Episode 33 - Natalie Pertz on The Big Dance

"I call them my big dances."Natalie Pertz describes the running adventures - sometimes in the form of races, other times a bit broader than that definition - that she highlights each year on her calendar. The list is nothing short of epic, including the Chicago Marathon, the Javelina Jundred, setting a "Fastest Known Time" on the WO&D trail. (By the way, I did fact check. FastestKnownTime.com has been around longer than Strava.)Natalie is both earnest and funny talking about her running. She describes training for an ultra in the Southwest of the United States in a "suburban lawnmower hat." We discuss our childhood love for capture the flag. We discuss her experience growing up on a farm in Ohio and her first official 5K, the Run for Refugees in New Haven. And we talk about WERC, not to be confused with work. West End Run Club kicked off in 2021, and the Friday morning running, chatting, and coffee drinking crew has been a DC staple ever since. It's so welcoming, that it has grown quite a bit!This episode was recorded in July, but I've been a bit slower with both recording and editing these days. Thank you for your patience - you know life (and another bout of marathon training) keeps you busy! Anyhow, thank you (and happy birthday) to a very kind and speedy community leader, Natalie Pertz!