What happens when your race gets canceled, your dreams get deferred, and life doesn’t go according to plan? For Mandy Mullen, the answer was simple: she redefined her finish line, bet on herself and ran straight into a new chapter.
In the latest Beyond The Finish Line podcast with host Joe Hardin, powered by Run Tri Bike and the Everyday Athlete Podcast Network, Mandy shares how chasing a Boston Marathon qualification turned into a journey of community-building, race directing, and redefining success on her own terms.
Her story reminds us that the finish line isn’t just a timing mat, it’s a mindset.
From Boston Dreams to Moab Miles
Mandy didn’t grow up racing. She didn’t come through the traditional high school or college running pipeline. She began running in her 20s as a way to feel stronger, fitter, and more grounded. Then in 2013, after witnessing the Boston Marathon bombing, she made a personal vow to qualify for the iconic race.
Over two years, she trimmed a jaw-dropping 90 minutes from her marathon time only to miss the BQ by five minutes. Disappointed but not defeated, she trained harder. Then the pandemic hit. Her qualifying race was canceled. Her gym shut down. But instead of quitting, Mandy pivoted.
She took a bib transfer and ran her first ultra in Moab. It was 50 miles of dirt, grit, and discovery although it was to be a 50k. That race changed her forever.
Choosing Experience Over Metrics
In an endurance world often obsessed with pace, splits, and Strava kudos, Mandy offers a refreshing philosophy: race for experience, not just for time.
She’s tackled some of the toughest events out there (Leadville 100, Cruel Jewel, and Behind the Rocks 50-Miler) not to prove a point but to grow through the process.
Today, she takes a seasonal approach to training, weaving it around her roles as a race director, mom, and community leader. Some seasons are high mileage; others focus on strength or rest. As she puts it: “There’s a season for everything.”
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Building Something Bigger with Run Windsor
What began as a local women’s running group eventually evolved into Run Windsor, a race company hosting 12 events annually. From 5Ks to backyard ultras, Mandy’s events offer more than just start and finish lines, they create experiences. Think cold plunges, glamping tents, Texas Roadhouse catering, and beer brewed just for the runners.
She’s also the founder of Windsor Gives, a nonprofit that funds race scholarships and brings free race experiences to kids and underserved runners.
The ripple effect is real: local 5K participants are now toeing the line at races like Silver Rush 50.
Family, Fulfillment, and the True Meaning of Success
For Mandy, this journey isn’t just professional. It has become deeply personal. Her 13-year-old son Carter volunteers at aid stations and even completed a backyard ultra. She’s showing him, and all of us, that endurance sports are about more than medals.
They’re about taking risks, betting on yourself, and showing up for your community.
Start Your Own Chapter
Mandy’s story is a powerful reminder that success isn’t about what others expect of you and instead it is about defining your own finish line.
So if you’ve ever felt behind, burnt out, or not “fast enough,” take a breath. You’re not alone. And your next start line might just be the one that changes everything.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of Beyond The Finish Line on Run Tri Bike and get inspired to move with purpose, not pressure.
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