Tell us a bit about yourself, where do you live, what do you do for fun, etc.
I was born in Rapid City but my family moved to North Platte, NE when I was 5 and that’s where I grew up. I went to school at the University of South Dakota to become a physical therapist. After graduating, I was a traveling physical therapist for around 3 years before I ended up in Homer, AK on what was supposed to be a 10 month contract before COVID hit and ended up being there for 4 years. I thought I was going to be planting roots there until my boss let me know that she wanted to retire and close the clinic. I found that I wanted to be closer to family and friends so I moved to Rapid City and have been here for 1.5 years. For fun I usually want to be outdoors hiking, trail running, snowshoeing and hopefully getting back into some biking. I try to travel often and those trips tend to lean heavily towards access to outdoors activity. I also consider myself an indoor enthusiast and enjoy reading.
If you had $5,000 to spend at a running store but only 5 minutes to spend it, what few things would you grab first?
I would get an expensive watch that has some extra features mine doesn’t have but I can’t justify the cost otherwise. After that, probably multiple pairs of wide running shoes and whatever other apparel (usually running jackets and shorts) that I would usually find too expensive to buy.
What’s your go-to running outfit?
As a proud member of the sweaty boi club, no matter the time of year my main concern is sweat management. For winter running right now it’s Smartwool running tights, Smartwool baselayer, and layering with a wind resistant shell or insulated coat. I usually wear a neck buff that sometimes becomes a sweat towel and always put an extra buff in my pocket for extra fun wiping sweat. Summer running it’s a UPF protected lightweight shirt and hat, shorts and more buffs and bandanas that I stuff in a running vest or pockets.
If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it — metaphorically speaking, getting a message out to millions or billions — what would it say and why?
Just be kind.
Any pre run or pre race habits?
Well my first ever trail race was the Coon Hollow 10k which I fractured my elbow .1 miles from the finish line. So right now pre race habits are self pep talks to not fracture anything else. Otherwise I just try and eat something (usually oatmeal) before and make sure I have water and snacks as needed. If I’m feeling really unmotivated I’ll try and find some trail running videos on YouTube to watch.
What’s one of the best running related investments you’ve made?
Having hobbit feet, I think one of the best investment for me is comfortable wide sized shoes. I’ve tried experimenting with a few brands but it seems like Hoka Speedgoats work best for me and if my feet are happy everything else tends to go okay.
What’s the most memorable thing you’ve ever seen or done while on a run?
Technically it was at the end of a run. When I was in Homer there is a state park across the bay that you would take water taxis to and from. I bit off a little more than I was ready for for a trail run with a friend of a friend doing the Grace Ridge trail. I got dropped and had to call from the summit to set up a new pick up time. When I got to the beach to wait for my water taxi, I jumped in the ocean to cool down and spotted a pod of humpback whales entering the bay.
Toughest race you’ve ever done? Why?
I’m pretty new to racing so I think it would be the Haven Half in 2024 for the trail running series. I thought it was hard partly due to a decent amount of elevation gain but it’s also in July and it was smoky, hot and humid. Half marathon distance is also my max mileage I’ve run to this point.
What advice would you give to a new runner? What advice should they ignore?
Just have fun, ease into it and don’t get bogged down in metrics or comparing distances and mile times to other runners you know or on Strava. Then after getting more comfortable (or maybe you’re comfortable right away) I would join a group run because I think it’s a good place to get encouragement.
What, if anything, do you listen to while running?
It kind of depends on the day. I have been trying to go without listening to anything a little more often but if I’m not in a group I tend to like to still have something on. Some days I will do an audiobook (nonfiction) or a podcast if I’ve really been hooked on one in particular. Otherwise I will usually do rock or folk/Americana music. My go tos lately have been Nathaniel Rateliff or Dead & Company.
What’s one running item you think is a gimmick and won’t buy?
The nice thing about running is the barrier to entry is low so I generally don’t think it is too terribly “gear” heavy. That being said, I don’t think they’re a gimmick, but I don’t personally see the need for any type of external heart rate monitor whether it’s a chest or arm strap for me at the moment. I almost never look at my heart rate on my watch and I never pay attention to what zone I’m in. If I start wearing one in a year or 2 I reserve the right to pretend I didn’t say this.
If you could go run with any living or dead historical figure, who would it be and why?
Anthony Bourdain so we could both complain that running kind of sucks a lot of the time and then we would go and have some good food and drinks.