Pandemic Papers: An interview with Christine Coughlin

Christine Coughlin did it all as a student-athlete in her amazing five-year career with the Red Foxes. She started out as a key cog in our middle-distance team, teaming up with Bree Crowe literally every step of the way, as she discusses here in this Pandemic Papers interview. She was a strong cross country runner who contributed to some of our greatest moments in the mid-2010s. And during her fifth year – I call it the “bonus year” – she morphed into a strong 3k/5k runner as well. And then she graduated, joined the awesome Albany Running Exchange group up the road, and kept moving up even more – to the half marathon, and then eventually the marathon when she moved to Hawaii for a three-year stint as a teacher. Phew, that was a busy few sentences. Let’s slow this down for a second.

Two takeaways from our awesome Forever Fox Christine Coughlin and her Pandemic Papers interview here: First: If you are a current student-athlete at Marist and you are reading this (unlikely) and you have the opportunity to come back for a fifth year as a graduate student or an undergraduate (much more likely in the age of Covid and lost seasons … so far, two and counting), DO it. From my selfish coach’s perspective, it is what I referred to above as a “bonus” year. We get to see you grow as an athlete and as a person. And grow, you do. You’re stuck in that odd purgatory between the fantasy world of being a college student and the very real world of being a college graduate trying to navigate life outside of the secure bubble of being in college. Christine describes that well here. Her bonus year – I liken it to “extra innings” in a great baseball game you don’t want to see end – was fantastic in every way, and led her on the pathway to Hawaii, which was a three-year period of growth professionally and personally for her. Second: Her transition to marathoning – in Hawaii – was a bit rocky but she learned a lot in the process. We had a few long emails and phone calls to discuss training – including one very surreal call DURING her first marathon! I don’t recall what she said or what I said, but she got through it. And she’s got a great future in the sport.

It had to be weird for Christine to be in Hawaii when this pandemic broke out. The disease was raging back here in New York, where most of her family is, but it wasn’t as prevalent out there, at least initially. As a teacher, she had to pivot to distance learning, and we’ve discussed how challenging that can be in previous interviews. Now, she’s back in the mainland, living in the Washington, DC area, and the pandemic is still very much a part of our lives. We look forward to the day that we can welcome back Christine to race at the Dutchess County Classic in her Marist Alumni Racing Team singlet, and we hope she becomes active in the racing scene down in DC as well. For now, as the world continues to unravel, we remain filled with gratitude – for another Pandemic Papers interview with another Forever Fox who added so much to the life of our program.    

How, when and why did you start running?

I officially began running in 9th grade. Indoor track was my first taste of competitive running. I grew up playing soccer and lacrosse. I always played mid-field which required a lot of running up and down the field. With time, I learned that I could run and that I enjoyed running. So I decided to try out for the indoor track team my freshman year. I gave indoor track a go and ended up falling in love with it. I loved it so much that I decided to quit lacrosse and run outdoor track instead. From there on out, I progressed into a full time/year-round runner.

You ran for a well-known high school program in a strong region of New York State (Section 2). What was that experience like? What are some of your favorite memories and highlights from your high school running career?

Running for Shaker High School was definitely a memorable experience. Throughout my high school running career, I witnessed a lot of talent and tough competition within Section 2, which always made track meets very thrilling.  Racing against such talented athletes also served as a great motivator to work hard and BE BETTER! Needless to say, I idolized a lot of runners in Section 2.  Speaking of idols and memorable experiences ... I’ll never forget the day I ran the 800m at State Qualifiers my junior year and ended up being in a heat with some of the fastest girls in our section. I was not only in awe but also very nervous to be racing against them. Long story short, I held on in that race and ended up surprising myself with a big PR that day. I wouldn’t have run that PR if I didn’t have those girls to chase. I didn’t make states that day but running a PR was all that I could ask for. Another very fond memory of mine was when I got to be a part of the relay team that broke our school’s 4x800 record. The best part of this experience was that I was on a relay team with my best friends. Being a part of a relay team is an experience in itself but when you get to be a part of it with your closest friends it makes for an even more special and memorable experience!

How and why did you choose Marist? What other schools were you considering and how did you pick Marist over the other schools you were interested in?

I had a small list of schools that I was considering. UAlbany, Utica College, Iona, Saint Rose, and Siena were all on my list. Needless to say, I am SO thankful that I ended up choosing Marist. It was an easy decision for me. Marist was the first school that I did an official visit at and after my visit, I knew I wanted to go there. It was that feeling of “when you know, you know.” It was the warm welcome that I got from Coach Chuck, Coach Pete, and all the girls on the team that I got to meet during my official visit that solidified my decision to choose Marist. Throughout the course of my short visit, I was able to see the special bond that brought all the team members and coaches together as one big family. From that day on, I knew I wanted to be a part of that family.

What was your major at Marist and what was your academic experience like?

