Think like my mother

Everybody’s freaking out.

Big parties at universities! Big gatherings off campus! No one’s wearing masks (friggin STUPID)! It’s not gonna work! You’re gonna be sent home next week! Why are we paying full tuition if you watch lectures in your dorm room?

People. Please. Relax already.

We’re in a pandemic. Things are complicated. This in-person college experiment very well may not be sustainable. In a lot of places, we’ve already SEEN that. I know. I know! We’re living it every day here too, people. But hand-wringing will get us nowhere. Let’s control what we can control, which is our own behavior, and maybe the behavior of our teammates, classmates, anyone else we come in contact with … maybe. Beyond that, what will be will be. Or, as my soon-to-be-88-year-old mother would say, “Eh, what’re you gonna do?”

We should all adopt some of her philosophy. My mother grew up on an Italian island (Stromboli) with an active volcano – fun fact, it’s still active, erupted last year, with fatalities … wait … that’s actually not a FUN fact. Anyway. Back in the late 1930s and 1940s, when my mother and her family lived on Stromboli, there was no running water, no electricity, and one big-ass volcano waiting to erupt. When I was in elementary school, I had the coolest show-and-tell: Volcanic dust from the island where my mother grew up.

My mother and her family lived every second of every day with the reality that one massive eruption and they’d all be consumed by molten lava, poof, and that’s that. Talk about growing up with perspective. I’m pretty certain that the “Eh, what’re you gonna do?” (or, if she was surrounded by Old Italians who couldn’t speak English in our house, which was often, it would be “che puo fa?”) attitude with which she lived her life comes from the perspective of her youth. It’s not like she could move to another island or another country at a moment’s notice, what with a World War raging at the time. They were kinda stuck there. Did she worry? Did she fret? Of course she did, she’s human! But she didn’t let it consume her. She grew up a scared girl, but she and her family adapted. They had no choice.

My mother has lived her entire life with the gratitude box checked. She’s old, mostly blind, needs a walker, needs help with some basic life activities, no longer lives independently, lost her husband of 60 years a few years ago … but she tends to focus on what she has rather than what she doesn’t have. I doubt, growing up as she did, she could envision living long enough to have great-grandchildren, but now she does (two babies, born in the past few months and days). And although she cannot see them in any sense of the word, she’s grateful for each day. I’d like to think some of that gratitude attitude has rubbed off on her youngest boy (that’s me). But maybe not. After all? I’m one of those guys pacing around, wondering, “is this gonna work?”

Tomorrow, we start the Fall 2020 semester at Marist. Is it going to work? Are the students going to be sent home sooner than we’d like? Will students act like knuckleheads, traipse around without masks (STUPID!), gather for large parties? Ooof, who knows! Maybe, my mother’s words should just echo in my head, each and every day, moving forward. Maybe we should all do the same. The uncertainty can be tough to deal with, mentally crippling even. But let’s control what we can control. Let’s win each day, because that’s all we’ve got in front of us, and see where this all goes.

Hope and despair

The philosophy professor was commenting on a colleague’s Facebook post, echoing her thoughts and adding his own, with regard to the impending opening of our college. “We are oscillating between hope and despair right now,’’ he wrote. “Right now, it’s hope for me. I’m sticking with hope.”

Hope and despair. Two disparate emotions to toggle. In 2020, this makes crystal clear sense to all of us, doesn’t it?

This morning, we are packing up our cars and heading north to drop off our daughter Natalie at Siena College, for the start of her freshman year. What will that freshman year bring? Hope and despair are universal emotions in college, especially when embarking on a new journey as she is. But there are added layers to hope and despair in 2020, aren’t there? The sobering news yesterday about UNC Chapel Hill moving to remote learning as a result of a Covid outbreak grounds us, as though we needed such a reminder in this remarkable year of 2020.

Will this work? Will this experiment be sustainable? Will we make it unscathed to Thanksgiving? If you work on a college campus, as we do, these existential questions are an omnipresent buzz in your head. Toss in your own children being part of this grand experiment, and you are left with a complicated mix of emotions. Hope, despair, and add about a dozen more colorful adjectives as well.

Each day, we can choose to wake up, energized with the hope of a new day. We can also despair about what may be to come. Both are easy and both are natural. Let’s try this strategy: Hope for the best, and try to win the day, collectively. Easier said than done. If we can do that for about 90 days, hope will have prevailed, in terms of our Fall 2020 experiment. Yes, I know, hope is not a strategy. But it’s the tenuous house of cards to which we cling – today and in the coming days.

Pandemic Papers: An interview with Greg Masto

There are certain unalienable truths about Greg Masto’s memorable four-year run as a member of our Marist College cross country and track family.

--Yes, he had the freakish ability at times to run faster for 3,000 meters during a steeplechase race than in a flat race (indoors) with no barriers or water jumps. That’s just downright bizarre.

