Meet the Confluence Running Team: Brianna
As a community-based running store, we like to get to know all of our customers, along with all of their achievements and goals. We also happen to have a really great team that helps make sure we do what we do best. Upon reflection, in the midst of a morning group run, we had a thought, what if our customers got to know our team members like we got to know our customers? So after a few cups of coffee and maybe a donut or two we sat down with a few of our team members and asked them some questions on important topics like how they got into running, pizza toppings, and their worst running story. Now we officially invite you to meet the Confluence Running Team, we tend to think they are pretty great!
Brianna: Sales Associate, Hudson Valley
Brianna is one of the newest members to our Confluence Running team, but she is awesome. She actually grew up in Vestal, NY near our Binghamton location and after college (she went to SUNY Cortland where she played FIELD HOCKEY- seriously she is so cool) she moved to the Hudson Valley. While not at Confluence Running you can find her spending time with her family, working as a financial planner, tutoring for SUNY Orange, and chasing her two young ones around!
CR: How and why did you begin running?
Brianna: Throughout middle and high school I played field hockey and lacrosse, continuing on to play collegiate field hockey at SUNY Cortland. Running was always part of my training for these sports and a way to keep in shape. Once my collegiate career was over and pressures of training weren't tied to running anymore, it became even more enjoyable. Local races of all distances are now one of my (and my families!) favorite things to participate and compete in! Running is a way to keep myself healthy, compete against myself (and my age group when I'm really motivated!), and get a break from a busy household ;)
CR: What does a typical day look like for you and are you currently working on anything?
Brianna My 4 and 3 year old keep me busy from sun up to sun down shuffling to different places, playing outside and making a mess of our house. In addition to them, I seem to be a jack of all trades! I do some financial planning work and tutor at SUNY Orange along with spending some days at Confluence Running.
CR:Tell us about one of your worst runs ever? You define what makes it "the worst"
Brianna: In 2019 I ran the NorthFace Endurance Challenge at Bear Mountain State Park, specifically the half marathon. It was on a Sunday, had been raining all weekend and there was a 50K and 50 mile race that had taken place the day before. The trails were already pretty messy from the previous races running through, then add in the constant rain. Everything was sticky mud, there were rivers and creeks where there shouldn't have been and the course was super challenging. I had to hike half the course because it just wasn't even run-nable, ended up hurting my knee on slippery downhills, and took so long that I ended up missing my sons first kids run that took place later in the morning. Oh, and the course was 13.7 miles, that last .6 miles took forever in my mind! It was my slowest time but I was impressed and proud I had ran/limped/hiked/swam my way to the end!
CR: Trails, Track or Road Races? What is your favorite distance and why?
Brianna: Road races. Since it's the easiest and most accessible place for me to get out and run on, it's my go to! Trails have been growing on me though! 5K is my perfect distance, not too long, not too short and over with pretty quick!
CR: You are going on a running vacation, What are the 3- 5 items (hopefully something we sell) you bring?
Brianna: A pair of Brooks, music and a watch.
CR: If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
Brianna: My grandparents - they're the best and would be so proud!
CR: Whats your Most memorable running moment?
Brianna: My husband and I were visiting his grandfather in Texas. We were fulfilling a goal of supporting at least one race each month that year, and the weekend we were in Dallas the "Lone Star 5K" happened to be running so we thought it would be pretty cool to do a race in Texas. We agreed we were going to take it easy, run leisurely and enjoy it as it was pretty scenic going through Arlington and past places like AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Park. Turns out, some of the volunteers at one of the corners had their arrow facing the wrong way so a hand full of runners before us ended up going the wrong way. Lucky for us, they fixed their error by the time we went by so we stayed on the course. We ended up winning the 5K in our age group with one of our slowest times and it was hilarious (to us, not so much for the people who got in some extra mileage!)
CR: What is your biggest achievement to date – personal or professional?
Brianna: I'm super proud of my Bachelors and Masters degrees, but my kids take the cake on this one! My son and daughter are for sure my greatest accomplishment!
CR: What time of day do you like to run?
Brianna: Morning (let's get after it)
CR:What is your favorite post-run meal?
Brianna: In my dream world, a sandwich and fries. In my practical world, yogurt with granola and fruit mixed in.
CR: Whats your go to pizza topping?
Brianna: Pepperoni - every time all the time.
