Throws Coach

I started throwing in 10th grade as a joke because one of my friends had mentioned it. I was hesitant because I knew that running was not my sport but she kept raving about how great throwing was, with the promise of new friends, food, and fun. I came to that first practice with no idea what throwing was and came away sweating from our workout that had, you guessed it, a mile-long run included. I stuck with it and ended up really enjoying the sport because my height and strength were an advantage in the sport. But as much as I enjoyed the sport, I enjoyed the teammates that I had that became family more. We had potlucks at our meets, went to a karaoke and t-shirt making place each year, and always helped our team get to the best meet of the year: True Team State. I met my best friends on the team, and we're still friends to this day. 

I wasn't planning on throwing in college but decided that the team would be a great way to adjust to being at a new school. My first year was all about retraining and meeting my new team. I threw a solid 24 feet in the hmmer, which a normal newcomer might throw around 100 feet. But again, I stuck with it and began to enjoy the art of spinning in circles backwards with a heavy shot put on a metal chain circling my head simultaneously. At the start of my junior year in college, I got a new coach; one straight out of the NDSU Bison program, known as one of the most elite programs in the nation. Brandt was what I needed. I got stronger with better lifting programs, I learned more than I ever had about technique thanks to our film nights, and in a year, I'd grown almost a meter in my shot put throw - my favorite event. Over that summer, I did the summer workout program, and when I returned, I hadn't lost much progress from the time away. We picked up where we left off, and it led to some great meets that year. I was a staple at the conference meets and consistently beating my own scores. By the end of my senior year, I placed 8th at Conference Championships earning a point for my team, and broke my own record by half a meter, clocking in the shot put at 11.13 meters. 

As I recognized the end of my own career, I was sad to be losing the sense of family as well. So, when I heard about track at TCGIS, I knew I had to join and share the love of throwing with middle schoolers!

Distance Coach

I was an avid singer in my local choir since I was 5 years old and got to travel all over Europe and the Middle East. Running was something I did when I had to catch the bus to get to one of our many practices. I always joke that when I moved to Washington, DC in 2014 I fell in with the "wrong crowd". Suddenly I was meeting up with these people and go for runs for fun. After long I completed my first half marathon and just last year finally got that 1hr 29min PR.  The 10 mile and half marathon distances are my favorites but I have run the Boston marathon and a couple others.  Since having two kids I have added a lot of stroller miles to my training plan as well as strength training to stay healthy. I am excited to be back on the coaching team at TCGIS.

Distance Coach

Watching my older sister, Lori, at her cross country meets, I knew that I too was going to join the cross country team when I became a 7th grader. When I started attending captains' practices in summer, I very quickly fell in love with the sport. We had a large team, so no matter if I was feeling fast or slow, there was always someone to run with. I found it easy to chat and connect with the other girls. We hung signs on each other's lockers before meets and celebrated each other crossing the finish line. I especially loved that our team had a wide range of fast and slow runners- I found them equally inspiring. Although I never joined a collegiate team, running has played a very important role in my adult life. It is a sport that can be done anytime, anywhere, with a friend or solo. For me it is a way to connect with nature, stretch my muscles and de-stress while getting to know others. I am excited to share my enthusiasm for fitness with the next generation of runners!

Distance Coach

Running has been a hobby of mine for the past 15 years. I've never been on a Cross Country team but I've always enjoyed training for local races with friends. While marathons have always intimidated me, I've run many 5Ks to half marathons and the TC 10 mile is definitely my favorite run of all. Whether I'm trying to beat a personal time or just trying to cross the finish line, training is a great way to stay active and to focus on a goal. Since Covid, I've really been enjoying a few shorter runs per week. It's a great way to de-stress, get outside, and boost my energy levels for the rest of the day. I hope to share my enjoyment of being active with the TCGIS team.

Sprints, Jumps and Hurdles Coach

I began my track and field experience in the 7th grade at Marshall High School in Duluth. Because we were a small school, I was able to compete and train on the varsity team from this early age. I will admit that I joined the team with the promise of making new friends and having fun, more than for any particular interest in running. My team didn’t have a track or field to practice on, so our coaches had to get creative to get us up to speed. We used the neighborhood as our palate, and “mental training” reinforced our physical efforts. I adored my coaches and loved the bonding of training with the team, especially on the long bus rides to meets. I was kind of a jack of all trades, but I would typically run the 4 x 800, the first event of each meet, the 300m hurdles, and the 4 x 400, the last event of the meets. This made for a long, sometimes hungry and stressful day, but equally exciting and rewarding. My senior year, I was one of the track captains, and I took great pride in leading my team through difficult warmups, especially relishing running stairs and doing pushups, which is something I still enjoy leading my students in today.

In college, I joined the track team at Trinity University for one season, mainly to get back into shape. It was a lot different to run sprints on a hot hot track in San Antonio at the hottest time of the day, then it was to do “fun runs” to Dairy Queen the day before track meets back in MN. I was awarded the “Tiger Award” for having the best work ethic and attitude, much to my surprise. At the end of the season, my 400 meter hurdles and my 4 x400 relay team helped our team win the Southern Division 3 Conference meet at Rhodes.

Since college, I have continued to run for fun, exercise and mental health. I have participated in one half marathon, only to reinforce the idea that I’m more of a short distance/sprinter gal. Running is an amazing, accessible life skill that I carry with me every day. Just as my coaches inspired me, I hope to inspire my students to be healthy, active and joyful.

Head Coach / Distance Coach

I started running on the cross-country and track team at Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville, Maryland. My favorite cross-country course is the Maryland state championship / Bull Run course at Hereford HS, known for generations for its intense hills and "the toughest three miles in cross-country". This was the most exciting course after Hurricane Isabel hit in 2003 and was nothing but a mud slide. As a Panther, I focused on distances of 1-mile, 2-mile and 5K, although I convinced my coach to allow me to run the 300m hurdles in my senior year. I really wish I had had the opportunity to run the steeplechase.

At the University of Maryland, I ran for the intercollegiate club team, Terp Runners. I competed at the very first NIRCA Nationals as a Terrapin . My favorite marathons have been the Berlin Marathon and the Disney Marathon. Since moving to Minnesota in 2017, I have been running for the Mill City Running Race Team and coaching at the TCGIS.

Jumps and Hurdles Coach

I love being active and any adventure! In my younger years I was a 6-year varsity letter winner in track and field mostly focused on 110m high hurdles, 300m intermediate hurdles, triple jump and 4x400m relay. I was fortunate to have a great coach that really understood jumping and hurdling. I learned proper technique and how to constantly make improvements. Several state meet qualifications and one state championship was achieved. 

Fast forward to more recent days, I am part of an active adventuring family seeking biking (commute, mountain, and road), hiking, running and Nordic skiing opportunities whenever and wherever possible.  Getting our family hooked on these activities has revealed another source of enjoyment for me, coaching. I have been coaching youth with the Trail Kids mountain biking and Nordic skiing programming for the last few years. I have also been involved with coaching cycling for both youth and adults.

I am excited to adventure with all the TCGIS athletes this spring!