Episode 7 - Elyse Braner on Running Community

"What I really took to from the beginning was the team aspect. I really love having this group of friends. I loved the release you get from running...And it really brought out my personality."

If you're a member of the DC running community, you've likely heard of Pacers Running. Perhaps you've bought a pair of shoes from one of their stores, run a Pacers race, or participated in a Monday night group run. Behind the scenes, Elyse Braner, Pacers Running Director of People and Culture, is the one organizing events and building community.  In this episode, Elyse delves into how she grew into her current role and has worked to make the running group more inclusive. She also highlights details about the upcoming DC Half and other upcoming Pacers events.

Elyse also talks about her personal movement journey, from being a shy 14-year-old with sneakers from K-Mart to a 3:06 marathoner to (most recently) a triathlete. We spoke about the courage it takes to try something new (maybe an open water swim or your first half marathon), and we speak about the fun stuff (hokey pokeys before races...).

As always, thanks to Dan Hoffman for the soundtrack, and thanks to Elyse for recording.