​How long have you been involved with running?
I’ve been running for 25 years
What got you involved with running?
I was on a ski team in college and we had to run to get ready for the racing season.  I hated it.   But then after college realized it was a cheap way to stay in shape.
How many days a week do you usually run?
Right now 4 days a week, trying to get back to 5.
What is the greatest distance you have raced?
I’ve raced two marathons.
What is one of your most memorable race/ event and what made it so special?
My first marathon in Portland Maine.  I felt great and the best part was my husband who was there cheering me on.  He was so incredibly excited and happy for me that I ran a marathon and did well, it meant the world to me and is one of my most cherished memories.  
Do you always enjoy going out for a run?
Usually yes.  Sometimes not at all.   But I never regret doing it.
What are some of the things that gets you out the door when you really don’t feel like going out on a run?
Lisa Perna.  I can’t let her down if she is waiting for me. 
What are you working towards currently in your workouts?
My second marathon was a disaster.  I came out of it with a stress fracture and had to take a good 6 months off running.   I am still trying to get back to former mileage and speed.
What are some of you long term running goals?
Right now I’m just trying to keep up the miles so I can jump into a half marathon at any point.   Another marathon isn’t completely out of the question but seems really a stretch right now!
Can you share something about an obstacle you had to overcome and how you managed to get over it?
Working on it right now!!  See #8
How long have you been a member of GNRC?
Oh boy, I’m not sure, 6 , 7 , 8 years or so ?
What are some of the things you enjoy about being a member of GNRC?
I have made some life long friends through GNRC.   There is no other area in my life where I have the chance to talk (not text!) with friends on a regular basis for over an hour at a go.
Can you share a story that relates to you and the club?
I have thoroughly enjoyed any activity I’ve done with the club, from races to breakfast runs.  I can’t think of a particular story, but I always enjoy getting together with the group.
In what ways has the club made a difference in your running?
I ran solo for years until my pal Rose convinced me to join the club.  Discovering the camaraderie and support was incredible plus there is some super talent in the GNRC ranks!  It’s inspiring! 

How long have you been involved with running?
Summer 2014
 
What got you involved with running?
The basic everyday life stuff was happening… I was getting old, getting fat and getting lazy. I also wasn’t playing team sports and was losing my competitive edge. I can say that something was missing in my life and I needed a change.
 
How many days a week do you usually run?
3 times a week (usually)… 4 times a week would be ideal.
 
What is the greatest distance you have raced?
Happy to say, 13.1 miles
 
What is one of your most memorable race/ event and what made it so
special?
My first under 2 hours half marathon… always chased the dream and after numerous failures I finally accomplished a major running achievement.  It was special for me because it’s not easy to run 13 miles.  It’s not easy to train for to train for 13 miles and it’s damn near impossible to train by yourself.  I would have never accomplished my personal goal without the support and advice of the GNRC members.
 
Do you always enjoy going out for a run?
No, never.  It’s literally the worse experience… like ever.  I don’t enjoy running, I don’t like the cold mornings, I don’t like running in the dark, I don’t like getting up at the ass crack.  I can honestly say that there’s not much I like about running.
 
What are some of the things that gets you out the door when you really don’t
feel like going out on a run?
This is a tough question to answer.  If you ask around… I usually DON’T show up for a run. I’m the first to bail on a run for the most ridiculously reasons.  The truth is, I’m just flat out lazy and I would rather sleep than run.
 
What are you working towards currently in your workouts?
Good question, I’m really not sure.  I’m currently taking some time off from running on a regular basis due to a back injury.  I’m running once a week (3 miles) and I’m taking Kickboxing classes at ILKB in Norwood.  It’s been a good change of pace.
 
What are some of your long term running goals?
I always thought that a full marathon would be something that I would like to add to my running resume.  I’m also very realistic and I’m not sure if that distance is in my wheelhouse.  Long term, I would like to get back to running 2 to 3 times a week and maybe getting back up to running 10 miles (for my long run).  However, for now, I’m going to listen to my body and just take it one mile at a time.
 