--Yes, it is true that I initially resisted his seemingly absurd plan to do the rarest of track and field doubles – 3,000-meter steeplechase and high jump – in the same meet.

--Yes, it is true that, not surprisingly, I was wrong. Masto could jump – and not just over the water pit and steeple barriers. He scored actual points for us at the MAAC Championships in the high jump, in the process creating a cult following on our team and maybe beyond.

--Yes, it’s true there were more people wildly cheering for Masto in the high jump (an event he didn’t even practice, other than in high school) than in for the event for which he trained, the steeple.

--And yes -- dammit yes! – Greg Masto majored in “playing video games’’ at Marist College.

Oh. All right. Not really, with the last one. But come on. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story, or an endless loop of bad jokes from a wiseass coach. But really: Gaming and game design – at the time a nascent field within the communications major – was a daring move for a young Greg Masto coming out of Guilderland High School. He gambled on this new field of study and the gamble paid off. He has since made a career of it and met his wife in the industry. And talk about a pandemic-proof industry? What better way to spend your shut-in time than playing video games! So, Masto is doing just fine, thank you.

OK. All lighthearted humor aside, Greg Masto was another in a long line of fine citizens to grace our program. He added spice and personality to our team. He’s a loyal alum, fiercely faithful to his Red Foxes (and yes, his beloved Miami Dolphins, too). He’s another in a long line of golden era boys, guys that inhabited our team during our finest hours in all three seasons. While several records from that era have been broken, the sustained success of the late 2000s/early 2010s is something that laid the groundwork for our current team. Taking a quick glance back at some of those meet results, one thing we came to realize is that the MAAC was nowhere near the league it is now in terms of depth and talent. On the men’s side, it was a five-team league in track. Sheesh.

As happens with many alums (Masto is Class of 2010), we’ve only kept tabs on Masto through Facebook or occasional emails or texts. It was a recent email from him, telling us he was thinking about the program after the cancellation of the fall season, that led to this Pandemic Papers interview. Thanks for reaching out, Greg, and for being so loyal to our program.  

Going way back, how and when and why did you start running and did you play other sports growing up?

My introduction started in middle school with the local races while also trying out for basketball and soccer. I always prided myself as being fast on the court or in gym class so to actually put it in practice helped. It was also an early reminder that just because I was the fastest in my friends’ group didn't mean it translated to organized events. 

Tell us about your high school running career? When did you start and what were some of the highlights there?

I started my freshman year on the Guilderland team. I had met Coach Oates from running in middle school. It seemed like a great way to play a sport and meet new people. Freshman year wasn't too much of a highlight as I was still figuring things out and I ended up injuring my knee early in the track season.

I really found my stride my sophomore year as the team would take the top 3 JV to travel with the varsity to sectionals. Once I saw I could contribute I made it my goal to stay on varsity. I think this was also the first year I broke 5 mins in the mile and felt like This also opened me up to more events like the steeple chase and high jump. Steeple just interested me because of the barriers and difficulty. I would always get into my head during track runs and laps so focusing on the next barrier really helped.

High jump I just loved. It was easy to focus and encouraged me to work on strength on top of the distance running.  I was always the strange skinny kid at the large meets since it was usually sprinters or some mid distance people but rarely distance runners coming off of the mile run to then go jump. It's always a fun morale boost when I could win in the dual meets or certain opens. This opened up to my track coach having me start with the Pentathlon. The most points were made in the 1500m, high jump, and long jump so even though I had an embarrassingly weak shot put, I could make up for it in the other events. 

High School highlights:

• Running Van Cortlandt Park the first time, my first "big" meet. Schools from all over and it was awesome being in that environment plus it was an absolute downpour. 
• Federations meet my senior year. Best team Guilderland had put together at the time and I managed to help score for the team to finish 8th. To make it all that way was an awesome experience, longest xc season of my career and awesome work went into it. 
• Senior year Sectionals: Pentathlon - 4th Place. I was happy with my effort but I just missed finishing top 3. While the placement was disappointing it was the most points I had scored in a Pentathlon and I left it out there. 

We had a pretty loaded team as far as distance running so I tried to score points in other events where we didn't have as many. That's where steeple chase and high jump came in. I had continuously played other sports recreationally so I developed 

Refresh my memory with the recruiting process (I honestly don't remember). What schools were you considering and how did you ultimately choose Marist?

I looked at Marist, SUNY Plattsburgh, Niagara, and LeMoyne. I wanted to continue with XC and track but also was looking for the best course work. I liked the other schools but I have to give a shout out to Kris Geist ('05 alum) as he gave me a great visit and the team was very welcoming.  The big thing about Marist was it was trying to grow this new concentration within the Communications department. The Gaming/Interactive Entertainment field was a risk but I wanted to take it as I had never thought of a career in games until I attended. 

