Where are you from?  I grew up in a small town outside of Frederick, MD. My high school was surrounded on all four sides by corn fields!

How long have you lived in the area?  I moved to Carrboro in summer of 2016 to go to UNC for grad school, and then my husband and I decided to put down roots! We both love it here and have no plans to leave any time soon, even though that was our original plan!

What are three words your friends would use to describe you?  Dedicated, energetic, and organized.

Why do you run?  It started out as just another form of exercise. Now, it’s a combination of so many things: something I love, a social outlet, cheap therapy/stress relief, a way to push myself out of my comfort zone and try new things, an excuse to travel, something to keep me healthy, and a reason to drink beer on a Tuesday.  😉

Why did you decide to join the Station Pub Run?  I was recruited by Melissa Jensen. 🙂 We ran together in the Fleet Feet marathon training program, and she told me about SPR!

What is your favorite thing about the Station Pub Run?  It’s a great group of people! I also love running in Carrboro, so the routes are a bonus! And, of course, the beer.

Describe the most recent (appropriate 🙂 ) photo you took with your phone:  I take a LOT of food pictures, so it’s surprising that my last photo isn’t of something I made/ate. But, it’s a picture of a lovely dirt trail along a creek in Umstead, where I ran on Sunday morning!

What is the best piece of advice you ever received, and who gave it to you?  I have no idea who exactly instilled this value in me, but I’m sure it’s actually been more than one person. “If it doesn’t make you happy, why are you doing it?”

There are plenty in things in life we HAVE to do – pay taxes, do laundry, take our car to the shop, clean our shower (anyone else hate that?) – that aren’t super fun. The choices we can make, like what we do for a living, the people we surround ourselves with, the things we do in our free time; these should be things that genuinely bring us joy. Otherwise, why are you doing them? Get rid of the bad energy and choose happy!

If you could have any talent or skill in the entire world, without needing to practice and money was no limitation, what would it be?  100% it would be teleportation. Imagine being able to go to Italy for a weekend with no travel time or costs!

Tell us something about yourself that not many people know:  I studied abroad in Russia in 2010, and now I’m really judgy on vodka.

What is something you have done recently, or are about to do, that you are proud of?  I graduated from UNC with my Master of Public Health in December and passed my exam to become a Registered Dietitian in February!

Anything else you’d like to share with us?!  I just ran my first 50k earlier this month, and I can’t wait to do another one!