When did you join North Brooklyn Runners and why?

I joined the North Brooklyn Runners in 2022 after I kept seeing runners with NBR shirts running across the Williamsburg bridge. Not a single one of them looked out of breath and I was insanely jealous. I had just started taking running more seriously at the time and wanted to feel a sense of community, so I went to a Saturday Bridge Run one summer morning and I’ve been here since!

In what ways have you been involved with NBR?

I’m a newly minted Narwhals run leader! My favorite part of the week is catching up with friends and meeting new people on the Narwhals route. I was bamboozled into becoming a run leader by two of my favorite people, Amanda and Vito, who I met last fall during the peak of their New York City Marathon training. I started coming consistently to Narwhals after meeting them because they made spending hours running feel super approachable, and I’m also apparently a glutton for punishment. Aside from being a Narwhals evangelist, I’m often at bagel run and (very) sporadically at Tigerwolves or Hellkatz.

What do you do when you're not running?

I love cooking and baking, and when work gets really intense I find myself stress-baking cookies or cupcakes to take to the office so I’m pretty sure that’s why I still have my current job. I’ve baked my own birthday cake five years in a row! I’m also a pianist so I try to practice as much as I can. I’m usually playing something by Brahms.

How did you initially get into running?

I’m asthmatic, and when I was in high school my doctor recommended I start running to build lung strength because I hadn’t outgrown the asthma in the way we’d expected. College was the first time I wasn’t on a sports team so I started to run a couple miles at a time here or there, but I got hooked after I graduated and had actual free time.

What is your favorite race distance?

I actually really enjoy the 10K. It’s relatively quick but a decent challenge, there’s just enough time for you to settle into an uncomfortable pace and then try to push at the end.

Favorite running route in NYC?

I go through seasons of being hyper fixated on a specific route, and it’s usually weather-dependent. Right now, it’s the Roosevelt Island loop so I can check on the cat sanctuary.

Any running-related superstitions?

No real superstitions, but I can’t run in the evenings or at night. I’m a dedicated early morning runner. You’ll probably never see me at TNT, I fear. I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, and you can’t run outside any time after 8 a.m. because of the heat and humidity, so I’ll blame it on my upbringing.

What has running taught you or changed about you?

I didn’t have a lot of confidence in what my body was capable of before I started running, especially because for so much of my life I was told what I couldn’t do because of my asthma. Since I started running, I’m a lot more confident (sometimes delusional) that I can push through discomfort and get through almost anything.

Favorite post-race food?

Overall, pancakes. They’re probably my favorite food (I’m aware I’m a child). If I want an even more indulgent treat, I love the ube cheesecake from Posh Pop bakery in West Village.

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

Sability by Ayra Star

Favorite running social media account?

I follow quite a few but Savannah Sachdev and nicolemruns are two of my favorites.

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

The two weeks before tapering for a race. I’m my most tired, hungry, and anxious at that point.

Best advice to running newbies?

ELECTROLYTES. Especially going into the warmer weather. When I first started running I thought electrolytes were a myth or just a thing that runners talked about but didn’t really matter but WOW was I wrong. So much changed for me when I learned how to stay hydrated on long runs, and electrolytes really made the difference for me.

Current running goal?

I’m hoping to finally run a sub-2 half marathon soon, but my main goal for the year is running the NYC Marathon in the fall and enjoying every mile of it. It’ll be my first marathon so please cheer extra hard if you see me dying out there.

Any other fun running facts about you?

I made the roster for varsity track my freshman year even though I tore a hamstring in my first ever meet and never competed again