June Runner of the Month: Danielle Aspitz
Danielle joined NBR in September of 2021 after moving from Stuy-Town to Williamsburg. A friend from Stuy-Town had encouraged her to do the NYRR 9+1 program to get in to the NYC Marathon, which she delayed starting until that October. This mean that she had to run a race almost every weekend to complete the program. “When we moved I was worried I wouldn’t have anyone to keep training with through the 9+1 races, but in the 5th Ave mile I saw a few NBR shirts and decided to look them up! The rest is history.”
What do you do when you're not running?
I am an architect and work in a big office in Bryant Park. (I haven’t tried running there and back, but it’s on the summer goals list! 😊) I also just got married and love to spend time with my partner Danny, who is a landscape architect. We love to wander around the city, go to art exhibits, and go dancing in Bushwick!
How did you initially get into running?
Somehow my high school allowed athletes on school teams to skip gym class, and I desperately wanted to get a free period so I could have a longer lunch break and go off campus with friends. I grew up in California so we had cross country in the fall, soccer in the winter and track and field in the Spring – cross country was my favorite. I was immediately drawn in to the team camaraderie, and the tenacity of the sport. Each year the team held a time trial to select the top 12 men and women to go on an away meet/trip! I trained hard and somehow I made the cut and got to go on a team trip to Hawaii! The race was pretty rough – very high winds, but the trip was awesome! I also won the most improved player in that first year! I was very honored and grateful.
Best running memory?
Once in a race in high school I was in Junior Varsity in a cross country meet and it was a race with a crazy hill they called heartbreak. My friend and I were pacing each other to go steady on the up-hills and maximize our turnover on the down-hills, we were doing really well, really pushing ourselves and despite being pretty low on steam in the last 100 meters I found an extra kick, my legs felt like jell-o, but somehow I sprinted to the finish line and got third place!!! I was elated and told my coach that 3 is my favorite number! He laughed and said 1 should be your favorite number.
Favorite running route in NYC?
Kent to Brooklyn Bridge Park – when I was training and studying this was always my go-to route because I can just turn off my brain and follow the road. Plus you get a nice reward of the park and views at the end.
Any running-related superstitions?
I have some race related routines that are a bit tough, but I try to wake up 3 hours before to get a small breakfast in (typically toast with almond butter and banana slices, then I chug down some electrolyte water (and aim to stop drinking 2 hrs before). Then with all this excess time on my hands I take a leisurely shower (advice by Fernando!) to wake up and feel fresh and if there’s time I may do some dynamic stretches before jogging to the subway!
What has running taught you or changed about you?
Discipline, commitment, self-belief / suspend disbelief, growth mindset
Favorite post-race food?
Post-run my go-to snack is dates and almonds! They are so satisfying and a small amount can go a long way! I also love the Banana Date Walnut bread at Bakeri… so good! Post-race, maybe a beer on Coney Island.
Favorite running social media account?
I follow a lot of podcasts – typically I choose them by the relevance of the topic. There is one I have been listening to that’s helpful for technical advice called The Strength Running Podcast and another that’s more psychology-oriented called the Growth Equation. I have a long list that I’m exploring though – still searching for an all-time favorite.
What do you think is the worst part about being a runner?
The time commitment is always hard for me – especially living in the city with so much going on all the time, but running with friends does help the time pass by quicker. I am hoping to try run commuting home from work so I can weave in higher volume more efficiently.
Best advice to running newbies?
Run about 80% of your runs SLOW! This was news to me, and I still have trouble keeping runs slow enough to really get the full benefits of recovery, but I find these recovery runs can be a great time to work on running form. Also, Strength Training! Getting into this realm of strength has really launched me into a level of fitness and speed I didn’t know I was capable of. I have also learned so much about the different muscles and am working towards getting them to work together harmoniously so I can run more efficiently.
Current running goal?
I am working on getting my running form through strength training, as well as running with a more consistent cadence. I have not run many PRs so far this year, but I have been working to find happiness in maintaining the gains I made in last years’ marathon training. I am hoping my second marathon training cycle will be as successful as my first, last year. I will be running the Philly Marathon this Fall, and looking forward to see if I can keep building on what I started. Also looking ahead towards Boston, which I’m hoping to run next spring!
Any other fun running facts about you?
When I was in high school cross country the team ran some local 5 and 10k races and my family was just getting into being more active themselves. They had originally picked up biking, but they soon joined in on the local races too and they have been avidly running ever since! My dad has even run a number of half marathons, and flew all the way from Israel to come see my NY Marathon debut last year! 😊 He was almost convinced to sign up for one as well! Also my grandfather was a very dedicated swimmer. He swam at a local country club almost every day of his life and they even wrote an article in the local paper about his dedication to the club.