I majored in Psychology with a dual certification in Elementary and Special Education. I had a very fond academic experience at Marist. The education program at Marist is wonderful and definitely prepares teacher candidates very well! I learned a lot throughout my four years of undergraduate study and had some amazing professors along the way who shaped me into the teacher that I am today. 

What was it like staying a fifth year at Marist?

Choosing to do a fifth year at Marist was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I grew a lot in my fifth year, both as a person and as a runner. Fortunately, I was able to compete in all three seasons during my fifth year. Being a graduate student also meant that I had to live off campus for the first time which was a great experience that prepared me for the big transition into the real world after college.  From a running standpoint, I further developed very special friendships with my teammates (which I am forever thankful for) and had the best spring track season of my entire Marist career. My fifth year I was advised by Coach Chuck and Coach Pete to try out the 3k and 5k. Lo and behold, I took a great liking to both those distances and they became my strongest and preferred race distances during my fifth year. Not only did I love the distance but I also loved being a part of the lovely 5k crew of ladies. If you have the opportunity to do a fifth year at Marist I strongly recommend it!

When and why did you choose to go to Hawaii for teaching?

I moved to Hawaii for teaching in July of 2017. Choosing to move to Hawaii was the most spontaneous decision I had ever made in my life. It also proved to be one of the best decisions I had ever made too. It all happened very fast. I had gone to visit three of my good friends from Marist who had moved out to Hawaii to teach after graduating. During my visit, I fell in love with Hawaii and also had the chance to visit my friend’s school which was an incredible experience in itself. Then, about a month after I got back from my trip I decided that I wanted to move to Hawaii to begin my own teaching adventure. From there on out, everything else just fell into place in the most beautiful and unexpected way. So for me, that was a sign that I was meant to go. 

Tell us about your experience teaching in Hawaii. It seems to have been a memorable time. What have you learned from it? What has it been like to be so far away from home for the past several years?

Teaching in Hawaii has been an incredibly memorable experience. I spent three years as a Special Education teacher at Makaha Elementary School on the beautiful island of Oahu. Throughout those three years, I had the amazing opportunity to immerse myself in the Hawaiian culture, which included learning some of the Hawaiian language, eating delicious Hawaiian food, and learning about the beautiful Hawaiian traditions. The coolest part was that even though I played the role of the teacher, I was often the “student” learning so much from my own students about the way of life in Hawaii and the important values that are a part of the Hawaiian culture. One of the greatest things I learned was the true meaning of aloha. Aloha is not just a simple greeting or goodbye but rather a way of life in which you embody respect, peace, compassion, and love. The spirit of aloha is what makes Hawaii such a beautiful place. And it is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. 

Being so far away from home was difficult but thankfully technology helped tremendously with that. Technology can really make the world seem like a smaller place. I don’t know what I would have done if Facetime didn’t exist. I was also very fortunate because both my family and friends were able to come to Hawaii to visit which made for some of the most amazing and unforgettable memories! Including some very special Red Fox reunions which I am forever thankful for! 

Back to your time at Marist: You were a strong and diverse runner on our team, excelling at a variety of distances and disciplines. What are some of your fondest memories of being a student-athlete at Marist?

      

This is a tough question. Simply because my entire experience as a member of the team was very fond so it’s hard to choose! My freshman year I had one of the best experiences training alongside former Red Fox, Bree Crowe. We were quite the dynamic duo! Whether it was a workout on the track, a long run, a pre-meet run, or a race, you could count on seeing us doing it together. Anyone who knows Bree will agree that she is a great teammate, role model, friend, and a true inspiration! I sure wish that Bree’s and my time on the team overlapped for longer than just a year!

Another fond memory of mine was racing Cross Country MAACs at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports. Placing second that day behind Iona and having Mickey Mouse congratulate us was definitely a memorable experience. I will also never forget when we ended up getting stranded there ... what better place to be stranded! The 24-hour bus ride home was tough but it was well worth it! Traveling with the team, in general, was always a memorable experience simply because of the strong bonds we shared. I will always be thankful to be a part of the MCXC/MCTF family. The last fond memory (otherwise I’ll go on forever) that I would like to share is when we placed first in our division at ECACs in 2016. That was an incredible race and a very special moment when we were awarded our trophy. The picture says it all. 

  

Talk about your post-collegiate running and racing. What are some highlights (Honolulu Marathons!) and what are some of your future aspirations in running?

