DOB: November 22, 1988
Hometown: Raytown, MO
Residence: Lee’s Summit, MO
College: Park University: Early Childhood Education (2011), University of Central Missouri: Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction (2015) and Elementary Mathematics Specialist (In Progress)
Occupation: First Grade Teacher
Personal Bests:
5K – 20:24 (2015, Independence Park Trot)
4 Mile – 27:36 (2015, 4 on the 4th)
8k – 34:34 (2015, Cliff Hanger)
10K – 43:49 (2015, Plaza 10k)
Half Marathon – 1:34:49.5 (2016, Rock the Parkway)
Marathon – 3:27:19 (2016, Wicked Marathon)
Personal Bio:
I grew up playing softball from the age of five up through my freshman year of college at Park University and let’s be honest, there’s not a whole lot of distance running taking place on the softball field. I’ve never considered myself a runner, but over the past few months, I’ve come to grips with the fact that I am indeed a runner, not because of my pace, my endurance, or even my accomplishments, but simply because it is something that completes me. As a good friend once told me, “Running isn’t just something I do; it’s what makes everything else I do okay.”
Prior to this year running was always an individual task for me, but recently I’ve gotten involved with a few running groups and if it wasn’t for their support and friendships, I wouldn’t be where I am. By no means am I a top contender in races, but the internal competitor in me rages high. I have now run distances from 5K to the marathon and am left with a lot of room for improvement which only fuels my fire. My goal is to continue pushing myself while keeping a balance in hopes that my passion for running holds strong for years to come.