Record-breaker, All-American, elite runner and marathon mom next door Keira D’Amato runs Richmond and the world – get to know this elite runner!
Remember the annual required run at school that was part of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program for generations? Lots of students dreaded it, and some kids absolutely hated it – even if it meant bringing home that nifty Presidential Physical Fitness Award certificate.
Not Keira D’Amato.
“I loved it,” she says of the benchmark run. “I would run to my room, run to the dining table, run everywhere!”
That love of running has manifested in amazing accomplishments for the Richmond woman. A nationally acclaimed elite runner, D’Amato broke Deena Kastor’s long-standing American record in the marathon in January 2022 with a time of two hours, nineteen minutes, and twelve seconds. In July 2022, with only two weeks notice after being brought up from the alternate position, she finished eighth in the World Athletics Championships.
D’Amato holds three USA Track & Field national titles for the 2021 women’s half marathon, the 2022 women’s 6k (for which she set a new course record), and the 2022 women’s 20k. She set the American record for the ten-mile women’s race in November 2020 with a time of fifty-one minutes, twenty-three seconds.
Even though running is part of D’Amato’s DNA at this point, she understands why it’s so difficult for others to take up the sport.
“It’s important for people to understand when you get into it, it’s really hard. It’s not enjoyable. It wears you out,” she says. “But the more you run, the better it feels. You have to make it part of your routine.”
Despite that somewhat discouraging take, D’Amato says that after several weeks of serious running, the unpleasant grind can transition into “a calm feeling of floating.”
“You will feel free, powerful – and exhausted,” says D’Amato, who lives in Henrico with her husband, Anthony, and their two elementary school-aged kids, Thomas and Quin. “You do get really tired and don’t know if you can finish, but you push through. Then you are proud you had the courage to start, and you had the will to push through. That’s when the endorphins are flowing.”
Four-Time All-American and Marathon Mom Keira D’Amato
When she was a young girl, D’Amato, a native of Fairfax, dreamed of playing soccer for Oakton High School. Once she got to high school, she joined the cross country team to train for soccer. She also ran indoor track.
After a time, she realized she was more into running than the other sports she played. “I finally said, this is for me,” she says of running track and cross country. “I was around a group of people who love to run. I realized I could be good at a lot of things, but great at one thing.”
Shy during her youth, D’Amato, who lettered twelve times as a varsity athlete in high school, found that running boosted her confidence.
“I am kind of an introverted extrovert. I like being around people, but I also like my space. I learned how to make goals, and I learned how powerful I am. I could do my own thing [as a runner] and hold my head high,” she says.
D’Amato’s talent and dedication to her chosen sport earned her a scholarship to American University, where she majored in math and computer science. She ran cross country and indoor and outdoor track all four years and was a four-time All-American during that time.
During college, she honed skills that would help her become a more efficient runner. “College teaches you about prioritizing your time. You need to make sure not to procrastinate,” she says. “I learned about time management, confidence, and feeling powerful as a runner. It taught me discipline, and I learned about working toward goals.”
After college, she joined a post-collegiate running team, DC Elite, and trained there for two years.
“I had huge goals to be an Olympian – to be part of Team USA. I knew in my core I could do that, but I kept getting injuries,” she says.
In 2009, surgery on her left ankle for a tarsal coalition (inherited condition in which there’s an abnormal connection between two or more of the tarsal bones) forced her out of the sport she loved. During the next eight years, she started a career. She got a job working in IT for Freddie Mac, the federal home loan mortgage company, and later went to work as director of marketing at Potomac River Running Store (PR Run & Walk) in the Washington, D.C. area.
“That’s what pulled me back into the running world,” she says.
Starting a Family and a Career – PR Run & Walk and More
In January 2012, she married Anthony D’Amato, an alumni of Midlothian High. The two met at Blue Ridge Running Camp in Harrisonburg during their high school years, stayed in touch, and remained friends through college. Anthony went to the U.S. Air Force Academy and is now a major in the Air Force. The couple had their son Thomas in 2014 and daughter Quin in 2016, the same year they moved to Richmond.
“My husband is military, and when he switched from active duty to the Air National Guard, we wanted to be around family,” she says.
D’Amato started running again competitively in 2017, something she admits she beat herself up for at first.
“I just needed a little bit of time to myself,” she says. “It was hard because I had a lot of mom guilt. It took me a little bit to give myself permission to do that.”
D’Amato is a wonderful parent, says her mother-in-law Linda D’Amato. “She puts her family above everything. Anything the kids need to be successful at school, she makes sure it’s done.”
