September Runner of the Month: Team Championships Women’s Top 3
This month we’re celebrating our amazing women’s Local Competitive team by getting to know the three top scorers from this year’s NYRR Team Championships. This race is particularly exciting as it is specifically designed as to celebrate NYC’s prolific running clubs: first, it is initially accessible only to runners who are members of running clubs, and second, it is an important stop in the NYRR Club Points circuit. Ten runners are counted in the Open categories—whereas in other Club Points races, only five are counted—and the Club Points are doubled!
All three of the top scoring women placed in the Top 50 in the 5 mile race!
Hope Luebbert (29:30)
Danielle Aspitz (29:56)
Isabel Genn (30:29)
Team Results
Women’s Overall: 7th
Women’s 40+: 10th
Women’s 50+: 4th
Men’s Overall: 12th
Men’s 40+: 6th
Men’s 50+: 3rd
Danielle Aspitz (left) and Hope Leubbert (right)
Hope Leubbert (left) and Isabel Genn (right)
Hope Luebbert
When did you join NBR and why?
I started running with NBR in January this year. Danielle was persistent about coming out for an LC run, and so grateful she was :)
How did you initially get into running?
I honestly have no idea. I think Harrison's hypothesis is probably closest to being accurate — that one day I went for a little jog in the morning, and it was very nice, so I just started doing it for a little bit more each day. And here we are.
What do you do when you're not running?
N/A... just kidding (kind of)! I'm a big reader, love wandering aimlessly, eating pastries, and being around when other people cook. I also love picking up a craft for about 15–20 minutes at a time, then abandoning it for the next 3–15 months.
What motivates you to race and compete in running?
Racing and competing is actually my least favorite part of this running thing! However, the team aspect of races this season has been so fun and rewarding. Team Champs was particularly fun because so many NBR folks came out to race and cheer — it really felt like a true team sport and a big party! Passing a member of [insert nemesis running team] will also never get old.
Did you do any specific training for Team Champs? How do you feel about the distance?
See above: daily little jogs that just get progressively longer, along with LC long runs and workouts chasing Gabriella, Danielle, and Shanna around the track. Five miles is the perfect distance — enough to feel something, but over before you can really realize how terrible you feel. 10/10!
How did race day go? Was everything exactly as planned, or were there some hiccups along the way?
Fun fact: I never have a plan, so there can never be hiccups. But I guess the flip side is nothing ever goes exactly as planned.
What's your next running goal?
I'm running the NYC Marathon, and my goal is to have a good time and really soak in THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON. I've been trying to get in for 10 years, so everyone manifest excellent weather and a Harry Styles Mile 22 sighting! After that, I'm all in on Grete's Gallop 2027.
Any other fun facts about you, either as a runner or in general?
I have a positive wingspan. I do not believe it helps my running, or really anything else, aside from being one (1) fun fact about me.
Danielle Aspitz
When did you join NBR and why?
I joined NBR in September 2021. I had moved from the East Village to Williamsburg and had begun the 9+1 a month or two prior (different times). I was just beginning to re-discover my passion for racing, and it was a transformative period. I was hungry to learn more about marathon training, and it seemed like the perfect crew to educate me on it. At the Fifth Ave Mile, I saw a lot of NBR singlets and decided to look up the club and sign up!
How did you initially get into running?
I ran cross country in high school because if you did a sport, you could get out of PE and have an extended lunch period, which seemed fun to me. During my first year, they had a time trial to select the top 12 men and top 12 women to go on a trip to Hawaii for a race! I was very excited about this opportunity and ran my fastest to make the cut! That year I won Most Improved Player on the team and was immediately hooked. However, I wasn't as competitive in those years and was stoked to get 3rd in a JV race, because 3 is my favorite number — I will never forget my coach telling me, "1 should be your favorite number."
What do you do when you're not running?
I like to read, watercolor, and go out dancing! We initially moved to New York City for the electronic music scene, but over time, running and dancing have been trickier to balance. I still love going out when I can to see a great show or event, and I always love a good day party!
What motivates you to race and compete in running?
