Hello, I'm Christie!

About Me:

I have been running for more than 10 years but it took so long to find my stride that I don’t know how many of those early years really count. Running a half marathon at 23 with no training doesn’t really count as being a runner, that’s just being 23 right? Now I work much harder at it and enjoy it much more too. Things really kicked up around 2015 when my husband, Colin was in law school and studying for the Bar exam. I had to be out of the house a lot or I would pester him, so I went for a run. Well, 30 minutes really didn’t help much so like Forest Gump, I just kept running. After running a half marathon on my own to pass the time I decided to sign up for a
race. I loved running trails and ended up finishing 29 miles in a time challenge and seeking out some
hard terrain on the Dipsea trail. Running has stayed a focus for me ever since. I waddled through 2
pregnancies and drag my 2 little ones in my trusty double stroller for lots of miles now.

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I recently completed a 50k and that was a big goal already checked off. Now that that is done I want to focus on keeping my base that I spent those long winter months building and work on my speed that I realize I have. I will look for a half or 30k next and then set my sights on a 50k for next year. I want to try to run a little faster than I have, and train through the next big race without getting injured. I was really surprised to find that the 50k distance was completely attainable and really fun. Not nearly as scary as when I first set my sights on it!

I have never been speedy but can hike forever. As I was thinking about this 50k race, I thought about a recent 22 mile hike I did in Yosemite called Clouds Rest, it is higher than Half Dome and stunning (go hike it!). Anyway, endurance is really where my comfort is more than speed. So even as I get older, busier and have less time to dedicate to running it seems like the long slow trail races are the more natural fit for me.

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When I am not running I am playing with my kids Luke (2) and Ellie (4) and my husband Colin. We love to
hike, ski and swim. We also love to travel! Before kids we would do a lot of sight seeing through new
cities by running and deciding what we would come back to see or eat after we had showered. We still
will strap a kid in a carrier and wander the streets to get a feel for a new place. With all the
traveling we have done, we had never really been to Virginia until we showed up with our moving truck! We dove right in and I have been enjoying the adventure!