NBR Board of Directors

CAITLIN PAPAGEORGE
President

Joined NBR: 2018

Why I joined: I had been running and racing on my own for a bit and thought "this would be more fun with some company" ... and it is! And I also thought "this would be a great way to make friends" ... and it is!

What I love about NBR: The camaraderie and positivity - running, training, racing, and cheering on teammates is such an incredible experience. I feel continually uplifted by this club and the awesome people in it!

Favorite Race Distance: Marathon

Favorite Race: The NYC Marathon (of course!) ... but the Big Sur Marathon and the Great Sacandaga Half are close behind. But, really everything is just training for the Al Gordon 4 miler.

Best Running Memory: How do I choose?! For races, I think NYC 2021 for the absolute joy of it, and Grandma's Marathon 2022 for what it meant to me personally. But there was a moment this past year when I was in Amsterdam running in a park when I passed this teacher who was biking her roughly 10 five year old girls in this little trolley. I had just hit the mark to launch into a 400 and when I ran by them they started screaming and cheering. I'll never forget the delight on their faces. Total girl power moment!

Fun Fact: I ran my first race ever in 2015 during the JP Morgan Corporate challenge. I nearly lost my mind chasing people down. I think I went home that night and put my name in for the NYC Marathon lottery thinking I'd never get in. I did, and the rest is history!

THOMAS KELSEY


Team Captain

Joined NBR: 2019

Why I joined: I independently volunteered for the Mile 12 water table at the 2019 NYC Marathon, completely unaware that I would be volunteering with dozens of runners from a local run club. If you've ever volunteered for a marathon you know you have a very long day so as a result I was able to meet a lot of new people, learn about the club, and even had dinner with one of the members before heading over to the marathon after-party...which I was not able to attend because I hadn't brought my ID. Nevertheless, that next evening I attended Monday Night Easy Run, the most popular run of the week and one that I now help lead.

What I love about NBR: There is a lot of support and community for runners of all types and abilities that exist within a larger cohesive group. There's an entire morning run culture in the club that I will never understand, but some of those people are still amongst my closest friends in the club. 

Favorite Race Distance: The marathon, for sure. I want to be able to have a nice, long chat for the first half of any race. 

Favorite Race / Best Running Memory: During my first marathon, New York 2018, I was really going through it up in the Bronx when I came across a woman offering hugs to all the runners. I cannot overstate how much that hug meant to me in that moment. And that's why the NYC Marathon is just special. It's the hundreds of thousands of people out there giving the runners out there what they need; be it emotional support, the most overwhelming hype, or maybe even a bong rip. 55,000 runners and each one is made to feel special regardless of background or ability. The world's best 26 mile long block party is unrivaled. 

Fun Fact: France's longest continuous border is with Brazil

WINN KOSTER
Team Captain

Joined NBR: Summer 2022

Why I joined: I wanted to feel a stronger sense of community in my neighborhood and to find some mental clarity amidst a lot of upheaval in my life.

What I love about NBR: We have such a passionate group not just for running but for broader community outreach, volunteering, social hangs, and more. I’ve lived in North Brooklyn for a long time, but I didn’t feel nearly as connected to the neighborhood before I started running with NBR.

Favorite Race Distance: I really like a ten miler or a half marathon. For me that’s about the perfect distance to get into a great tempo rhythm, not have to worry too much about mid-race fueling, and you can still kick a bit at the end.

Favorite Race: My favorite “real” race is the NYC Marathon because it’s so magical, my favorite “fake” race is the Warriors Ultra because it’s so chaotic.

Best Running Memory: Running the Warriors Ultra in 2022, just a month after my first marathon. It’s an all-nighter ultra marathon from the Bronx to Coney Island with a route and costumes inspired by a 70s cult classic film. Only in New York is something like this possible.

Fun Fact: Other than college, I’ve lived in Brooklyn my entire life!