Talk about your academic career at Marist. We always busted your chops that playing video games was your major (and now a large part of your career!), but was that a consideration in choosing Marist and looking back, how much of a positive impact did Marist academics have on you?

"Playing video games" wasn't EXACTLY the major, but it probably didn't help that I graduated with a police officer, a member of the Peace Corps, and a priest. I did get bonus points at that banquet for having the "coolest" job. 

The course work and ability to work in the video game industry was a big plus. It was still early on but if I could work towards a degree in Communications that had the focus I had a shot. The academics helped a lot, I was consistently on the MAAC all academic team and I was able to intern with Vicarious Visions (Albany studio) where I would eventually start my career through QA. 

 I use what I've learned with my capstone project in my current producer role.

 You had an adventuresome running and track career here. Tell us some of your highlights (you better include stories about your high jumping!) and fondest memories of your four years as a Running Red Fox.

Adventurous is definitely a word. I knew my position on the team that I came in on the slower side. This was a strong team and it helped having fast teammates where I could push myself.  I know I was a headache for you and would get in my own head when I could run a 3K steeplechase faster than an open 3K.

Freshmen MAAC championships Outdoor Track was a definite highlight. It was an adventure just to get to the meet as our bus popped a tire and we needed to quickly run to Rider so we didn't miss the event. It was a smaller field but I managed to finish 5th, hit my best steeple at the time and actually score points for Marist. 

It was fun, but like high school I wanted to continue to contribute, I knew it would be difficult to help Marist as we were getting faster runners every year.  I pitched the high jump idea after I saw the MAAC results from my freshman year. I couldn't win but I could at least steal some points. You were skeptical as I had some goofy ideas in the past but if I could get to at least get close to the 6-foot range I can at least gain us a point. I had a blast doing it, I'm sure some people thought I was doing it as a joke but I genuinely liked that event. It's a fun little morale booster knowing I managed to grab some MAAC points as a high jumper.  

Other highlights:

• Outdoor Metropolitan my sophomore or junior year - I believe I hit my best time in steeple (10:04 ) shoutout to Mike Rolek attending and running the warm up with me +  giving me a pump up speech.
• Junior Year Albany invitational - Having my best XC race on my hometown course (27 min range I think?). A nice bonus was this was the final one before the MAAC Disney trip. We had a stacked team and while it was great to make it to Florida, I was extremely proud to have it in my hometown. The BBQ at my parents house was well worth it. 

It was an incredible time and I'm glad I got to meet some awesome people. Jerk Squad was always a highlight, I'm positive I pulled a robbery on that rookie of the year award Conor is still bitter over. 

Tell us about your post-collegiate path -- athletically, career-wise and personally. You've done a lot!

Athletically, I did take some time off, gained too much weight, turns out the fried Buffalo chicken diet wasn't going to cut it in my 20s (and now 30s). I remember being unable to finish an Albany Marathon and being upset with myself that I just went home and text apologized to you as you had completed the race. Now I've been trying to run every other day and was going to the gym. I'm not quite at where I want to be weight wise but I'm getting there and feeling better. 

After Marist, I was with Vicarious Visions for three years in either a QA  (Quality Assurance) or IT capacity. Yes, I did test the games but it's not an easy job by any stretch. Any defects, crashes, all come through QA, they are the last line of defense and games don't ship without a good QA team. The Bay Area move came when I saw an opening with Telltale. I was toiling a bit and I wanted to take the next steps for my career It was awesome and scary, I had been dating my now wife for almost a year and we did long distance (thank God for skype and League of Legends) before she moved in and also found an artist position at another game company. I am very lucky to have met Sarah, not only did I find a career in video games but I also met my wife while working on them! She is awesome and I'm proud of the work she has done in her own career. 

In addition to Telltale I also worked a year with Visual Concepts who created WWE2K (wrestling being another interest that my teammates eye rolled). Combining two of my favorite interests was awesome. The perks were fun and it was a new challenge with trying to do a yearly release game. It was great being in the industry and to go backstage to a wrestling event but I did learn that there is a lot of churn and burnout that I am hoping we as an industry can improve. 

What is your current job and how has the pandemic affected your work life?

I am currently an Associate Producer with Red Storm Entertainment. We are under the Ubisoft umbrella, and we now live in Morrisville, North Carolina! I'm working on an unannounced project but I hope when I'm allowed to talk about it, people will be excited. I'm working with some awesome developers and I feel this is going to be home. 

Fortunately for my wife and I, the pandemic hasn't affected us like other careers. We are lucky that our jobs allow us to work from home (people still need and want to play video games) and we are well equipped for that. Sarah and I are both tech savvy (she built her own PC) so we were prepared for a long-term wfh situation.

How has the pandemic affected all other areas of your life? What positives and negatives can you glean from it? How is your family in New York doing?