The family has developed a routine that works for everyone which incorporates D’Amato’s training schedule. D’Amato’s husband usually takes the early shift for working out while D’Amato tries to sleep. She is usually up between seven and eight, but sometimes when she has a hard workout, she is up by six to kickstart her day.
“Then we team up to get the kids breakfast and ready for the bus,” she says. “Once the kids are off to school, I’ll get my run in. Then, I get back to the house, do my exercises, hurdle mobility, strength, weights, massage, physical therapy, etc. I get lunch, then get all my errands, chores, and work done before the bus drops the kids off in the afternoon. After they get home till bedtime, it’s family time. It’s our family’s golden hour, and we always try to protect it.”
D’Amato, who is thirty-eight, is beginning her third year as a Nike-sponsored athlete. She has a handful of other sponsors as well, including a nutrition sponsor. She runs every day and burns about one hundred calories per mile. She says the calories add up and they have to be replenished.
“I have to make sure I am eating enough,” she says.
What she eats is important to the way she feels, she adds. “When I don’t have enough protein, I get weak. I feel malnourished without enough carbs. I have to give my body what it wants.”
If she eats the wrong thing one day – too much sugar, for example – she says she’ll pay for it the next day.
“It’s really a full-time job,” she says about training now that Nike is in her corner. “It’s exhausting, too. When I get done, I have to sit and relax. Going to physical therapy appointments, getting a weekly massage – all the recovery really adds up.”
Running Richmond Like a Pro with Keira D’Amato
D’Amato spends at least one to three hours running each day, which equates to ten to twenty-four miles. She also does pilates, core work, and weightlifting drills.
She trains in various places around town – Midlothian neighborhoods, Pony Pasture in James River Park, St. Christopher’s School, Pocahontas Park, Capital Trail, Robious Landing Park, and more. One of her favorite Richmond runs is a loop from Northside to Southside and back across the bridges.
D’Amato is comfortable running outside, but as a female, “I am a little paranoid. I try to be as safe as possible,” she says.
She recommends that new runners stay hyper-aware of their surroundings and make sure to note the traffic patterns, and always run toward traffic, but try to stay on the sidewalks and trails.
“If the sun is going down or coming up, wear reflective gear, flashy lights, and bright-colored clothes,” she says. “It’s really hard to see people when it’s dark out, so make sure you are making it easy for motorists to see you.”
In January of this year, Richmond was named a Runner Friendly Community. The designation was made official by the Road Runners Club of America after Sports Backers and the Richmond Road Runners Club applied to be recognized.
“This was a huge win for us,” D’Amato says. “Richmond is an incredible city for running. I mean, just go for a run and everyone waves. But there are a ton of running clubs and training programs… running in community is the easiest way to
get started.”
She feels lucky to call Richmond home, she adds. “I love the small town feel of a big city – the capital of the state. Richmond has an incredible community, and I love traveling around for races and hearing ‘Go Richmond’ or ‘RVA Elite’ or ‘RVA Power!’ I’ve heard these chants at Worlds, in Berlin, you name it. It’s so special to have the love and support from your city.”
D’Amato hopes to run some Richmond events this year, including the Monument Avenue 10K in April and the Richmond Marathon in November, but it depends on her racing schedule.
Nan Callahan, PR and communications manager for Sports Backers, says it’s an honor to have a superstar like D’Amato as a running ambassador. “Keira is amazing,” says Callahan. “You can tell she loves the sport so much. Plus, she is very community-minded. It’s nice to see someone at her level who is so down to earth and willing to help out her community. She wants to share the joy of running with others.”
World-Class Athlete and World Traveler Keira D’Amato
D’Amato travels the world to run in various events. In September 2022, she went to Berlin, Germany, for the 2022 Berlin Marathon where she finished sixth. Later this year, she will travel to London for the London Marathon and Budapest for the World Athletics Championships.
D’Amato is also preparing for the February 2024 Olympic trials in Orlando, Florida. The top three women who finish there will compete on Team USA in the Summer Olympics in Paris. Participating in the Olympics has been D’Amato’s goal since childhood.
“Oh man, that would mean the world to me. I’ve been dreaming about becoming an Olympian since I was in elementary school,” she says. “This would be really special for our family because my husband has been serving in the Air Force for sixteen-plus years. He’s represented our country through military service; this would be my way to represent the country.”
D’Amato is passionate about the Olympics and running, but her passion goes well beyond competing.
“I’m passionate about my goals, my family, and supporting my community. I’m fun-loving, hardworking, and love finding a reason to laugh,” she says.
