Q: What makes an ideal hike/run?

A: Good friends to share it with. An adventure is always better with fun people around you. Great weather is always a bonus too.

Q: What motivates you?

A: I love watching other athletes compete and do extraordinary things, especially in the sport of ultrarunning. It's incredibly motivating to watch others get after it, shoot their shot, and accomplish some amazing feats. It pushes me to continually try and be my absolute best.

Q: How has hiking/running benefited your life?

A: Trail running has been a huge benefit to my overall mental health. Before getting back into running post-university, I worked in a stressful field engineering job that consumed a significant portion of my life, leaving me with no work-life balance. As I rediscovered my love for running and took it a step further by jumping into trail running, I found that being out in nature really helped to quiet my mind. The varied terrain and beautiful scenery provide so many wonderful distractions that you wouldn't typically find even when road running. When I saw the positive changes, I made it a priority to strive for a better work-life balance, which further improved my mental health. It has been a journey, and day-to-day life can still be a bit of a roller coaster. However, year over year, the improvement in my mental health is clear.