Can you share something about an obstacle you had to overcome and how you managed to get over it?
Injures are always hard to overcome.  I’m not sure if I’ll ever get over my injury.  I can tell you that I have the full support of a group of runners that always have my back.  They offer great advice and I can always count on GNRC members to be there if needed.  It’s not so much overcoming a personal issue or problem as much as it’s knowing that you have people that have been there and understand the pitfalls of overcoming many different obstacles.
 
How long have you been a member of GNRC?
I’ve been with GNRC since December 2014
 
What are some of the things you enjoy about being a member of GNRC?
I like the fact that I have people that will run with me and will tolerate listening to all of my boring stories (the boring stories seem to go on for miles at a time). I really enjoy running with a diverse group of people.  It’s amazing how different we all are from the outside but as you run with GNRC members you learn that you are extremely similar in many ways.  I don’t know if I meet the standard quote for cliché in this article.  I will honestly state that running is extremely difficult, boring, tedious and painful… but running with GRNC helps minimize the negative side effects of running.  There’s no chance that I would have stuck with running for so long without their continued support.  Plus I’m shocked that I haven’t been banned from the club based on my potty mouth.
 
Can you share a story that relates to you and the club?
I’ve had some pretty epic failures during some of my longer runs.  There have been 3 moments that I’ve never forget:
 

1. Finishing a half marathon during an injury.  Crossing the finish line and I damn near passed out.  Walking around half delusional and lucky for me an angel appeared out of nowhere to pick me up (literally) and talk me off the ledge.  That person was Jen… and she basically told me to calm down, suck it up and get some food.  Not as angelic as one would expect… but it was some damn good advice.
2. Running in cold weather… like 3 degrees cold.  I finished 6 miles with the club and I felt terrible.  I felt like there were needles in my stomach and I was hunch over in mega pain. Robie walked over to me to check up on me and helped me “straighten out” and walked me to my car.  At the time… knowing that someone was there to help and made sure that I was OK, was the best feeling, especially when the chips are down (and you can’t feel your fingers). 
3. This is the worse and it’s ultra embarrassing.  Running Ragnar in blazing hot weather and not pacing yourself AND knowing that you have a team of people waiting on you.  It all adds up to one of the worse runs of my life.  As I finally finished my leg of the race, I had to get away from the crowd in fear that was going to get sick.  No one wants to end up on YouTube for puking at the end of a race!!!  My boy Jeff was there for me.  Never left my side, helped carry me back to our van and most important told me that everything would be fine, it’s just a race and everyone has a bad run.  You can’t pay for that type of support… actually you can and it only cost $35 a year (plug, plug).

 
In what ways has the club made a difference in your running?
I think that the advice given by the GNRC members has helped me stay focused on my running goals and they all have help mentor me to keep pushing myself to strive for the next big race, event or PR.  The difference for me is even despite my hatred of running the club is probably the one reason that I keep going.  That and the fact that I still need to drop 10 pounds.  See you on the roads (assuming that I show up)! 