Personally, it's changed things a little. We don't travel as much and when we do we try to be cautious or keep it to either exploring trails or new areas. Being on the east coast again I've been talking with my former teammates a lot more and we had planned some trips to head back home. My parents are still in the Albany area and happily retired, they actually just finished selling their home and will be moving (but remain in upstate).

My brothers are also in the area, the youngest being a chef in Saratoga. Business did come to a halt with COVID but they are open again and it allowed him to work on new recipes. If you're ever in the Saratoga area when the world is normal, check out Seneca (Yep I'm plugging everything). 

Staying positive, I've been playing and finishing a lot more video games! On a serious note, it's allowed us to seriously start saving. We love this area and see our future here so every little bit to put towards a potential home has been great. I've also been video chatting with some alums like Colin Johnson and it's great to catch up and see how everyone is doing in their lives. 

The negatives are unfortunate. I'll try and keep my ranty Facebook nature away but this pandemic really shows the immaturity of people. There are some amazing people we have met down here but we will still run into folks that (August now) don't take this seriously or outright deny it.  We haven't witnessed full on meltdowns but the deniers will make sure you heard them. Not everyone will think like you and I echo what others have said, it would be great if we worked together instead of against one another. It's gotten embarrassing and the world is laughing.  

As I ask all alums, try to put yourself in the shoes of our recently graduated seniors. What message can you send to them about losing out on the final few months of their college careers?

You should be proud of your college careers. It's understandable to be disappointed but nothing will take away the awesome work you have done at Marist. Continue to cherish the times you spent with your teammates and continue to stay in touch. Met some of the best people at Marist and it's those memories and connections that will define you.  

Looking ahead to the fall and these uncertain times, what message can you impart to incoming freshmen and current athletes who are facing a very uncertain athletic future in the short-term?

This is a really strange time, but it also allows opportunity. Your new teammates are going to look to the upperclassmen for leadership. Make Marist feel like a family. You will race again.  The best thing you can do is have one another's back and be welcoming.  

For the incoming freshmen, be patient and know you're in good hands with Pete and your teammates. You're going to form some of your best friendships and memories. I have zero regrets about my time at Marist, I know you will love it there. 

Anything else you'd like to add ...

Thanks for having me on here, it's awesome seeing how everyone is doing and I hope everyone stays safe. And if anyone is curious about games whether career wise or other, give me a shout (gregory.masto2@gmail.com)! Always happy to help if people need portfolio reviews. 

Go Red Foxes, Go Dolphins.

Fast food, fast running

The text came out of the blue and in desperate need of explanation, which followed in a rapid-fire series of more texts. Apparently, rising sophomore Daniel Czop set some sort of “world record” for something called the “Wendy’s 4-for-4 mile,” at the Bethpage High School track on Long Island. Rising junior Brendan Zeng, his teammate and fellow Commack High School graduate, established himself as fourth all-time in this rather dubious endeavor.

The details: Before each lap on a standard 400-meter track, you must consume Wendy’s products – three food items and one beverage. As an example, Czop went with the order of French fries, nuggets (4), a bacon cheeseburger (really?) and a Coke. Zeng went with a similar order: Fries, bacon cheeseburger (really?), nuggets (4) and a Coke. Eat fast food, run fast for a lap, and repeat. Czop finished in 6:46 and Zeng in 8:15.

They sent me a video of a previous Wendy’s 4-for-4 mile attempt, but I have yet to watch it. I have yet to Google this either, to verify if this is what we in the ultra world call a “Fastest Known Time” or FKT. And finally, be a nerdy track geek prone to this sort of minutia, I sit here wondering if they ran a full mile (1,609.34 meters, slightly longer than 4 laps on a standard 400-meter track) or 1,600 meters (which is commonly, and erroneously, referred to as “the mile” by most high school runners).

But alas, none of that really matters, does it? This sort of goofy melding of consumption and fast running has been going on for many years: Beer miles, Big Man races, New Paltz Pizza Challenge, Krispy Kreme Challenge … I’m sure I’m omitting many others. Congrats to Czop and Zeng for their “accomplishments.” They are pictured here with Pech, who is from Bethpage and I’m guessing witnessed this absurdity. Neat.

Update from Czop: They did run the full mile distance (nicely DONE) and the food was not random but rather a combo meal form Wendy's that's called 4 for 4 (hence the name of the "race"). Thanks for the clarifications!

Do the right thing

The MAAC has already canceled our fall sports season. We’ve already discussed that here, last week. Right now, our daily focus has been on how to proceed with fall training. Words matter. We will not be “practicing” in any sense – traditional, non-traditional, etc. No practice. We will be training. How, where, when … maybe even IF … those are questions with which we are currently grappling. But the big issue – having a season – that’s already been decided, thankfully. We are not pleased, and yes it sucks, but we understand. It’s the right and proper course of action.

