#574 - Danni McNeilly: The 31st U.S. Born African-American Women to Break 3:00

It was a honor (and a blast!) to have Danni McNeilly on the show! She became the 31st U.S. born African-American women to break 3:00 in the marathon at Chicago two weeks ago. It was a result ten years in the making and one that put her in the history books. She also became the fourth women in the Black Roses running club to make The List - an incredible achievement for a single club.
Here is a what that day meant to Danni in her own words (via her Instagram):

"I’ve been struggling to find the words to express the feelings I have about yesterday.
In my second favorite city. In the year of our Jordan (phrase coined by Tim). On the 45th running of the Chicago Marathon (Jordan’s other number). After 10 years of marathoning parallel to the 10 years I been repping Roses.
I ran my first sub 3 marathon and made The List.
It was my time. It wasn’t supposed to happen any other way.
To know me is to know that I train hard so performance is never really a surprise. However, I also run heavily on vibes and that will always dictate how my race goes. Times be damned. If I want it, I’ll get after it. If not, well that’s that.
I’ve said before that sub 3 was never an earnest goal but this time I changed my tune. I stopped introducing hypotheticals. No trying, no attempts. I said I was going to break 3 in Chi. I didn’t give life to failure. I spoke this win into existence. Words have power and mean things.
It’s been a hard cycle during which I pushed my body to unseen limits. At some points I felt unsure but in the last phase of training squad held me down and made it apparent that I was more than capable. Everyone said I was ready. Knox [Robinson] said it was my day, and it was.
The job is done and now we rest."

You can follow Danni on Instagram at www.instagram.com/vexyspice.

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