Our next Runner Spotlight joined NRC back in 2019 after she watched our group run right by her house for enough Wednesday nights before she decided she needed to check us out for herself, and we sure are glad she did! I greatly enjoyed getting to know Mark Kate Collins Pollreis, especially her trademark dry sense of humor. Read on to learn more about some of her amazing accomplishments, her favorite memories thus far with NRC, and her incredible perspective on dealing with an unpredictable medical condition. I was inspired interviewing her and I hope you enjoy getting to know her better!
NRC: Where are you from and how did you make your way to the Nolensville area?
Mary Kate: I am originally from Brentwood by way of my mother and went to Ravenwood High School. I went to Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas (we have a few Harding alums in NRC by the way!) where I met my husband, Chris. I ran cross country and track at Harding and Chris and I stayed in Arkansas for 4 years post-graduation. We had our daughter, Collins, in Little Rock and when she was almost one, she got a stomach bug that she passed on to both of us- it was then that we realized we needed family close by to help so we moved back to the Nolensville area. I also wanted Collins to have the same opportunity I did growing up in great schools!
NRC: So it sounds like you’ve run for quite some time. When did it start for you? Did you play any other sports growing up?
Mary Kate: My dad was a runner and we lived in a neighborhood where he’d do a short warm-up of 1-2 loops so I’d join him before he went out for his actual run. My dad ran at Lipscomb so he was my inspiration to really get into running. I did my first 5K with him at 7 years old. In addition to logging miles with my dad, I played rec basketball in middle school but I was a little small; I still love the sport though and I am a huge WNBA and Lady Vols fan- I dreamt of playing for Pat Summit!
NRC: What is your occupation and something you enjoy about it?
Mary Kate: I am a full-time mother to Collins and I work part-time as a personal assistant and estate manager for a couple in Belle Meade. My mom does their bookkeeping, which was “in” for the job. I love working there because it is so interesting! The couple are very philanthropic and make large donations to the Arts here in Nashville. And of course, I love being a mom to Collins!
NRC: Let’s shift back to running. How was running in college and how did that translate to continuing to run into adulthood?
Mary Kate: I loved running at Harding but I had to stop running my sophomore year due to an injury. After graduation, I started working at the Fleet Feet in Little Rock before Collins was born and I would join their social runs and training group runs. I definitely got more serious about running again after we moved back to Nolensville and I started working at the Fleet Feet in Brentwood- it was contagious being around fellow runners (and they were some pretty serious runners at that!).
NRC: So how did you hear about NRC then?
Mary Kate: My house was and still is on many of the Wednesday night routes we run and it was a little difficult not to notice over fifty people running right by your house each week! In all seriousness, my first run with NRC was 2019 when we still met at Town Hall. I didn’t actually know anyone, but I met some friendly ladies who I logged my first NRC miles with- Terrie Peterson and Kara Molitor. When we moved to meeting at the brewery, I remember turning around before announcements and saying, “Hi, I’m Mary Kate; what pace do you run?” to Erin Petree and Tandy Blaylock who are some of my closest friends in NRC now. We’ve logged many miles together and gone through some ups and downs- Erin has had two kids since we started running together and Tandy has had a full hip replacement!
NRC: You found some great ladies to log miles with at NRC! What is one of your favorite memories with the group thus far?
Mary Kate: My favorite memory thus far has been volunteering with the Couch to 5K Program in 2023! Wendy Mucci and I mentored a group together; we called ourselves the Greyhounds and we barked at everyone. I also love meeting all the people at NRC! I’ve done some long races that require some very long training runs so I really enjoy logging miles with all the different pace groups since I am more focused on duration rather than speed; it’s a great way to meet and run with all kinds of NRCers!
NRC: We love that you’ve been able to log miles with all the different pace groups within NRC. Who in NRC has been a big motivator for you?
Mary Kate: It’s hard to pick one person and I truly try not to compare myself to others because we have some incredible runners in our group. Tandy Blaylock is so impressive to me- she had a full hip replacement and is still getting out there to walk and be part of the NRC community! It’s all the people in NRC who keep showing up- rain or shine, fast or slow! I truly enjoy running with NRC to meet new people and running just happens to be what we are doing while we meet.
NRC: We love your approach and perspective on what makes NRC special! Let’s talk about some of your most memorable races/accomplishments thus far.