Now. What’s the rest of college sports waiting for? Am I the only one that sees the obvious here? We can’t have fall sports in colleges and universities in 2020. As painful it is to say and write those words, it becomes more and more obvious each day. And not just because an entire Major League Baseball team (Miami Marlins) was nearly wiped out by Covid. What about the recent outbreak at Rutgers University with their football team? What about the reports out of Colorado State saying the coaches are not wearing masks and discouraging players from reporting Covid symptoms? (Side note: I started writing this post on Wednesday, and further fact checking says these reports may not be completely accurate … but still). What about college coaches clamping down hard on players who have the audacity to band together and wonder what the hell we are doing here? (Side note: That has happened).

People. Hey! We’re supposed to be ROLE MODELS here. I know, that’s a cliché, and probably not even true anymore in professional sports. But in college sports, at least at our humble mid-major (whatever that means) level, you’re darn right it’s true. Maybe at the FBS level, which mirrors professional sports in so many ways, the rules are different. But here’s something different: The FBS players are NOT professionals. They don’t get paid (nor do I think they should, but that’s another story). They don’t have a union to back them (again, don’t think we need to go down that road, either).

But wait. We’re straying off topic here. Let’s get right back to it: What the hell are we DOING here? For the past few months, we have been hoping, trying to find a way to play college sports, to run a cross country season. The calendar kept flipping pages, and it became apparent that it wouldn’t happen, couldn’t happen. Why is it taking so long for the rest of us in college sports to come to this conclusion? OK, now I’m looking and sounding naïve. What’s it about? It’s about money, of course. No football games means no cash flow. That’s obvious. College football stadiums pack in more humanity than pro football in the United States (think the “Big House,” Autzen Stadium, Death Valley, etc.). College football Saturdays are as much a cultural experience as sporting events. No big cross country meets in Indiana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, etc., means hotels won’t fill up, big team orders with Panera won’t happen, on and on. Hey, I’m a college coach. No college sports kind of rocks my professional stability. No cash flow in the FBS -- and more importantly in the college basketball season and March Madness -- will rock our world in ways we really don’t want to fathom at this time. But doing the right thing is about doing the right thing, isn’t it?

As I said, I began writing this post on Wednesday morning. It’s Thursday morning as I complete it. Since I started writing this, D2 and D3 effectively shut down fall sports, yesterday. The drumbeat is getting louder for D1 to do the same, but the decision-makers at the NCAA seem hesitant to make this firm decision and are definitely not hesitant to pass the buck in terms of making these difficult decisions – to each individual division in the NCAA, to individual conferences, and so on. I know this is a complicated situation with a lot at stake – probably a lot more than I am even aware. So, I hesitate to completely chastise the decision-makers for their indecision. Hard choices with difficult consequences, some of which will trickle down to us here. But from where I sit, the writing is on the wall, and it says: No fall sports. I’d love to take the eraser to the whiteboard where that is written down as an option. But life’s not fair and the world is mean. There’s no joy in making any difficult decision, or in choosing not to make a difficult decision. How do we safely play college sports this fall? Most of us have already figured it out: We don’t.

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!

Pandemic Papers: An interview with Lizzy Peper

We are thrilled to resume the Pandemic Papers today after a several weeks’ hiatus, with a big ray of sunshine in Lizzy Peper (Class of 2016). Although Lizzy so beautifully details her many ups and downs here in this interview, I always found her to be a relentlessly positive person with a sunny disposition and glass-half-full outlook at all times. Yes, her freshman year of running at Marist was challenging. But not only did she never give up, her positive attitude never wavered. She rightfully credits Coach Chuck for helping her turn things around – both mentally and physically, a microcosm of our entire women’s program under his expertly caring watch for the past decade.

Anyway, Lizzy has remained extremely active in the running community in her native Maryland and Baltimore area. I have no doubt in my mind that her positivity continues to shine through in her work and especially in her coaching of other athletes. She uses the word “cheerleader” below, and when it comes to coaching motivated and mature adults, positive feedback is what it’s all about. Lizzy has an infinite bucket of positivity, so no problem there. Lizzy is part of a group of young alums with whom we have stayed close. Whether it’s social gatherings locally or lately via Zoom, talking with Lizzy in these group settings is awesome. She has true passion for life and for all things running – footwear, clothing, diet, training, racing, all of it. It might sound like a cliché, but she’s a true ambassador for the sport.

One other point, in general about this interview series and specifically about this interview: They will be far less frequent moving forward. The Pandemic Papers will not go away entirely, but there certainly won’t be daily interviews as we did during the months of April and May and even into June. My intention is to keep it going, but on a more sporadic basis – maybe once a week, a few times a month, something like that. As this pandemic stretches into the late summer and fall, our lives continue to evolve with it – some good, some bad, a lot in between, and we have to recalibrate minds to a very uncertain short-term future called the fall 2020 semester at Marist College and elsewhere. Life in the Marist Running world goes on, in a very altered state. It’ll be challenging to navigate it and the focus of future blog posts may pivot more in that direction.