MOLLY MEARNS
Treasurer

Joined NBR: August 2021, right after moving to Brooklyn

Why I joined: I grew up hearing my mom's stories about her time living in NYC in her 20s/30s and how she made some of her closest friends through running clubs, so I figured I’d try one out!

What I love about NBR: There's something for everyone -- new to running or seasoned veteran, miler or marathoner, party pace or LC. You can show up once every few months or every single day and you'll still get so much out of this club. Best of all, it's free!

Favorite Race Distance: I haven't run many longer races (so far Bronx 10M is my longest race), so my favorite distance is probably the mile. I'm planning to run the NYC Marathon this year, so who knows... maybe I'll have a new favorite race distance come November!

Favorite Race: I love the 5th Avenue Mile! It's so cool to run straight down 5th Ave, and it's short which means the pain is over pretty quickly.

Best Running Memory: I've been running since elementary school, so that's a lot of memories to choose from... my favorites are probably just running up in Maine on family vacations. The carriage roads in Acadia National Park are always so beautiful, and we almost always reward ourselves with ice cream afterwards.

Fun Fact: My parents used to big runners in NYC (before they decided to have 5 kids and move to the Midwest). As some people already know, the 5th Avenue Mile played a big role in how they started dating, so maybe that's why I'm drawn to it!

HALEY SNYDER

Director

Joined NBR: I joined NBR in September 2021 on the tail end of Covid while training for my first half marathon.

Why I joined: I joined NBR to make friends and join a community in Williamsburg. I wanted to get more into running and figured running with a group would be the best way to do that!

What I love about NBR: I love the people - everyone is so friendly, welcoming and supportive. Whether you're running your first 5K or your ninth marathon, the people in NBR will treat it with enthusiasm and warmth. It's truly the best way to explore the city and be a part of an amazing community.

Favorite Race Distance: Right now it would be the half marathon - not as long as a marathon, but still long enough that you don't have to go at the painful speed of a 5K or 10K!

Favorite Race: It has to be the Staten Island Half 2023 - I had a unicorn day where everything felt right and easy, and I went way past my A goal.

Best Running Memory: Not a specific memory, but the Bagel Run every month is pretty awesome. Always good vibes and great people, with delicious bagels at the end. Great way to kick off a Friday and the weekend!

Fun Fact: I backpacked the Long Trail in July of 2021! The Long Trail is a 300 mile thru hike from the bottom to the top of Vermont.

HARRISON GRINNAN

Director

Joined NBR: 2021

Why I joined: I started running a little bit before the pandemic then it turned out it was the only thing to do for two years and I got really into it. I live a quarter mile from the famous bins that don't exist, so it wasn't a big leap to join the club once being around other people felt safe again. Running with the club has helped me set my goals higher than I ever would have expected when I ran alone, plus I've met a whole lot of friends!

What I love about NBR: Because it's a free running club and not a climbing gym, you can meet all kinds of people here! I also really enjoy when run leaders have a little too much fun with the emails they send out.

Favorite Race Distance: I've had races I felt went really well from the mile to the full marathon. I did not enjoy running the 800. 

Favorite Race: My first race as a serious runner was the Bronx Ten Miler in 2021 and I beat my goal time by two full minutes. Since then I've been setting more accurate, harder goals, but every time I reach the last part of a race ahead of my goal pace it feels amazing. I love being able to settle in and just pick people off instead of racing a clock.

Best Running Memory: Running to the beach with LC and Narwhals is amazing every year. The route is simple (run down bedford, left at the ocean, right at the bridge, left at the beach), the views are great, we've had great luck with the weather, and the first two times I did it I got a wonderful sabich from a cafe in the rockaways. Last time we went, the sabich was off the menu and I ended up getting a kimchi grilled cheese from a different place that could only be described as a crime against kimchi, cheese, and sliced bread.

Fun Fact: I have never run on a treadmill!

BRYCE WILSON

Director