Why I Started Running:
When I was writing my dissertation for my Ph.D., I needed a reason to leave my house. I had never been athletic in the past, but I got it into my head that a 5K was a bucket list item. Through patience, diligence, and sheer unmitigated stubbornness, I dragged myself through a C25K program (the Zombies, Run! 5K trainer). My first official Race was a Spartan Sprint in 2014.
From there, the goals kept compounding. I never thought I would be able to run a mile, much less 3.1 (…with obstacles, but who’s counting?). 5K turned into 10K, which turned into a half-marathon, and eventually a full-marathon. I defended my dissertation the year I ran my first full. I also achieved my first Spartan trifecta that year, and got married. It was a busy year.
With the help of rigorous cross-training through a steady regime of CrossFit and weight lifting, I’ve been able to accomplish things that I never thought possible. A couple marathons in, my husband (Mike) decided to chase a full Ironman, and so we added triathlon to our growing list of sporting activities. I’m proud to say that I’m an Ironman…. Dr. Ironman, that is.
My Favorite Moments / Biggest Accomplishments:
My first Spartan Trifecta. I remember the feeling of coming across the finish line and thinking “I can’t believe I actually did this!”
You never forget your first marathon – mine was the Mount Desert Island Marathon in Maine. It was a perfect fall day with foliage prettier than I’ve ever seen it before, and I had enough spunk to leap across the finish line.
Riding the roller coaster at the halfway mark of the Disney marathon while completing the Dopey challenge. Then, subsequently, hopping off the course in Mexico to get a drink at the tequila cava so I could finish Dopey with a margarita in hand.
The finish of my Ironman was also incredibly special. As the DLF, the entire town of Mont-Tremblant came out to cheer me – and I was run to the finish line by literal angels. I woke the next morning thinking maybe it had been a crazy dream; I’m glad that so many people caught it on camera!
Future Goals:
Abbott World Marathon Majors
NYC – 2018
Berlin – 9/29/2019
Chicago – 10/13/2019
London – TBD
Tokyo – TBD
Boston – TBD
Marine Corps Marathon – I’ll be running my third Marine Corps on 10/27/2019