As a kid, my dad would say that the only way I would ever run, was if I was chasing one on a field or a court. Until I was 18 years old, this was entirely true. At 14 and 16 I had two complete ruptures of my ACL and a partial tear of my left meniscus. This effectively ended my career as a soccer player and field hockey player. It was also the beginning of my love for running.

Three knee surgeries later and running has become a critical part of both my physical and mental well being. I went from sprinting to long distance running over a long period of time. While my first race was a 5k when I was 10, I became a more long distance runner within the last 5 years. Running for me is about pain-free physical movement that positively impact mental health while also creating a constant personal challenge to improve in whatever capacity you desire. Running can be about racing, but it doesn’t have to be. I love the atmosphere of racing and the challenges and improvement that are inherent in training for any race. However, I am the kind of coach and runner who really only wants to share my love of running with as many people as possible and create a space and provide the tools to make it an activity that anyone can love. Just like in Ratatouille, it is true “anyone can cook,”  I firmly believe that ANYONE can run, and more importantly love it.