Sandi, 42 years old

How much do you run?
I don't run as much as I'd like. I tend to be a binge and purge runner. I'll go days, sometimes weeks without running and then crave a run so badly that I do 14 miles. I don't recommend it, but I've run marathons on a binge-whim like that, too. 


How long have you been a runner?
I've been running consistently since 2006 

How did you start running?
I ran in spurts - like when my then relationship was not doing well. Running helped make sense of the thoughts running through my head. In 2006, I found out that I (finally) got in the NYC Marathon lottery and started training. 

Best running experience

Bear Mtn Half and the Knickerbocker 60K both last year. Up until those two experiences, I was a slave to my Garmin and pace.

Feeling humbled by the challenging Bear Mtn course and then becoming a Marathon Maniac by running Knickerbocker (60K / about 37 miles) just weeks after the NYC marathon, made me realize that I was better adept for distance and not speed.

If I never race another road race, I think I will be a happier runner.

Unexpected benefit of running
Better friendships. Some of my most beloved conversations are had with friends that I consistently run with (I even married one!) Plus I have a lot of faith in, and live by the golden rule: "What is said on a run, stays on a run". 

Running-induced crazy story
One winter holiday, friends from my running club and I rented a place in the Hamptons. On the day of our long run, we set off on a picturesque, wintery-white and snowy course that was isolated and scenic. It was a beautiful and desserted (due to it being off season) sight as we ran by the beach and over a bridge and back. We ran 18 miles in what turned out to be very harsh conditions. The sleet came in almost horizontal, slamming into our faces like a thousand tiny needles as we made our way back to the house. In the end, we peeled off frozen layers, crunched ice out of our hair and tried to bring a normal hue back to our bright red faces and feeling back into our toes. 

Whenever I question running in inclement weather, I think about that adventure. It was the most amazing winter run. Not only because I have yet to run in worse conditions, but because the friends were so great under the circumstances. We all had a really great time commiserating together, feeling proud that we just had a pretty bad-ass run. 

Advice for new runners

I think the biggest advice I could give would be to find running partners!

My story is not unique at my running club (Front Runners) or any other. Almost everyone is afraid we can't run far enough, aren't fast enough, or we are not a "real runner"  so we shouldn't join. After coming to a few group runs, I realized how wrong I was. I wish I had joined a club sooner. 

Want to know more about Sandi?
You can find her blog at http://musingsofabarefootultrarunner.wordpress.com