This is my second year as a Coach with WeROCK. I was previously a coach at AVMS and this will be my first year at Las Flores! I’m stoked to get to know the kids and work alongside them to achieve our goals. When I was their age, the idea of running a marathon would have been beyond impossible, so I’m already impressed they’re brave enough to set the goal to begin with!

What’s my history with WeROCK?
I moved to Aliso Viejo during COVID-19 and spent a lot of time running up and down the Aliso Creek Bike Trail. During my own marathon training, I would cross paths with WeROCK during my long runs, and I loved how encouraging the kids were, not only of each other but even of strangers like me! Kids would call out “Good job!” as I passed by and 16 miles in, that kind of camaraderie is really welcome and much needed. I’m grateful that there’s an opportunity for the community to get involved with such a great group and love coaching!

It’s always fun to hear a coach’s race history!
I was definitely not an athlete growing up. I started running in late 2019 with a friend. We signed up for a few races, including the Irvine Half Marathon. That day was the first time I’d ever run over 10 miles. I remember feeling pretty nervous that I would just totally bonk once I hit those double digits, but it turned out that was my sweet spot! I got a second wind and finished that race strong. Needless to say, I became hooked and signed up for a bunch of races throughout 2020, which, of course, were all canceled or postponed. I kept running, and eventually, in fall 2021, I ran my first full marathon at Big Bear. This fall, I’ll be running my first World Major Marathon. The OC Marathon with WeROCK this spring will be my 8th marathon!

Favorite WeROCK race
Last year’s OC Marathon was a huge milestone for me personally, and an absolute joy to run in WeROCK orange! It’s easy to forget how much fun a hometown race can be, but when you’re surrounded by a community like WeROCK, it’s off the charts! I got to run on pace with a handful of students and had so many other racers ask me in absolute awe all about the kids an