Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Huhe.
Hi Katie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I identify as a slow runner, and I’ve been a slow runner for as long as I could remember. In high school, I ran cross country. I would complete the Junior High workouts (shorter distance) to make sure I could complete the workout in the time as my teammates. I truly enjoyed the sport. One day, during our warm up lap, I had a teammate sit down, and when they saw me, they got up and finished their lap and proceeded to say in some variation “I can stop running and still be faster than you”. The feeling had me defeated as most of the team had always been so so supportive. I finished that season, finding myself ashamed of my work and pace. The following season, I didn’t return as a team member. I changed to being a manager. When I went to college, i dabbled with running back and forth. In March 2023, I made my return to running officially, documenting my journey. As my page evolved, I realized that this was larger than myself. I wanted others to feel like they belonged in this space. I didn’t want anyone to feel the way I had in highschool in that moment.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The return to running has had it’s set backs, especially due to sharing my journey. I had a race where I DNF (did not finish) in April 2025, and I shared that outcome. People had strong opinions, many of which stemmed from ‘people with my body size are incapable’. When you share a journey online, a lot of people become ‘experts and doctors’ on your life without knowing the full picture. I get a lot of comments stating that I fake my runs because I don’t appear to be a traditional runner in body size, I don’t sweat the way people assume I should be. People still make fun of my pace. That being said, I feel stronger in my self to know that it’s worth it to keep going and to keep sharing.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work three jobs, one full time and two part-time. I love to stay busy, and I love to be active. I am always interested in learning new jobs.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I feel like running is going to be more inclusive moving forward, continuing to allow race times to increase allowing more runners in the space.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__katiesmiles
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584049080956
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@__katiesmiles
