FNF: How did you start running?
AS: I moved down to Bethesda, Maryland for a year in high school. I did competitive trampoline for 10 years in Canada, but there was no trampoline in Maryland. I wanted to participate on a team, but tryouts were all before school started, and the only team that would let me on was the cross country team. I was the only senior that had to run with the 9th graders, but by the end I could go on a 4-5 mile run on my own. I ran on my own all through college, and interned in Paris between my third and fourth years. There, I met group of guys, big runners, and signed up for the big 10K race, with maybe 15000 women. Out of nowhere, I won. After that, I came back and started working in Toronto. I had a friend who said he was trying to run the Paris marathon, and asked me to run it with him. It was freezing in the winter in Toronto, but I picked up a copy of Jeff Galloway’s book and another online training guide and ended running 3 hours, after which I was hooked.
FNF: Who is your running role model?
AS: This is really original. Paula Radcliffe. I admire her work ethic and toughness
FNF: What has been your most memorable running / racing experience?
AS: Probably the first marathon I won. So, after Paris my next marathon was the Detroit marathon. I got up to second place at about mile 11. The whole way after that, the crowd was like, “First place is up ahead! First pace is up ahead. “ Turns out she was two minutes ahead!
Six months later, I ran the [2002] Vancouver marathon, and the same thing happened. This time, I came up on her around mile 20, and I was planning to pass her with my game face on. The lead bikers started yelling, “we have a challenger!” which kind of blew my cover. So, then it was 6 miles of running scared. Crossing the finish line, in first place, in Canada, was exhilarating, surprising, and rewarding. I felt relief, honestly. It was a new feeling to be like, “oh god don’t let her pass!”
FNF: What have you enjoyed about working with Focus-N-Fly?
AS: What haven’t I enjoyed about working with Focus-N-Fly!
Obviously, the coaching. I used to just hammer out miles, but my body can’t take that any more. Now I know the miles are the absolute best bang for your buck. I also feel like the workouts are tailored to me, and they aren’t the same for everyone. The environment is great. We have a really awesome, positive group of people that have become some of my best friends. We do a lot of stuff on and off the track. I think that is pretty unique to the Focus-N-Fly environment.
FNF: What is one part of your racing routine you can’t do without (sleep, pre race meal, tie shoes certain way, other ritual)?
AS: On my easy run the day before a race, I always do: 10 minutes out, four minutes at threshold, 1 minute at stride pace, and 10 minutes back. I ‘m actually kind of anal about that. My old coach read it somewhere in Runners World, and it probably has no basis, but that is what I always do!
FNF: What is your favorite place to go for a run?
AS: San Francisco. I do this city loop on along the Embarcadero along the Coastal Trail, back up through Golden Gate Park. The fact that I can live somewhere where I can do that run every weekend is fantastic, so I try to make the most of it.
FNF: In the next year, what goals do you hope to accomplish?
AS: I think I would like to get back to a good half marathon time, around a 1:21. So, I am going to try and do some 10ks and halves to build up to that.