​How long have you been involved with running?
I have been running for 20 years now.
What got you involved with running?
I have always liked to exercise. After having babies, I wanted to shed some baby fat so I began to run.
How many days a week do you usually run?
I say probably 4-5 days a week.
What is the greatest distance you have raced?
The marathon.
What is one of your most memorable race/ event and what made it so special?
Running Boston in 2013. I had crossed the finish line 15 minutes prior to the bombing. I saw the pain, the tears and the resilience of the running community. I knew then this was a special place in my heart.
Do you always enjoy going out for a run?
Going out to a run is the best feeling.
What are some of the things that gets you out the door when you really don’t feel like going out on a run?
Knowing that my running friends are outside running and they are waiting for me. 
What are you working towards currently in your workouts?
I like to tackle another marathon in the spring.
What are some of you long term running goals?
     I want to lace up my sneakers till the end of my life J
Can you share something about an obstacle you had to overcome and how you managed to get over it?
My age. This is not an obstacle but the body reminds me that my ankles, and knees don’t want to have more pounding.
How long have you been a member of GNRC?
I have been a GNRC member since the club was founded. We ran years before the actual club was founded.
What are some of the things you enjoy about being a member of GNRC?
I have so many. I like it when the club travels to destinations places to run. I like when we meet at a pub/Castle Island/Breakfast/Coffees/Turkey day runs.
Can you share a story that relates to you and the club?
I have had runs when I have cried running because I had a disagreement with my partner and sharing my pain while running, before you know it, the pain and the issue/problem is not too bad. You can actually tackle it and move forward. #GNRCSTRONGRUNNING.
In what ways has the club made a difference in your running?
I am more confident with myself. I am sharper at work. I am happier. I am healthier. I am a better parent & wife.

How long have you been involved with running?
I am one of those people that would sign up for 5Ks because friends were running it or it had a cool name or theme or just because I felt like I was sitting on my ass a lot. 
After joining GNRC, I run a lot more, but I’m still that same person, just bigger races now. I’m not sure if that answered the questions, but I think it gives a better sense of who I am as a runner.

What got you involved with running?
I never could run a 5K without walking or stopping for a breather. For a while, that was my goal. It felt great the first time I completed a 5K without walking.

How many days a week do you usually run?
Probably 3 days, but during the winter, probably less.

What is the greatest distance you have raced?
The Ocean Road 10K was the longest race. It was a cold start, but I felt really great during the race. The beach view was nice.

What is one of your most memorable race/ event and what made it so special?
The Philadelphia Marathon. While I only ran the 8K, it was really fun to travel with the team to another state and run. Everyone looked after one another and supporting each other. What made it special was when Elissa crossed the finish line and the announcer says “and here comes a banana”; I said to the strangers around me “and there goes my wife”. Everyone laughed and I had to split. (There’s a nice banana pun for you).

Do you always enjoy going out for a run? 
Nope. Double nope for when it’s cold.

What are some of the things that gets you out the door when you really don’t feel like going out on a run?
If I told someone I was going to run with them. If there is food after the run. If there is beer after the run. If I ate a lot of junkie food recently.

What are you working towards currently in your workouts?
I haven’t really started yet, but I’m training for my first half marathon in May.

What are some of you long term running goals?
Eventually, I’ll run a marathon. Eventually.

Can you share something about an obstacle you had to overcome and how you managed to get over it?
I was never really good at running and couldn’t run a 5K without walking. After just running more and more of them, I was able to do it.

How long have you been a member of GNRC?
I think for about a year now.

What are some of the things you enjoy about being a member of GNRC? 
It’s all about the people. Everyone is great, kind, and always looking out for each other. We all come from different backgrounds and have difference views, but manage to come together through our love of running.

Can you share a story that relates to you and the club?
It was the first GNRC holiday party. Elissa and I were still fresh into our relationship. There was a Yankee swap gift exchange at this event. Someone already opened a Moscow mule mug and I made it very clear that I had my eye on it and was going to swap for it on my turn. My turn came up and I picked up a gift and opened it. Jeff W., who brought the gift, had a smirk on his face. Elissa embarrassed; tried to dig her face into the sofa. The gift was “Elissa/Banana” themed. There was a magnet photo of Elissa finishing a race and several other banana things. Everyone was quiet as I looked towards the Moscow mule mugs, then to the “Elissa/Banana” gift, then to Elissa. I felt like Frodo (Lord of the Rings) when he put on the ring for the first time and was in another world where time was moving much slower. Finally, I said, “I’m going to keep my gift”. I don’t know how life would have been with the Moscow Mule mug, but I certainly do enjoy my life with Elissa. Fin.
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In what ways has the club made a difference in your running?
I definitely run more and have more motivation. For me, it’s really good getting advice from members on how to improve.