Courtney Alev
I never cared much for running until I found myself living in a hut as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mozambique, Africa. With no gym or Zumba to be found, I started running on the beach many mornings, which became an escape from the stress and uncertainty of overseas life. My weekend runs grew longer and longer until one day I found out I’d covered 18 miles. I decided that upon returning to the States I would conquer a bucket list item: 26.2. I thought it’d be a one-time thing, but when I crossed the finish line of my first marathon in May 2011, I was hooked. In my first year of running, I ran four half-marathons and three fulls (my favorite race distance), including SFM. Now I’m looking to mature as a runner as I set new goals and challenges. Running has not only brought me peace, but a great new way to explore my beautiful city, San Francisco, and some truly amazing new friends. I run not to be fast, win medals, or break records, but to strengthen my body, my soul and my connections with the people and places around me. I love meeting new runners in the Bay Area so feel free to reach out!