Our Heart & Soul of Precor series highlights the incredible, inspiring people who work at Precor. These articles focus on employees who embody the Precor creed both inside and outside of the workplace. We hope you enjoy this glimpse into the people who make our company so unique!

Many fitness professionals around the world know Erica Tillinghast as the Global Education Manager at Precor, but what some do not realize is how much she excels outside the office as well, being a mom who runs half and full marathons at amazing speeds, and much more. Keep reading to learn more about Erica and how she became the athlete she is today!

1. What is your fitness story?

I’ve always been an athlete. My primary sport growing up was competitive jump rope. I am a Junior Olympic Champion, an international silver medalist, and a national gold medalist. While sports and competition have always been a part of my DNA, my fitness story really begins with my mother. When I was in middle school my mom was very overweight, and her doctor told her she needed to make some significant changes in her life. After that, she immediately changed the way my whole family ate, and she started walking to the end of the street every day. Overtime, her walks gradually lengthened until she decided to boost her volume with a little jogging. Over several years she lost 100 pounds with healthy lifestyle choices and earned her way to the Boston Marathon. Her perseverance and willpower fundamentally changed my own understanding of physical change and our own responsibilities to take care of our bodies.

2. What inspired you to start running and participating in marathons?

I always admired runners but didn’t start to run longer distances until after college. My Mom was running her first half marathon the fall after I graduated, so I decided to support her and run the race too. It hooked me! I finished in under two hours and wanted to try again. However, at the time I was putting my jump rope skills to use teaching youth and adult classes around Seattle, and starting a personal training career, so my running didn’t go far at the time. I also started working with a jump rope performance troupe, and we performed both locally and around the world with different circus companies for several years. During this time, I ran some half marathons and even tried a few full ones, but my performance was poor (for me). I changed jobs and increased my stress level, and physically I was taxing too many energy systems and battling injuries. It wasn’t until I stopped performing jump rope that I truly became a “runner”. My Mom had qualified for the Boston Marathon and I decided I wanted to start the race with her. My previous best marathon time had been around 4:15, so I was a long way off from the 3:35 cut off. I decided that if I could run the inaugural Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in less than four hours, than I’d be able to qualify in a different race. I beat my goal with a 3:48 finish time, and a few months later qualified for Boston at the Victoria Marathon. During this time my mom suffered an injury in a race which resulted in a partial knee replacement, so the doctors told her that her running days were behind her. She was determined to run the Boston Marathon anyway, so six months later we hugged in the Athlete’s Village before the race and each set off on our own journey. Running the Boston Marathon inspired me in every way and helped me grow as a runner. Since then, I’ve been back to Boston three more times, and have run 16 marathons. The next one is coming up later this summer and I’m hoping to make it to Boston for yet another go!

3. How do you find balance working at Precor while still making time for training?

Achieving balance is HARD! When I started at Precor my son was five months old, and last year my daughter was born. My husband is a distance athlete as well, so between the two of us we spend most of our free time playing with our children, training, and traveling. The discipline is to have patience and accept that while there will be things we’ll miss out on at this point in our life based on the above priorities, life is a journey and it is better to focus on doing well at a few things than getting spread too thin. At Precor I am fortunate that my job immerses me in fitness. Ironically, I often spend more time managing my team and authoring fitness content than coaching and working out myself! I try to schedule workout time into my calendar, and test programming ideas or new products during my workouts. When I travel for work, I make sure to book hotels that have a good fitness center, so I can get workouts in on the edges of the day.

4. How has working at Precor/Amer Sports influenced your journey?

I’ve been fortunate to work alongside many brilliant engineers, product managers, marketers, visionaries, and global fitness leaders. I’ve had the opportunity to both lead and learn from global fitness and wellness professionals and have taught workshops and spoken at conferences on five continents. Through these experiences, I have strengthened my skills as a programmer, consultant, and presenter, and evolved my own perspective on the future of fitness.

5. What is your favorite/most memorable race so far?

While my first Boston Marathon changed my life for the reasons I shared above, the Vancouver Marathon holds a special place in my heart. It was a rainy, windy, miserable day, but it was my first marathon back after having my son 9 months prior. I was in incredible shape and motivated like never to get back to Boston and achieve a personal best. I ran my first sub 3:30 race that day, crushing my goal while feeling fantastic and in control of my body the entire race.

6. What about the most difficult?

I ran the New York Marathon last fall and it was a mess. It had been about 8 months since my daughter’s birth, and I was determined to run my first postpartum marathon in the same time range as I had with my son five years prior. My fitness level was ready for race day, but I didn’t have enough control of my lifestyle to be set up for success. My husband, children and parents joined me across the country, but with work schedules we could only be gone for three nights. The time zone changes, nutrition challenges that come with travel, and breastfeeding were just a few roadblocks that led to a tough day. I had to walk the last several miles of the race. Fortunately, at mile 18 I decided to accept the situation and acknowledge that I had asked too much of my body, so I finished the race in an ok mindset. On a positive note, because I did not overtask my body with the final push of the race, I went on a few weeks later to place in the top ten in my division at the Seattle Half Marathon.

7. Do you have any other hobbies that take up your time?

I love to travel, hike, ski, and be outside. I’m also a writer, so I enjoy finding moments to put pen to paper.

8. Do you have any specific goals (long or short term) with racing?

I’m running a marathon in a few months and would like to get back to Boston next year. But bigger picture I’m focusing on a more balanced workout plan that blends functional training and running. I’m also about to start prepping for a jump rope reunion show later this year!

9. What achievement are you most proud of so far?

While this is not a single achievement, I am most proud of how I have changed my perspective on training over the last few years. In the past I was very rigid with my training plan, however I’ve learned to adapt and to do more with fewer miles, so I can better fit running into my schedule. Training smarter, not longer, has been a key for running success for me over the last five years. The results have paid off too! Since changing my mentality, I won 2^nd place in my division in the Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, have been a top 10 finisher in many Seattle half marathon races over the last few years, and have had no significant running related injuries.

10. What advice do you have for fellow runners who want to work on reaching their goals or are preparing for their first race?

Give yourself time to build toward your goals. Becoming a good runner takes time, patience, and practice. It is a sport, and while running is part of our DNA, it is also a skill. Make sure you mix up your runs – add intervals, tempo runs, steady state ones, etc. into your training plan. You’ll see results faster and stay engaged. Finally, invest in a chest strap heart rate monitor. It’s worth its weight in gold! It will help you understand how your body responds to training stimuli. You will learn over time when you should push through challenges, and when you should focus on recovery.

11. What is your favorite line of the Precor Creed and why?

I believe the human body is an amazing thing. We are capable of so much change and transformation – in our bodies, minds, and hearts. Adaptation in all its forms is critical to our survival and success.

I desire a life without limits.

I believe fitness is key to living the life I desire.

I believe in the power of the human spirit.

I believe the human body is an amazing thing.

I believe tomorrow will be even better because of what I do today.

I believe in the importance of doing things right versus first.

I believe in mutual respect and the overwhelming returns of sharing.

I am the heart and soul of Precor.