Lizzy’s interview really highlights the shift in this pandemic to what it is: A more long-term part of our lives. The tone of this interview reflects that. She has had a rollercoaster ride with this virus – personally, professionally. The majority of the daily interviews during the early phase of the pandemic were celebrations of the past and short examinations of a present that we were trying to grapple with. We’re still trying to grapple with it, but it has slowly, in a subtle way, moved into a different phase. Everyone talks about a “second wave” in the fall and winter. I don’t see it. Mostly, because the “first wave” has never really ended. It’s more like an ebb and flow of Covid-19 world. Lizzy captures that ebb and flow wonderfully here, as I knew she would. She is a cherished, valued member of the Marist Running family – a true Forever Fox.

When and how and why did you start running?

My first experience with running was in fourth grade when I joined an after-school program called Girls on the Run. Each girl needed an adult buddy to run the 5K race at the end of the session and my Dad was mine. He had just started working at new company, Under Armour, and was inspired to start running and training for races. Running is a special bond we have always shared since that race. I will never forget him telling me to “protect this house” and encouraging me to run strong through the last mile. I beat everyone except two middle school girls and I think this was the first time I saw running as something I could be decent at. After that, I ran the usual mile time trials required in gym classes, joined an after-school running program in middle school and occasionally ran local 5Ks with my Dad. One of my gym teachers predicted that I would run in college but it didn’t mean much to me at the time.

When I entered high school, I tried out for the soccer team but didn’t make the final cuts. My mom ended up forcing me to join the cross country team. And I mean, really forced. My parents have never been pushy about sports but for some reason my Mom was adamant that I did a sport my freshman year. I remember getting in a huge fight about it. We struck a deal that I would try the team for two weeks and if I hated it after that, I could quit. Well, 12 years later and I still haven’t quit running. Big thanks to my Mom for changing my entire life.

Tell us about your high school running career. What are some of your fondest memories and racing highlights from that time?

My freshman year was a dream. I made the varsity team after running my second race. Our core group of 8 ran together, which included 3 senior girls who were some of the best runners in the state at the time. I had to work extremely hard to keep up and would come home every day from practice completely exhausted. Our team was incredible. We won two big invitational meets, county championships and eventually the state championships. At that time, I didn’t know any different. I did what the coaches said to do at practice, showed up to each meet, set a new PR each time, beat the girls I needed to and then we would win. Winning the state championships was one of the most incredible feelings. Although we had won major races the entire year, no one put us in their winner predictions. We ended up creaming the competition; no one was even close to us. I will never forget the feeling of jumping up, holding hands and accepting our medals.

It wasn’t until senior year that the pieces really clicked for me again. I was extremely dedicated to my training leading into my fall season. I ran doubles, learned about prehab exercises, focused on healthy eating, upped my mileage and wanted a good senior year of running more than anything. I spent most of that year running with the boys on our team and a few of them remain some of my closest friends to this day. I was in the best shape of my life at that point and performed well at workouts, but I struggled immensely with the mental side of racing. I would give up on myself during races and end most in tears. I never raced the way I felt I should and could, based on my training and workout performance. The girls team didn’t qualify for cross country states for the first time in years and I was devastated. At one point, I started seeing a sports psychologist. I was able to pull together a few decent performances by track season and some highlights included setting the indoor DMR school record, running a new 800 PR and qualifying for outdoor states in the 4x800.

How and why did you choose Marist? What other schools were you considering and why did you choose Marist over them? What was the recruiting/search process like for you?

I stumbled upon Marist by chance, and I am so glad I did! My spring break junior year consisted of a Northeast college road trip with the whole family (my siblings were thrilled). I had a couple that I was excited to visit but Marist ended up on the list simply to fill out our schedule.

The first time that I visited Marist, I cut short my tour at Vassar to meet with Coach Pete. I insisted that I was going to do this meeting and then go right back to Vassar’s beautiful campus. The joke was on me because I never went back to Vassar until we drove there for cross country practice my freshman year. I should mention that I wasn’t sure I would run in college. I was focused on my academics and debating if running would be a part of my future. I was seriously considering running at DIII schools but DI was definitely a stretch for me. Pete was upfront with me that I would not be as fast as most of the other girls in my class. I liked his honesty and was motivated by the thought that being on this team would make me a better runner if I could work hard enough.

My second choice was Gettysburg College and I was able to make good connections with the team and coaching staff there. I knew that being on that team would mean a much higher spot, but ultimately, Marist was the right package for me. The combination of a stellar communications program, honors program, student-run dance ensemble and the chance to run on a DI team was everything I had hoped for and more. 

What was your academic major at Marist and what can you say about your academic studies at Marist? Do you recall your favorite courses, professors, or influences?

