Name: Alexia Poon

Twitter: @alexiaRUNS

Instagram: @alexiaRUNS

Originally from …. Sacramento a.k.a. SACTOWN

How I found 9RUN6 … I found 9RUN6 through Chris Malenab! The two of us coached together at Delta College and he introduced me to this awesome group!

What 9RUN6 means to me … 9RUN6 is more than just a running/fitness group… 9RUN6 is a group of individuals that are like family to me. They support, inspire, motivate, and encourage me along with everyone else in the group to be the best we can be. I do not think I would be the runner I am if I did not have 9RUN6.

Favorite race distance … 13.1, I am only half crazy

Favorite race I have ran … San Francisco Nike Women’s Half Marathon 2014

Top race on my bucket list is … California International Marathon

Favorite musical artist and song … T-Swift, The Biebs/ Blank Space

A little more awesome stuff about me … I am a 24 year-old collegiate women’s soccer coach that loves the game. I will be completing my Master’s of Kinesiology in June 2016 which will be one of my biggest  accomplishment. I love living a healthy lifestyle aside from all of all the cookies and chocolate that I eat. Lastly, I met my boo at 9RUN6!

  

Name: Katie

Twitter: @WholeHeartRuner

Instagram: @WholeHeartedRunner – but I have to know you to add you 🙂

Originally from …. Born in Sacramento, CA but moved up and down the west coast as a kid.

How I found 9RUN6 … I met Hayley through MegsMiles, a memorial run that spread across the country for a runner who was hit and killed  while on a run by a drunk driver. Hayley invited me to 9Run6 while we were running our memorial miles.

What 9RUN6 means to me … family.., 9Run6 had been super supportive, and not judgemental, of not only my running career but my personal success as well. When my husband was diagnosed with diabetes late last year, my world was rocked to its core and my running suffered. It meant so much to me to have the support of 9Run6 during that period of my life; encouraging texts, running with me on the marathon, letting me know that it would be ok. Even now they all check in on my husband and comment how well he is doing with his weight loss journey. I’ve never been the one who needed others in order to get my workout/run on, but having such a supportive group of like minded people is amazing! I love Wednesday mornings!

Favorite race distance … 1/2 marathon, but full Marathons are a close 2nd – I like a challenge..

Favorite race I have ran … Ragnar Trail Relay

Top race on my bucket list is … London Marathon or Honolulu  marathon or a 1/2 Iron Man

Favorite musical artist and song … pretty much anything country 🙂

A little more awesome stuff about me … I used to weigh 288 pounds 🙂 I hated running as a kid and still am not a fan of walking long distances 🙂 I have completed one triathlon (and would like to do more), a 50k (because it was my birthday we ran 33 miles…) and I like cycling with my husband. I’m also a published author and have a side online business where I sell paper based materials for speech and language therapy.

  

  

Name: David Villadelgado

Twitter: @FitFam6

Instagram: @FitFam6

Originally from ….Sacramento

How I found 9RUN6 …I joined the crew back when it was the November Project tribe out of Sacramento. I was invited to come out to a workout and got hooked.

What 9RUN6 means to me … I’ve built great relationships with the people who make up 9RUN6. It’s something i look forward to when the weekend is over and a new workweek begins. The individuals are all inspiring and keep me motivated to stay active.

Favorite race distance …Although I haven’t raced that many, i’m going to go out on a limb and say that i enjoy running the Marathon. Training for that distance, though? That’s a whole different story!

Favorite race I have ran …My first half marathon. My family was there to support and cheer me on!

Top race on my bucket list is …The New York City Marathon. I hear the buzz around that race is electric!

Favorite musical artist and song …The Roots. “Proceed”

A little more awesome stuff about me … My entire family enjoys staying active, hence the name FitFam6. I also enjoy good craft beer which is why i run so much!

  

Name: Chris McDaniel

Twitter: @McRunnerChris

Instagram: @McRunnerChris

Originally from ….born and raised in Sacramento!!

How I found 9RUN6 …my daughter (who is a regular with NPSF) was home on spring break in 2014 and brought me to the 1st NP_Sac workout.   From that 1st day I was hooked and have only missed 2 workouts when I have been in town.

What 9RUN6 means to me … it’s actually pretty simple. 9RUN6 is filled with likeminded people who enjoy working out and being social.  It’s about who is the fastest or who can run the furthest, it’s a group of random strangers who have become more than friends, we have become a family.  New members are always welcomed into the group and encouraged to continue coming every Wednesday and Friday.

