I began my love for running when I was in the third grade, and that love never stopped. I was a competitive high school runner and volleyball player at St. Joseph’s Academy from 2007-2011, where I was a multiple-time State Qualifier in Cross Country and Track & Field, and a two-time State Champion in Volleyball.

In 2015, I graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a degree in Kinesiology degree. At SIU, I ran on the Cross Country and Track & Field teams. After college, I became a Certified Personal Trainer and trained out of Boulder, Colorado from 2016-2019. Then, I took a break from personal training and running to grow my family.

Three kids later, I returned to running after having my daughter in 2021—and that year, I ended up qualifying for the Boston Marathon. My passion and excitement for running has only grown since then, and I now race various distances from the mile up to the marathon.

As I became more serious about running and racing again, the importance of incorporating strength training into my routine to become a stronger runner was undeniable. Strength training decreases risk of injury and boosts self-confidence.