D’Amato is also very competitive “within herself,” says Linda D’Amato. “She pushes herself to do the best she can do. If she felt like she didn’t give her best, that would disappoint her.”
Business Woman On the Go
A third-generation realtor – her mom and grandmother were realtors – D’Amato started in real estate in 2017 and has been working for Stone Properties, her mother’s Fairfax-based company. Now that running has evolved into a full-time endeavor, she is backing off from her realtor role.
That doesn’t mean she is retiring from business, however.
Soon after setting the women’s marathon American record, she opened PR Run & Walk by Keira D’Amato with her husband in Midlothian (there are nine PR Run & Walk locations in Northern Virginia).
The Westchester Commons store specializes in running and walking shoes, apparel, and gear. What sets the store apart is its fit process, which includes a foot scan, custom analysis, and more.
“We analyze people’s gait and make sure we are putting them in shoes that are right for them,” D’Amato says, adding that the store also caters to female runners who are looking for a good fit in a sports bra. “Running in a well-fitting bra can make a world of difference, not only for comfort but also to prevent strain and soreness. We can help fit for the proper size.”
At the end of the day, D’Amato wants to help people start running and keep running – perhaps the biggest reasons she and her husband opened the store.
“I started my round two of running by trying to run three minutes. I didn’t make it. But I tried again the next day, and before I knew it, I was trying to run five minutes, then ten minutes – and so on and so on,” she says. “The secret to running is patience. Be patient and try to do a little bit more than you did yesterday.”
Like medical professionals and health advocates everywhere, D’Amato knows moving your body is very important for both your mental and physical health.
“It doesn’t necessarily need to be running. It can be walking, swimming, biking, exercise classes, whatever – moving your body reduces stress, builds confidence, improves your mood, improves your health, and it can connect you with community,” D’Amato says.
Go, Mommy, Go!
D’Amato believes running has made her a better mother and being a parent has made her a better runner.
“The day I had my first child, my perspective on life changed,” she says. “It’s the most important role I’ve ever played. Being a mom means the world to me.”
Motherhood has allowed her to see what’s really important “and live a really fun and full life,” she says. “I love being able to see the world through my children’s eyes. The day I set the American record in the marathon was the fourth best day of my life – behind the birth of my two kids and the day I married my husband.”
D’Amato wants her kids to be happy, healthy, and the best they can be, her mother-in-law says. “She challenges them. She’s a math person and she is always writing up equations and word problems for them to do.”
Juggling a career as an elite runner with parenting can be tricky, but D’Amato has strategies that work.
“First off, you just get it done,” she says. “Secondly, it takes a village. I’m not a one-woman show. I ask for a lot of help. I’ve found people have really showed up for me and have enjoyed being part of the journey. It’s sometimes hard for me to ask for help, but there would be no way I could juggle everything without it.”
It’s important for her to be present in her children’s lives. “I only have one chance at it. I’m hoping that by bringing them along on my running journeys, we can all experience these moments together.”
When the family can’t be together, they use FaceTime to connect when the timing is right. But D’Amato admits, sometimes before a race she needs the alone time.
“To get into the place mentally and physically to perform at my best, I isolate myself before big races to make sure I’m relaxed and focused. The kids know I have a job to do, and I need to be focused,” she says. “Also, with germs and everything going around, I try to stay locked down so I don’t get sick.”
D’Amato’s children are also active. They participate in soccer, scouts, gymnastics, and HealthyKidsRunningSeries.org from home.
“I’ll never be the coach or troop leader, but I am there cheering for them, and I’ll sign up for snack duty,” D’Amato says, adding she doesn’t know if her kids will be runners one day. “I guess we will have to wait and see.”
D’Amato credits her husband’s support for helping her go the distance, not only as a runner, but also as a parent and business owner. “I couldn’t do this without him. He’s my rock, and he knows how to take stuff off my plate so I can focus on a big race. He also keeps all of this fun,” she says, commenting that maintaining that fun element for athletes can be a big part of their success. “It’s a superhero power. I’m having the time of my life.”
As she advances up the ranks of elite runners, so does her celebrity status in sports. She’s determined not to let that notoriety affect her or her family. “I love the life my family and I have built, and I don’t want that to change,” she says. “I think my popularity is largely focused in the running world. So, in most walks of life, I’m Thomas and Quin’s mom.”
Whether D’Amato’s in family mode, work mode, or training mode, she says running is in her bones. “Even when I wasn’t running for years of my life, I was still a runner – just a runner who didn’t run. Running is part of my identity, but not the whole thing. I’ve learned Keira is way more than just a runner, and I think that’s why I am doing so well at it. I’m going to run as long as my family and I are having fun.”
