I first got into running in 2007 when I met a cute guy who happened to be on the Grand Rapids Marathon staff. He convinced me to run. Wanting to impress him, I claimed I ran all the time—though in reality I’d never gone more than two miles in my life. A few months later, I completed my first half marathon and was hooked.

My first full marathon came in 2011, just a few weeks after marrying that same guy, and now we have two smart, curious, active, delightful kids, and I have completed 10 marathons. I joined the Grand Rapids Marathon staff in 2008 and have been one of the food coordinators ever since.

One of my favorite things about being part of this team is the crazy adventures we get into together. Thanks to my fellow staff members, I’ve gone backpacking, taken on triathlons, and even traveled to Patagonia, Argentina, for a week-long adventure to celebrate my 40th birthday. Being on the Grand Rapids Marathon staff means making lifelong friends and adventure buddies.

If I could offer advice to someone running their first marathon, it would be this: enjoy the journey. Take out your headphones, connect with the runners around you, and listen to their stories. You never know—you might meet your next best friend who joins you on an epic adventure.

When I’m not running, I work as an occupational therapist helping people with traumatic brain injuries get back to living their lives. I also love snowboarding and volunteer as a National Ski Patroller at Cannonsburg with my therapy dog, Lola. One of my big running goals is to compete in Washington’s Ski to Sea—a relay race that takes you from Mt. Baker to the Pacific Ocean through cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, running, road biking, canoeing, cyclocross, and sea kayaking.