Just Start Running: Amy Nieman

Does your chosen career create challenges which impact your exercise program? This month, Lt. Col. Amy Nieman (U.S. Army), attorney and ultramarathoner, shares her philosophy. Those who are in the legal profession can relate to stressful schedules and deadlines. Amy made the transition from track while in college, to road racing and ultramarathons.

At what age did you develop an attraction to running?

In middle school, I won a race at a field day or something, and the high school cross country coach tracked me down and gave me a summer training plan! My family was always outdoors and athletic, so it was easy to follow, and by that fall, I was hooked.

Did you participate in any other sports?

I’m the oldest of four kids in an Army family, so we all played as many sports as possible. Sports were our consistency, and they made it easy to make friends when we were always the new kids. My parents are both athletes, so we grew up playing football, soccer, baseball, and pickup basketball with our family and the neighborhood kids wherever we lived. By mid-high school, though, running was my real focus, both track and field and cross country. I can’t say enough good things about how much sports participation enriched both my educational experience and my development as a person and a leader.

What was your distance of choice?

I competed for many years at the 10,000 and marathon distances. Later, though, I moved to ultramarathons, most of which take place off-road. I find ultras to be far less stressful and more enjoyable than the shorter, hyper-competitive distances.

Did you have any role models?

Running-wise? I had never really aspired to be a competitive runner, so I think I was always more inspired by my fellow runners and teammates. To this date, some of the most influential and inspirational people in my life are the women I coached and ran with a number of years ago on the Fort Bragg Army Ten Miler Team.

What attracted you to the U.S. Army?

I’m from an Army family, so this is kind of the family business. I don’t know that I thought I’d stay in for an entire career, but the Army’s dual focus on winning and people, combined with opportunities to lead and make a difference, have kept me in for 20 years… and counting! 

What was the path to your current profession?

I was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps officer and spent many back-to-back years deployed to the Middle East. I went to law school on the Funded Legal Education Program—a terrific opportunity I can highly recommend—because I wanted some more professional control. Naturally, I found myself back in Afghanistan in less than a year after I graduated from law school. I wouldn’t change a thing, though, and have had terrific experiences and teammates as an Army Judge Advocate.

What were challenges you faced early in your career?

I was commissioned in May 2001, and 9/11happened only months later. Being a young officer at Fort Bragg in those days was chaotic, unpredictable, and exhausting. Running was key then and provided some consistency and control. In the early deployments, though, there was no way to safely run on a consistent basis. We did prison workouts in stiflingly hot prison gyms. In Iraq, I remember doing a 15-miler on a treadmill that got clogged with sand every few miles and had to be cleaned and restarted. Now, of course, we say “those were the days…!”

How did you manage your schedule with family, work, and training?

Right now, not well! I have a busy and demanding job and five- and six-year-old children. I think what I’ve learned over the years is that every phase of your life requires adjustments. Lots of times, running won’t be number one, but it’ll always be there. Right now, I don’t have the time for many long training runs, and that’s okay. I maximize the time I have and know that I can get back to putting in long distances when the rest of the demands on my time shift a little. 

How has the military changed your life?

The military has given me too many opportunities and experiences to begin to describe. The perspective you gain, the toughness you develop, and the resilience you learn in this profession and with these teammates are something you just can’t get in any other line of work.

How did you make the progression into ultramarathons?

I was tired of and beat up by road racing. One of my girlfriends said “Hey, let’s do this 40 miler in the woods,” (Uwharrie Mountain Run) and I was amazed at just how doable it was. 

How do you handle it when the results do not match the level of your training?

I’m actually one of the least competitive people on the planet. I run because I enjoy running. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten upset about a result. I had my first DNF a couple years ago, though, when I broke my ankle on a trail race. That was pretty devastating!

How do you process the recovery from am an injury?

I have a lot of running friends who really have a hard time with not being able to run. I’m so lucky to come from a background of people who just love being fit and outdoors. When I can’t run, for whatever reason, I enjoy the time to swim, bike, and play outside with my kids.

Do you think the sport is emotional?

Definitely. When you’re working that hard, and investing so much time, physical energy, and mental energy, you can’t not feel emotional about it. It’s emotional to watch, too, to see people 

How did you manage training through COVID-19?

Early in the pandemic, running outside was such a terrific way to maintain sanity. I tore a ligament in early 2021, though, and have been having to find other ways to stay in shape. I just started upping my mileage again and look forward to putting in more this fall, but until then I’ve been trying to swim and bike more.

What has a higher value for you, the time or the effort?

At this particular phase of my life, the effort is easy (everything requires it!). As a working mom, my time is at a real premium.

What is your running philosophy?

Running will always be there, and nobody is at the top of their game all the time. If you take a couple months or even years off of hard training when your kids are little or you have a particularly busy job or a deployment or an injury, that’s fine. When you’re ready, all you have to do is lace your shoes back up and find a road or a trail. There is so much beauty in the simplicity of that.

What performance stands as the one where you did everything right?

That’s so funny! I never think of a race as a performance, and I almost never do everything right. I won a Moonlight Madness 50 miler years ago, at which I got lost multiple times, was chased by coyotes, failed to note that there were no aid stations (or to carry my own water or fuel), and lost my headlamp, which required me to run several miles with my phone flashlight stuffed in my sports bra. I’ve always been a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants runner, but that set a new bar even for me. 

Is there an event where you did all the wrong things right?

I don’t think so, but I’ve definitely done everything wrong. Juggling ultras and an Army schedule, I used to fly in before a 50 miler late before the night of the race, sleep in my car, and basically just roll out and start running. I remember after one Bear Mountain 50 I fell asleep in an ice bath afterwards!

What can you pass along to a person wanting to start a running program?

Just start running. There are so many resources and programs out there, eventually you’ll land on what works best for you. But it’s so easy to start running, and you don’t need any fancy gear or know-how. Start small, add a couple miles a day, cross train for strength, and enjoy every mile.

Do you consider yourself a competitive runner?

I consider myself a sometimes-competitive runner. I don’t know if I’ll go back to competing seriously, but we’ll see. For right now, I am focused on instilling the love of sports and the outdoors in my kids. I hope they’ll want to run with me someday. My 5-year-old just ran his first 2 miles with me, and it was so much fun to watch him prove to himself he could do it. 

Is there anything you want the reader to know about Amy?

My husband lost his leg to an improvised explosive device in 2012, so it’s hard not to be reminded how lucky I am just to be able to run. Watching him recover and get back to doing what he loves (now retired, he is a professional bass fisherman) through resilience and toughness has been a constant inspiration.