November Runner of the Month: Anthony Zhu
Anthony joined NBR in April 2017 when he was looking for a community of runners and people he could call running friends. He had just started doing road races and wanted a sense of camaraderie. “I saw a bunch of people wearing the NBR singlets at the Al Gordon 4Miler that year and and thought, well they look cool.” Anthony has been a run leader at Monday Night Easy Run since August 2018 and is also one of our Team Stats Coordinators.
What do you do when you're not running?
As far as hobbies go I’m an avid gamer (console not pc), foodie, and movie buff. You can find me either watching a movie at the Alamo Draft House, playing video games with friends online or checking out a new restaurant or bar. I recently also picked back up my violin and am taking fiddle/violin lessons Saturdays. I also like to stay active when not running so I enjoy going for longer bike rides, swimming laps at the YMCA in LIC or playing pickup basketball/ shooting around. Let’s GO KNICKS.
How did you initially get into running?
I was never a huge runner in high school. I actually was a swimmer and dreaded doing workouts with the track team. Even in college, I remember running with a friend and absolutely hating it.
Fast forward a few years after graduating, I started running casually by myself at Prospect Park when I lived in Park Slope. Just to stay active with no pressure or expectations on myself. Then when I moved to Greenpoint, I discovered NBR.
What is your favorite race distance?
Trying to decide between a half or a 5K. But only because those are my highest AG Percentage finishes.
Best running memory?
Not sure if this is the best, but I still remember running my first marathon in NYC in 2018 and I ended up cramping and run/walking the last 6 miles. It definitely didn’t go as planned and I remember thinking to myself how I probably wouldn’t finish and felt really disappointed and sorry for myself. Seeing friends really got me over the edge - in particular Mary Kate, my now fiancé. She helped remind me that it is a huge achievement to run a marathon. After leaving Central Park, she proceeded to buy me a hotdog with relish and onions from Gray’s Papaya. As a native New Yorker that only felt fitting and to this day I can still taste it as I ate it huddled over the 72nd street 2/3 stop.
Another favorite memory is racing the Washington Heights 5K in 2019 and finishing the last mile with a loose shoe lace on my left shoe. And somehow juuuust squeaked out a move into B Corral.
Favorite post-race food?
Some sort of sandwich. Breakfast sandwich on a bagel. Cream cheese with lox on a bagel. Chicken cutlet sandwich on a roll. So many options! I know this is cheating.
What do you think is the worst part about being a runner?
Waking up early.
Best advice to running newbies?
Enjoy the journey. Enjoy all the aspects that come with training and running with people in the club and the running community as a whole. Through NBR, I’ve made a lot of lasting friendships with people I wouldn’t have met otherwise. Shoutout to Carrie Cody, Seth Pompan, Liz Shea, James King, Natalie Gleed, Sara Cohen, Paul Donnelly, Cait Papageorge, Thomas Kelsey and many more! If you’re training for your first big race, that’s awesome, but don’t get down on yourself if you don’t hit your goal because there will be another race and another opportunity.
Current running goal?
I would like to break a 20 minute 5K since I’m 40 seconds off from my PR or break a 1:30 half (3 1/2 minutes off of m PR). Not really sure which one I want to focus on yet though.