I majored in communication with a concentration in public relations and very much enjoyed my classes in that department. Some highlights that stick out are my journalism focused classes including Magazine Journalism. Contrary to popular opinion, I also remember liking our required public speaking course freshman year. Maybe I am looking back through rose colored glasses but I think I actually liked school. Learning how to write a press release or speak in front of people are the practical skills I still use today.

I enjoyed making the most of my schedule and ended up completing three minors. My absolute favorite was Studio Art. Back when the Steel Plant was much more gritty and paint-splattered, I loved my time there painting, drawing and making books. I had taken art classes all through high school and to this day, I am so grateful that I was able to continue those experiences in college.

What are some of your fondest memories and highlights of your time as a student-athlete at Marist?

My memories from this team could go on and on forever. First of all, thank you to every person who I had the honor of running on a team with from 2012 to 2016. You are all family for life. I love that our college experiences are extremely unique. Loading onto a bus every weekend, complete with meal money and a trip to Price Chopper. Being very accustomed to driving around Poughkeepsie in white vans. Getting our hair braided (complete with handmade bows) by Nicki (Nesi) before every meet. Spending winter weekends in chilly Boston for indoor track meets at BU. Decorating pumpkins and apple picking while our classmates went out during dry seasons. Going out early when we could go out and being up early for practice every weekend no matter what no matter what happened the night before. Though not the typical college experience, these are the things I will treasure forever.

A few specific memories: Freshman year - All of us running a horrendous first race at Bowdoin Park with terrible photos to match, complete with an image of Chuck staring in disbelief at our slow times on his watch. We used to look at those photos years after any time we needed to laugh so hard we would cry. Annie (Gould) and I eating Teddy Grahams and Raisennettes just before running our first 6K at Paul Short (would not recommend). Sophomore year - Living with the six other girls from the class of 2016 in Foy. What an adventure, but we survived! Shoutout to Brie (Vess) for motivating me to keep my half of the room neat. Going all out with our costumes for our Halloween premeet run the day before MAACs.  Junior Year - Deciding to wear pigtails every race(?!) Hosting team meals for the girls team during intersession. Senior Year - Sneaking on to the Regionals bus to decorate it for the competing men and women before they left. Winning ECACs as a team to finish cross country. Toeing the line with 50+ other girls for my final 5K on the track for outdoor MAACs.

My two greatest highlights as a student-athlete have nothing to do with times or places in a race. The first one is by far the best - being nominated as a cross country co-captain my senior year. To rewind a little bit, the first race I ever ran in a Marist uniform was terrible. I ran my slowest 5K of all time and came dead last in the entire race. In fact, my entire freshman year was a bust for me. I consistently performed worse that I had in high school and struggled with my mental toughness greatly. A lot of hard work and weekly one-on-one mental work with Coach Chuck allowed me to steadily improve each season. By my senior year, I could easily run a 6K faster than that first 5K. That being said, I was still only a middle of the pack runner. So being voted co-captain by the team was something that I really took to heart. To be honest, I do have some regrets about not using my voice as much as I should have while I was captain. I definitely felt a little bit of imposter syndrome and I think I could have done a better job of expressing the needs of the team as a whole.

My second greatest honor was receiving the Presidential Academic Achievement Award at the Senior Athletics ceremony. It was extra special to have Mark Vuono from the men’s team be named the male recipient that year as well.

All in all, I wouldn’t trade anything for my time on the Marist running teams. The people made the experience. Thank you, fellow Red Fox runners.

You've continued to run and race post-collegiately. Talk about that, some of the highlights and some of your future goals with running and racing?

As runners, we are so lucky that our sport can remain a part of our daily lives, in whatever capacity we want. My biggest post-collegiate running accomplishment was completing my first marathon in 2018. When my Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier that year, I quickly decided I would run the Baltimore Marathon that October to honor him and fundraise for the American Cancer Society. My Dad has run countless marathons and I gained so much appreciation for the hard work that he and so many other runners put in to run 26.2. I think marathon training was especially good for me mentally because I had nothing to compare it to from college running. Each long run was a new distance and I was learning a lot along the way. I ended up raising $5,000 for ACS and crossed the finish line after a very hilly course in under 4 hours.

Other highlights have included running half marathons in Las Vegas, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Wilmington. I actually set my half PR in 2017 in Philly after running my second half marathon in one week. Races have also been a cool way to connect with fellow Marist alumni. The Philadelphia Marathon weekend has been a favorite for a few of us and I got to see Bryn (Gorberg) at the Delaware Half Marathon.

One of my biggest goals is to run a half marathon race in every state. Six down, 44 to go! I would also like to set a 10K PR and run the NYC Marathon. For right now though, I just want to enjoy the run!

You've stayed connected to the sport very closely with your job. Tell us what you do and how you came to be doing your current job?

