Unlike many other aspects of life, running is one of the few things that feels fair. Career aspirations don’t realize in ways you hope, relationships fall apart for reasons outside of your control, you wake up with a disc herniation in your neck (do not recommend), but I know that if I put in the work in my training I will improve. Show up everyday, give it what you have, whatever that is, and do it again the next, over and over. Three years later you’re fast. Easy.

UMich seemed to be the perfect fit for my first “real” job, at the confluence of medicine and research. My husband and I of 6 years, have no dependents, and decided it’s a fine time to try something new.

The origin story of the legendary 100 mile race, as told by the pioneers.

I happened upon a downed runner at the Argo cascades once. Thankfully, he came around shortly after I found him, but I vividly remember being ready to go the full CPR route.

“In one of my first cross country races in college, a runner from Kansas State hocked a massive loogie on my hip during the first kilometer of the race. It was so thick that it stayed glued to my leg for a couple of minutes. I swear time stopped as I looked over at her, bewildered, and asked "What is WRONG with you?" 

Also, in a different race, but a chick stepped on my shoes at ~2k and I ran the race barefoot .”

I imagine myself “stealing the souls” of the people I pass. If I am in the pain cave, I think of all the people who love me and want to see me give my best. I imagine them at various points of the course and run to them.

At the age of 8, I was diagnosed with a rare, hereditary and debilitating disease that affects the cells that make up the femur (your thigh bone). I was not able to run, jump or do any exercises for 4 full years. I was only able to walk around my house. The disease usually resolves on its know when you hit puberty so locally, at the age of 12, I was able to start walking again. The fact that I barely moved for 4 years made me realize how lucky are those who can exercise regularly. I also think that I can tolerate a great amount of musculoskeletal pain because of all of that.

More than anything I run for my health and community. I run because it clears my mind and sets up my day for success. I run to do something challenging every single day which makes daily tasks and projects seem trivial. I run for/with the community because I find running brings out this rainbow of emotions in people and develops some of the strongest camaraderie and lifelong friendships.

I met two runners on the summit, and I ended up running back down the peak with them. It was my first time running like this, and it was such a crazy experience to be hurtling down the side of a mountain jumping from rock to rock. Nothng like that the Midwest!

A friend of mine once ran a half marathon the day before his half marathon to "make sure he could do it". I guess I have a superstition that I don't do that. This might not be a superstition, but I don't wear the race shirt until after finishing the race?

I decided to study abroad in Australian rain forest for the month before the 2019 XC season began. This meant running alone at 5 am on a dirt path in the jungle trying not to get attacked by anything poisonous. Nothing crazy actually happened, but I was scared for my life every run.

I met my partner, Kelly, while running the Great Lakes Relay at a small trailhead in the U.P. We were on different teams, waiting for our teammates to come in and tag off. (On second though, she may have been waiting for a teammate, as her team was much faster. My team was likely already running concurrent and consuming a few too many beers.) She noticed the veggie tats on my arm and the rest was history. Though, I thought I may have blown it with her when I passed her on that leg!

During the second night of Arrowhead 135 I spent about 2 hours in a weird cycle of micro sleep. I’d fall asleep for a couple seconds, then be awake for a couple seconds, then fall asleep again, all while continuing to move down the trail. After a couple hours I felt pretty well rested.

I have a route that takes me through the Barton Nature Area Trail and Bird Hills that I love! The narrow and windier the path, the more fun it is for me

I can't resist a good Ann Arbor trail run, specifically connecting Bird, Argo and Leslie trails together. But if I'm sticking to the roads, you can find me in the Barton Hills neighborhood gawking at the beautiful homes.