I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. I dabbled in sports as a kid – I took figure skating classes, played intramural volleyball in middle school, and was a trainer/manager for the football and girls’ soccer teams in high school. I was also a cheerleader and mascot! I joined the Navy in 1998 and served for 8.5 years as an administrative clerk and journalist. Writing was my passion for many years! I had to run while I was on active duty, but I always struggled to enjoy it. I started running seriously in 2006 when I was going through a rough time and transitioning to civilian life. Running helped me to find a positive goal to focus on. I also played roller derby off and on for several years; I played with one league in CA and two in WA. Fun fact: I have roller skated a half marathon (1:01) and a full marathon (2:10)!