Our Mission is to increase women’s participation and opportunity in trail running and hiking through inspiration, education and empowerment.
I come to coaching with a lifetime of experiences participating at an elite level with team sports and endurance activities, not just ultra-running. I am passionate about being “fit for life” and spreading that zest for an active lifestyle. In addition to being a certified running coach, I am a strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer who strives to assist clients their mobility and strength needs. Regardless of your fitness, endurance, or health status, I aim to build a synergistic relationship based on respect and open communication so that your fitness, endurance, or health goals become a daily reality.
Since my early childhood, living and embracing an athletic lifestyle has been a way of life. I grew up in a sports-minded family. Our work ethic and relentless positivity laid the foundation of performance, achievement, and community. During my youth, I competed in soccer, field hockey, and swimming. I learned humility and how to lose graciously at a very early age. I had the great fortune to be coached by some of the best leaders in soccer, coaches who cared about the development and growth of the complete person, not just athletic talent. I eventually focused my energies on soccer and played Division I soccer at Syracuse University. In graduate school I switched gears from team sports and started cycling competitively. With a solid background in both running and swimming, it was only a matter of time before I transitioned to triathlon. My passion for endurance sports was born while cycling and competing in triathlons alongside accomplished athletes and while training under the guidance of professional triathletes. A passion for trail running and ultra-running in addition to proper strength and conditioning eventually surfaced as my current raison d’etre. But this hyper-focus is not without high regard for the diversity of endurance sports and the necessary integration of other athletic and recreational adventures and an overall healthy lifestyle especially with the integration of strength training.
Scar tissue is stronger than regular tissue. Realize the strength. Move on.
As with any athletic pursuit, I believe it is all about the training process and finding a healthy life balance. Endurance training is laden with both physical and mental challenges coupled with learning how to balance the gambit of work-life stresses and how to hone time management skills. The training process takes the individual athlete through several stages of development and self-awareness, a process that doesn’t cease when a certain level of achievement is attained or when the target event is completed. It is continual, and it affords amazing opportunities for growth and self-understanding, along with a connection to community and joy. My aim is to work with each athlete to develop an individualized training plan that fits his or her individual goals and schedule, whether it is purely running-based, strength focused, or a combination of strength, running, and other endurance activities. Most importantly is the art of learning how to train for life and perform with a smile, and to always be open to self-discovery. It is a hit the ground running mentality that hopefully keeps the athlete feeling young through the years and healthy and strong every day.
I also approach coaching with a scientific background and bias for the need for strength training. I am grounded in the peer-reviewed literature and I strive to deliver training programs that fit each individual’s needs and goals. I acknowledge that the athlete is the expert on his or her body and that my role is to guide, mentor, and to be present for accountability. The coach-athlete relationship is dynamic, but one that can be achieved successfully with respect and open communication. Whether it is improving stamina, increasing speed, building strength, or sharpening mental capacity, I am committed to each athlete regardless of background and fitness level.
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