Joelle Ramiandrisoa brings the grit to North Brooklyn Runners.

No, seriously, she ran a 5K with Gritty.

But outside of trotting with the Philadelphia Flyers’ mascot - you know Joelle as a vital cheer squad member and a friendly face for new members as a New Member Coordinator. She’s a great ambassador to the club and a testament that hitting the Brooklyn streets isn’t as scary as it seems - and that’s why she’s one of our runners of the month!

When did you join NBR and why?

I joined NBR in January of this year. As I was starting to take running more seriously, I wanted to find a community of runners since I had always been scared to run around the city on my own, and thought NBR would be a great way to meet people, get involved with the community, and get over my fear of running in the streets.

In what ways have you been involved with NBR? -

I first joined the Cheer Squad back in May. I am a new WNRR leader, and very recently became one of the New Member Coordinators!

What do you do when you're not running? -

I travel a lot for pleasure and love to explore new cities/countries, go to concerts, find the best vegan spots, spend time with my dog Mugsy, thrift, etc. I also enjoy cooking and trying out new vegan recipes when I’m not lazy. When I had my car, I occasionally made the trip upstate to visit and/or volunteer at a couple of the animal sanctuaries there.

How did you initially get into running? -

I was boxing for a little bit when I first moved to NY and would warm up/cool down by running 2-4 laps. I noticed my endurance had improved a lot because of boxing so I wanted to try running longer distances. I started doing 5Ks and found myself enjoying the sport, so I made it a goal this year to essentially run more than a 5K and I’m proud to say I’ve met that goal!

What is your favorite race distance? -

Hard to say since I’m now running various distances. The mile is quick but I recently ran my first half marathon and the mental journey you can go through while running that distance is entertaining to say the least.

Best running memory?

At the moment it’s probably the Gritty 5K. I ran it for the first time last year and the energy there was unmatched. I also got to meet the legend himself. Running it again this year!

Favorite running route in NYC? -

I feel like there’s so much more I have yet to explore, but I love anything by the water! I also really enjoyed the QB-WB route I did on Sunday Funday once.

Any running-related superstitions? -

I try to avoid breaking in new gear on race day. And I like to treat myself to a nice meal the night before.

What has running taught you or changed about you? -

Running has taught me that what matters the most in your own personal running journey is your own progress. I can be really hard on myself and feel like I’m not “fast” (which is relative anyway and doesn’t really matter) and that means that I’m not a true “runner”. But, running long distance is new to me and I clearly remember wanting to at the very least run more than a 5K at the beginning of the year and doing at least one race longer than a 5K would be an accomplishment in itself. I had a lot of firsts this year and my big one was the Staten Island half a couple weeks ago. You can really do anything you set your mind to and running has helped me realize my potential, discipline and ambition!

Favorite post-race food?

Not food but I love demolishing a peach iced tea after a run.

Favorite song to run to / that makes you want to run?

Sooo many good ones… but since I just saw them recently, “Na Na Na” by My Chemical Romance is a solid one.

Favorite running social media account?

I don’t have a specific account at the moment but I love watching running TikToks.

What do you think is the worst part about being a runner?

Having to work non-running plans into my schedule… wanting to run multiple times a week and at least once in the morning, I am a lot more intentional with how I spend my time when I’m not running. It’s definitely been beneficial, but managing my time is tough!

Best advice to running newbies?

Try not to compare yourself to other runners (comparison is the thief of joy after all). I still occasionally find myself intimidated by how fast some of our runners are (it’s also inspiring), how many races they’ve done, etc. Whether you’re running to race or purely for exercise, whether you’ve just started or have been running for years, we are all on our own unique running journey!

Current running goal?

2025 is my marathon year!!!

Any other fun running facts about you?

I sprinted in high school for a couple years! 100m, 200m, 400m (the worst).