Shortly after I graduated from Marist, I had the fortunate opportunity to join the Albany Running Exchange club. Shout out to former Red Fox, Nick Webster, for helping me get involved with ARE! Then, shortly after I joined ARE I found out that another former Red Fox, Lisa (D’Aniello) Chase, was also on the team! It’s always nice when you can be part of a team after college and still have Red Foxes as teammates. Being a part of ARE was a great experience for many reasons - a great community of people, talented runners, a great coach (shout out to Dick Vincent!), and a great way to train and stay in shape. My first big race with ARE was the Schroon Lake Half Marathon. I ran a personal best that day and received an Adirondack bear as a medal which was definitely the coolest medal I’ve ever gotten.  After completing that race, I came to love the half marathon. Fast forward to two years later, I took on the challenge of running my first marathon in Hawaii. It didn’t go so well. I trained for it but not to the level that I needed to (the marathon is a BEAST) so I learned my lesson the hard way. I’ll never forget what Coach Pete told me during my training ... marathon training is all about adaptability, which is SO true. After finishing the marathon, I was in so much pain and I remember saying to myself, “I’m NEVER running again…” Well, that didn’t last too long because about a month later I began running again, and then a year later I found myself running the Honolulu marathon again. I took Pete’s advice and increased my level of training the following year and it paid off. I ran a lot faster than the previous year and my body was much more well adjusted to the marathon distance the second time around.  In terms of my future aspirations, I think I will mainly be focusing on further exploring the marathon and running some half marathons along the way as well!

How has the pandemic affected your professional career? Has your job changed and if so, how?

As an elementary school teacher, I’ve been navigating the distance learning waters and it’s been quite the journey. It took me some time to adjust to using the online platforms to provide instruction but once I got the hang of it, it kind of became the new norm and seems like it will continue to be the norm this upcoming school year. Although distance learning has its challenges, it also offers a lot of great opportunities to teach in new and creative ways. So it has been fun learning new ways to teach but at the end of the day, I still would much rather be back teaching in an actual classroom rather than online. So here’s hoping we’ll see the day soon when we can return to school!

How has the pandemic affected your personal life? What changes, if any, have you had to make to your routine?

At the time when the pandemic first broke out here, I was still living in Hawaii. So, it was extremely hard for me to be living so far away from my family during this scary and unprecedented time. So, I naturally became more worried but thankfully I was able to keep in constant communication with my family (multiple times a day) which helped out a lot. Aside from being more worried, I also had to get used to spending all day at home which was definitely an adjustment. However, having the extra time allowed for being able to go outside and exercise which helped a lot! Getting outside after being cooped up in the house makes all the difference. I am hopeful though that we will all be able to get back to our normal routines soon. 

Where do you see this pandemic going in the short- and long-term future?

It’s definitely hard to know where this pandemic is going but I am hopeful, like everyone else, that this year a vaccine will be created and things will begin to normalize as much as possible. In the short-term, I think that social distancing and wearing masks will hopefully continue to prevent the spread so that we can get this pandemic under control. As a teacher, it’s hard to imagine going back to school during a time like this with so much unknown. But it’s important to keep reminding ourselves that we’re all in this together and we will get through it.

What are your fondest memories of your final few months of your senior year at Marist? What message can you give to our recent graduates about the loss of their final few months at Marist?

I spent the last semester of my senior year student teaching which was a wonderful and rewarding experience. Student teaching was a very demanding time commitment so in a sense, it was like I was already working a full-time job. I have to be honest, at times I did feel like I was living in a different world as a student-teacher because I didn’t have the traditional schedule where I attended all of my classes on campus and got to see my friends and teammates on a regular basis. I also chose to redshirt my spring season because of how demanding student teaching was and I was also going to be returning the following year for graduate school so it seemed to be the best option. So, my fondest memories included: going to MAACs (this time as a spectator) to proudly cheer on my teammates and classmates who were running their final races as a Red Fox, attending the senior awards banquet, as well as the other senior events that occurred during the last week leading up until graduation. With all that being said, my heart goes out to all the recent graduates who lost their final few months at Marist. You all are so strong for enduring these very unfortunate times. However, the most important thing to remember is that Marist will always be your home. And the MCXC/MCTF family will always be your second family. The friendships you’ve made at Marist will now grow stronger as you all enter this next chapter together. So for now, focus on the positive and all the wonderful and exciting opportunities that await you!

Anything else you’d like to add …

I would just like to make a special note about the incredible opportunities and connections that Marist provides their students with. I am forever thankful for all the experiences I gained throughout my five years at Marist. One of the greatest things that Marist provided me with post-graduation was an opportunity to teach in Hawaii. Teaching in Hawaii has changed my life forever. And I couldn’t be more happy and excited that some more fellow Red Foxes are beginning their own teaching journey in Hawaii this upcoming school year. Special shout out to Emily Burns and Debbie Boerke! I had the wonderful opportunity to see Emily and Debbie two years ago in Hawaii when they came to visit with the Marist education program. Two years later ... Emily and Debbie are now living in Hawaii in the SAME house that I lived in! How NEAT (as Coach Pete would say) is that! 

Thank you Pete for including me on this interview series! It was a pleasure and an honor. 

FOREVER FOXES!