I love the idea of a growth mentality, where we're consistently learning, adapting, and honing the craft. I find marathon training — with all the variables to get right — very fascinating in this way. Racing is an opportunity to gauge where we're at during any training cycle and on a given day, and it's a chance to try and get the most out of yourself. I also love syncing up with teammates and pumping each other up to see what we can do. It's always nice to have a special day when things click and you can surprise yourself, but it's also important to give yourself grace when you fall short and realize it's a journey — this is just one little bump on the road.
Did you do any specific training for Team Champs? How do you feel about the distance?
I've been stepping back a bit during the last few months before this race. I had no expectations and surprised myself by coming close to my previous PR and sneaking in under 30. It felt good to know that my prior fitness was still there despite the step back from training.
How did race day go? Was everything exactly as planned, or were there some hiccups along the way?
I was starting to feel some fatigue in the middle but was grateful to hear teammate Alex Walsh say "You got this, Danielle" — or something along those lines — as I passed him. The encouragement mid-race really woke me up from going down a negative thought rabbit hole and snapped me back into the game. I told myself to pretend it was a 4-mile race and to stay in it. This helped get me up Cat Hill without too much of a slowdown, and while the fifth mile began to hurt, I was able to rally and hold the pace.
What's your next running goal?
I'm taking a break from racing to focus on other life goals for a bit, but I hope to maintain a strong base so I can have a strong return to racing in about a year from now.
Any other fun facts about you, either as a runner or in general?
I'm an architect and am always happy to discuss any thoughts or opinions on the craziness of the recent waterfront construction boom in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, the amazing experience of running through Grand Central during Summer Streets, policy ideas to improve affordable housing, or any other architectural/urban thought or query that's on your mind!
Isabel Genn
When did you join NBR and why?
I first started going to runs in September 2024 when I moved back home to NYC to start law school. I wanted to get to know people in the neighborhood and also experience running with other people. I had trained by myself for my first 10k back in June 2024 and really enjoyed the process, but felt it could have been better if I had other runners around me. I also wanted to make friends outside of law school, to have an escape from the intensity of that environment.
How did you initially get into running?
I initially got into running from doing a Girls on the Run program at my school back in 5th grade. My first and second grade teachers coached us to run a 5k at the end of the year (I remember thinking how long that was, lol). My second grade teacher ran the NYC Marathon every year, and I remember thinking how cool that was — it's been one of my life goals ever since. I actually just saw her at a Nike Moonshot long run, which was a crazy full-circle moment. From there, I did some track in middle school, but I wasn't very good, and I sort of petered off from running until a couple years ago.
What do you do when you're not running?
I'm in law school! I want to become a public defender and one day work on criminal justice policy reform. I would like to say that NBR has gotten me through this journey.
What motivates you to race and compete in running?
In such a short span of time, I have made incredible progress and performed beyond my wildest dreams. But even more than that, I have found something I truly love to do, which has helped me process my thoughts and cope with the demands of law school. I am also so appreciative to have found a community that supports and motivates me. I have developed a new skill set from the kindness of NBR members who have shared their words of wisdom with me throughout this process.
Did you do any specific training for Team Champs? How do you feel about the distance?
Team Champs was more or less built into my marathon training plan, so nothing specific. Five miles is definitely a unique distance for a race, so I don't have much to compare it to. But I guess that's part of the fun!
How did race day go? Was everything exactly as planned, or were there some hiccups along the way?
I really had no expectations for the race. I don't have a set race-day approach — I just go out based on vibes and how I'm feeling that day. But I felt pretty good throughout this one! I wasn't aiming for a certain time, other than wanting a PR from the year before. I still feel very much like an amateur and am always asking people for advice.
What's your next running goal?
My next running goal is to make it across the finish line of the NYC Marathon. This will be my first marathon (which continues to shock people), and I'm still very intimidated by the distance and hills. I have a tentative time goal in mind, but that's a secret.
Any other fun facts about you, either as a runner or in general?
I grew up in NYC, but I almost never went to Williamsburg, so moving here felt like a fun adventure. I also did a pre-conservatory arts program in high school, so in another life I could have been an artist. I inherited my dad's old film camera, so I sometimes take photos and have a very inactive film photography Instagram account.