Mary Kate: Most recently, the Bell Ringer 50K. I had a great training cycle including a 21-mile training run that gave me a huge confidence boost going into the race and I had a much better finishing time than my last 50K. This past summer, I completed Hell Mary, which is a local race directed by John Hardin; it’s a one mile loop and there are different time options- I did the 12-hour iteration and finished 40 loops! It was so fun and several of my friends from Fleet Feet did it as well. My first marathon was St. Jude in 2022; I also love our club’s race, the Rollin Nolen and I PRd by 20 minutes in 2023!
NRC: You’ve had some amazing races recently! Let’s talk about how you’ve dealt with injuries or training setbacks. How do you train through those challenges?
Mary Kate: I have IBS and I’d say that’s the biggest challenge for me while training and racing because I can have a great training cycle but have a bad race day and there is nothing I can do about it. I have a list of “safe” foods I stick to for the whole week leading up the race as my mitigation strategy, but that unfortunately doesn’t always guarantee I won’t have issues. Accepting and acknowledging that I can do everything right and there is nothing I can do about it has been the most challenging part of having IBS but it is also the best way to cope with it. I’ve had to let go of my pride for sure. It’s tough to feel like I’ve done everything right in training leading up to the race to then have a bad race. That said, I remind myself running is such a gift and a blessing and I try not to take it for granted! I want to show my daughter, Collins, that I can do hard and stupid races that some people might say can’t be done; at the same time, I want her to know that accomplishing those things isn’t the only way I value myself!
NRC: That has to be so tough going into race day not knowing how it will go but your attitude and perspective about it show much about your character. Are you currently training for any races?
Mary Kate: I just finished Bell Ringer 50K this past weekend. Besides that, I am running 2,023 miles in 2023 and I am currently on pace! I have to average about 5.5 miles/day. I will finish the 2,023 miles, even if I have to set up a Sign Up Genius on 12/29 for running buddies to finish it out!
NRC: I am sure you would have no problem getting some NRC friends to help you reach that goal! If there were no limitations, what race would you like to run?
Mary Kate: The Javelin Jundred. It’s at McDowell Park in Arizona around Halloween. It’s a 20-mile loop course and while 100 miles may not be attainable yet, they do offer a 100K. The challenge for me is getting all the training in while being a mom. I don’t want to prioritize running and lose that time with my family.
NRC: Speaking of family, tell us about yours before we wrap up!
Mary Kate: I met my husband, Chris, through some of my Cross Country teammates, who ended up being randomly paired to be Chris’s roommate. Chris used to complain it smelled so bad in their dorm! We met Freshman year but we didn’t date until Sophomore year and we married shortly after I graduated in July 2014. Chris is a full-time firefighter in LaVergne and volunteers for the Nolensville Fire Department as well; he used to be in Hospital Administration but always dreamed of being a firefighter, and while his schedule is a little challenging at times, I am grateful he feels more fulfilled! We have a daughter, Collins, who just turned 6 and is in Kindergarten. She used to join me for runs in her stroller and her goal this summer is to ride her bike without training wheels so she can join me for some of my runs!
NRC: Your dedication to your family and some very challenging races is inspiring and we can’t wait to hear about more of them from you! Congratulations, Mary Kate, and we are so glad you are a part of the NRC family!
Speed Round:
NRC: Favorite mid run fuel?
Mary Kate: Black Forest Gummy Fruit Snacks, Spring Nutrition Awesome Sauce, Bare Performance Nutrition Gels (all easier on my stomach!)
NRC: Name a hidden talent or something surprising about you that no one in NRC would guess.
Mary Kate: I performed an original song at the Country Music Hall of Fame about my mother’s cheese toast in the sixth grade; it was part of a state-wide song-writing contest and I was paired with an actual songwriter who paired the words to actual music, which was pretty cool.
NRC: Favorite local run?
Mary Kate: The Bryant Grove Trail at Longer Hunter State Park! There are real bathrooms, the trail is easy to navigate without too many turns, and it’s close to Nolensville!
NRC: Any hobbies?
Mary Kate: Weightlifting and working out; mid-day naps
NRC: Favorite thing about the holidays?
Mary Kate: Seeing it through Collins’s eyes! We have a Christmas Play she’ll be in, breakfast with Santa, and I enjoy getting my early/late runs in with all the festive lights of Nolensville