Long Distance Runner Dakotah Lindwurm in Workout Gear Says "Back To Work"

Long distance runner Dakotah Lindwurm is in full training mode for Paris 2024. Lindwurm, 29, shared a picture of herself wearing black athletic pants and a white long-sleeved shirt, going for a run outside. "Back home and back to work. 📸: @ben_sathre who was also my personal crossing guard this morning 🙏," she captioned the post. Lindwurm also had her trusty Puma Nitro shoes on for the run. Here's what the athlete's health and wellness regimen looks like. 

Lindwurm is used to healthy competition. "I've always been somebody who runs fast," she told The Lap Count. "When I joined the cross country and track team in high school, I was just somebody who just ran with the boys. My girl teammates would always skip out on runs and hide behind the school. So I just got in the habit of running with the guys and they just ran a little bit faster and made it a hard effort. I know that when you're in a 130 mile week, that you've got to take at least your doubles as slow as possible – for me, that's like 7:10 pace."

Lindwurm is beyond excited to travel to Europe. "It's insane. It's almost something that's too big to wrap my head around," she told WESH. "I think I'm most excited to see the Eiffel Tower. It's just so iconic and I just have to imagine it's so beautiful. I am also just really excited to experience their food and their coffee. I've heard just incredible things about the coffee and I'm a big connoisseur."

Lindwurm's athletic goals once veered in a different direction. "When I was in high school, I was still playing hockey and for sure had Olympic dreams there. But that obviously didn't pan out," she told The Lap Count. "But by no means did I think I was going to be an Olympian in running during high school. I ended up walking onto my Division II team because like, I wanted to keep running and I enjoy the community behind it. I was getting better through high school, but I knew that I wasn't the best in the country or even close to the best in my state."

Lindwurm is ready for Paris 2024. "Similar to Orlando, [Paris] leaves a lot of space for an underdog, somebody who isn't necessarily the fastest to place well," she told Runner's World. "And I plan to prepare well. It seems so daunting to be on the starting line with these women who were running amazing times all the way back in high school and college," Lindwurm said. "But there's space for people who are willing to work really hard."

Lindwurm has firm faith in herself and the future. "If you love something, I just can't imagine thinking you couldn't do it," she told Runner's World. "I have this thing in my heart that says, 'I can be the best at this sport.' I don't know where that comes from, but I'm thankful for it."