of Rochester for B.S., Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine for D.V.M.

Have you always been active?

Very active as a child, played every sport possible and loved being outdoors. Frequently visited my grandfathers “hunting camp” in the Adirondacks during my childhood to spend time doing everything from hiking and canoeing to riding quads and shooting guns!

Did you play sports growing up?

Yes- field hockey, nordic skiing, and golf in high school. I played softball during the summer and ran to stay in shape for field hockey in the fall.  I would always run the Utica Boilermaker 15k in July. It’s one of the biggest road races in the country and its only 45 min from where I grew up. My husband and I still occasionally go back to NY in July just to run that race.

Did you play sports in school?

I played field hockey and ran indoor/outdoor track for University of Rochester. I was a sprinter on the track team and preferred the 200m distance.

What do you do for a living?

I was a farm animal veterinarian, specializing in Dairy cow medicine, but I am now a stay at home mom. I work 1-2x days per week at our local Crossfit box, Crossfit Charlevoix.

How did you got into running?

I started playing field hockey in 7th grade and right from the start it was evident that running was something that I was good at.  I was always one of the first kids back when we did long runs and although I didn’t have the greatest skill set, I was decent at field hockey because I was usually the fastest one on the field and worked hard to beat everyone else to the ball.  During vet school I wasn’t very active (too busy studying!) so for the first time in my life I was “out of shape”.  After graduating I came to MI for an internship through MSU at a large dairy farm called Green Meadows.  One of my students asked me if I have ever heard of Tough Mudder because she thought that I would be good at it (although I wasn’t in running shape, I was fairly strong for a 5′ female from doing farm work/working with cows, so she thought I could crush the obstacles).  I looked up Tough Mudder that night and signed up for my first one. I started running again (at first I could barely do 3 miles in 30 min!) and completed that first Tough Mudder in around 3 hours.  I have since done 25+ Tough Mudder events and have cut that course time by over 1/2!  Tough Mudder opened the door for me to other obstacle course races and eventually to Ultra marathon running, which is my preferred event now.

Favorite place to run?

I love running on technical trails! Whether in Canada, UP, or Minnesota, the coast of Lake Superior is my heaven on earth for trail running.

Do you play any other sports/activities or cross train?

Crossfit, hiking, biking, skiing (downhill and XC), and playing on the lake. We do everything from wake surfing to slalom skiing during the summer.

What else do you enjoy doing for fun?

As a family we just really enjoy being outdoors. We camp and hike together often.  If we are stuck indoors then we are usually playing ping pong, darts, or pool in our basement! I also occasionally enjoy a good jigsaw puzzle or book.

What are your most memorable races?

Too many to list them all, but here are some of my better finishes:

  • 25+ Tough Mudders, including 1st place at Tougher Mudder MI this year
  • 4x World’s Toughest Mudder finisher- 2x 5th place female, career best 75 miles
  • 5x Utica Boiler Maker 15k finisher- PR 66:01 in 2016
  • 2x OCRWC finisher- 15th place elite female in 2016
  • Hurt the Dirt Trail Marathon 2015- 2nd place female (this was my 1st marathon!)
  • Yankee Springs Trail Marathon 2015- 4th place female
  • Dances with Dirt Hell 50 mile 2015- 2nd place female (this was my first ultra!)
  • Kettle Moraine 100 mile 2016- 1st place female, time 21:47 (1st 100 miler and a PR)
  • Bayshore Marathon 2017- PR of 3:20:57, BQ (officially running Boston in 2018!)
  • Western States Endurance Run 2017- 13th place female, time 23:42
  • Lake Superior Provincial Park Coastal Trail Female FKT- set in July 2017, time 13:14
  • Superior 100 2017- 4th place female

What future races are you planning on doing or want to do?

  • I’m currently signed up for Black Canyon 100k in Feb with the hopes of getting a Golden Ticket to return to Western States.
  • Boston Marathon 2018
  • I’d like a second try at the Superior 100 miler since I was injured going into the race this year.
  • Marquette 50k

Why do you love XOSKIN apparel?

During races- No chaffing and no need to re apply lube!

During training- No smell, stay dry. I can wear the same clothes to the gym in the A.M., while doing house work and then for a run later in the day without feeling the need to change.

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