Definitely! It seems I am destined to wear running clothes 24/7 for my entire life. I currently run the marketing for Charm City Run, a run/walk specialty shop with 7 locations and an events business in Maryland. I started working for CCR during summers and school breaks after my junior year of college and after graduating in 2016, I started a marketing role. I eventually became the Senior Marketing Manager in 2017. Working for a small business means that you do a lot of different things and I have had opportunities and experiences that I wouldn’t have pretty much anywhere else at my age. Social media, e-commerce, email, store event planning, website maintenance, public relations, promotions, signage, digital ads and overall strategic planning for the retail side of CCR falls under my domain. I also have the opportunity to work with our awesome vendors such as Brooks, New Balance and Asics to execute campaigns.

As a slightly separate job, I also coach for Charm City Run and just started back at it with a group training for a 12-mile race this fall. Coaching is one of my biggest passions and I honestly enjoy it more than my own training. I love being a cheerleader for other people and giving them the tools, encouragement and training plans they need to reach their goals. It is extremely rewarding to be a part of someone’s running journey and help them make running an enjoyable and sustainable part of their life.

How has the pandemic affected you -- professionally and personally?

Wow. Where to start. The pandemic has had a pretty significant impact on my personal life. Without getting deep into the details, I spent 10 days at an AirBnB in Baltimore with my boyfriend after being potentially, closely exposed to COVID-19. We were unable to go back to my house once we found out about our potential exposure as both my roommates are nurses at Johns Hopkins Hospital. We couldn’t risk exposing them and jeopardizing their cancer patients. Ultimately, we were both negative. A couple of weeks ago, I spiked a fever and had a few other symptoms so after another round of self-isolation, I had another negative test result. If anyone is in need of COVID testing tips, just let me know!

COVID-19 has also had a huge impact on me professionally. This entire pandemic has been like a giant case study for crisis communications. A lot of my job has consisted of sharing updated information about our stores and how people can shop with us. The run specialty industry in general has adapted greatly. Suddenly, our e-commerce presence became much more important and our closed shoes became shipping facilities. We added a second online store and a new shipping platform. We also set up virtual shoe fittings and apparel appointments on Zoom. Something changes every day, even every hour sometimes. As of now, we finally have all 7 doors open again, with safety precautions in place. The bottom line is that it is all about making it work for the customer and our communities have shown us the greatest support.

How are things in Maryland and where do you see this going in the short- and long-term?

Maryland was a hot spot at one point for COVID so we were shut down since mid-March. We are now in Phase Two of recovery which for us means that retail, gyms, dining and other venues are allowed to open with safety modifications. Everything varies by county and Baltimore City, where I live, is one the strictest areas so we have been lagging behind the rest of the start with re-openings. 

In terms of running, we are making progress on the racing and training fronts. We recently held two in-person races. Both were limited to 250 runners and involved significant modifications including ongoing start windows for two hours so that no runners lined up together, contactless packet pick-ups and no after parties. I was able to run in both of these races and felt totally safe. It felt good to pin on a race bib again. We also recently started training groups with procedures to keep our runners and coaches safe including wearing face covering when we gather for group instructions and keeping our distance on the run. These experiences make me optimistic that we can continue to find ways to enjoy the sport that we love so much in safe ways as we move forward.

What are some of your greatest memories from your final few months at Marist and what message can you relay to our recent graduates, who lost the experience of the end of their senior year?

First of all, my heart goes out to the senior class of 2020. My brother is a part of that group as a recent Marist grad and I know that our family Zoom celebration was not what any of us had in mind for his graduation. I would say: treasure the memories you had, the things you learned and the people you met during your (almost) four years at Marist. No matter how things ended, nothing can take those things away from you. Your education, team, relationships and experiences from Marist will be a significant part of your life forever. Do what you can to stay in touch with the people who you care about and realize how lucky you are to have met them in such a special place. And, you will never forget your graduation year! When you say you graduated in 2020, people will remember you as a pandemic grad.

You've stayed in touch with a lot of your alums. How special is that and what tips can you give to the most recent graduates on staying connected?

The people I met at Marist are the best takeaway. I know that a lot of these people will be friends for life. As I mentioned before, usually running is a big connector for staying in touch. Planning races to attend together is a fun way to meet up with fellow running alumni. In general, though, I think getting in touch is all about two-way effort. Especially if you don’t live in the same place, both people need to make time for phone calls and travel for visits. You will quickly find out who is going to put in the effort to maintain a relationship with you. Hold on to that and put in the effort on your end as well. Plan trips that you can look forward to (when it is safe) - whether that be driving to see your friend in their city or planning a getaway together. One of my personal favorites was visiting Christine (Coughlin) in Hawaii with fellow alums Annie, Kenny and Butti. When you can’t travel, make the effort to call or text. You might see each other less frequently, but Marist running connections are as strong as the runners themselves. That special bond never fades.

Anything else you'd like to add …

Thank you for being part of the reason that Marist runners stay connected after graduation. Marist wouldn’t be the same without you, Pete!