Favorite race distance … I enjoy the Half Marathon distance the most, it takes less training, is less time consuming than marathon training, is less of a strain on family time, and is fairly easy to complete…..BUT, I do love the challenge of the Marathon, not only physically but mentally as well.  You have to RESPECT the distance.

Favorite race I have ran … My favorite race would have to be my 1st marathon, The San Francisco Marathon 2015.

Top race on my bucket list is … Of course there is the ultimate, the Boston Marathon, but I just don’t know that I will ever qualify based on time and that’s the only way I’d run Boston. So being more realistic, I’d have to say the New York Marathon.

Favorite musical artist and song …  When running solo on training runs I always put Pandora on some sort of upbeat house/club station like Benny Benassi, but my all-time favorite is the cover of Neil Young’s  Cortez the Killer by Dave Matthews Band.

A little more awesome stuff about me …  Not too much awesome stuff to tell, being one of the ‘elders’ of 9RUN^, I love pushing myself and trying to keep up with the youngsters.  When I was growing up, I promised myself that I would always be in good enough shape, that I would be able to go outside and play with my kids, just like my dad did with me.  I kept that promise to myself and to my unborn children, and to this day I am able to go outside with them and be competitive in anything we do. It may have taken a couple of tries, but I am now blessed with the greatest marriage I could ask for!  I married my best friend from high school and became an instant grandfather.  Becoming a grandfather has given me another goal in keeping myself in shape so that I can go outside and play with my grandkids!!

  

Name: Brad Bernel

Twitter: Can you look this up for me, I don’t know it.

Instagram: or this one but I think I am on there.

Originally from …. Concord, CA

How I found 9RUN6 … Heard about the group from a co-worker and checked it out

What 9RUN6 means to me … A free outdoor workout with a great group of people who keep me motivated to work hard and play hard.  And we get it done in 30 minutes!

Favorite race distance … 10k for now

Favorite race I have ran … Shamrock’n

Top race on my bucket list is … Any marathon

Favorite musical artist and song … I love almost all music except for most country

A little more awesome stuff about me …  I used to hate running and couldn’t even imagine running more than a mile at a time unless I was playing some sort of sport.  And now here I am running many miles, some races, and actually contemplating running a marathon.   Who would of thought?

Name: David Thesell

Twitter:@davidthesell

Instagram: daveyvintage

Originally from …. the San Fernando Valley (Odelay!) but I’ve lived most of my life in Fair Oaks.

How I found 9RUN6 … I owe it all to Brad “The Beast” Bernel. He told me about it at a holiday party and invited for the next workout, which was December 31, 2014. I had read a Runner’s World article on the November Project and I stoked to try. Really a HUGE shout out of thanks to Brad, he picks me up at my house every morning for the workouts.

What 9RUN6 means to me …Accountability and fun. By myself, I won’t miss a long run, but I struggle with doing workout routines such as this alone. I can count on a great workout with some fun people. There’s a lot of laughs and a whole lot of liquid awesome! And these workouts complement my running perfectly.
Favorite race distance …I love to run long on trail, so the 50K means I get to spend all day running through the woods with my friends, and that makes me happy.

Favorite race I have ran …Way Too Cool 50K last March. It was my first experience running an ultra and the vibe was just incredible. The trails, the volunteers, the “ultra village” after party was all like a dream come true.

Top race on my bucket list is … I know all trail runners say Western States but there really is something special about that event. I’ve volunteered there and let me tell you, it’s way more than a footrace. It’s hard to describe but my experiences there have had a profound affect on me. It’s really part epic mystical journey and celebration of the ultra lifestyle. We are lucky to be able to live so close to the “Grandaddy of ultra running” and to experience it. So if bucket list means dream list, WSER 100 is on the top of my list.

Favorite musical artist and song … I don’t listen to music when I run, but music is really important to me. I listen to a lot of indie rock, classic rock. Right now I’m on a Brian Jonestown Massacre kick. Which, if you think about it, may be the best name for a rock band ever.

A little more awesome stuff about me … I’m really grateful to work out with 9run6 in such a supportive environment. A number of years ago, I led an extremely sedentary lifestyle and was morbidly obese. I lived with a lot of fear and had a whole host of serious medical issues which went away when I dropped the weight. But the fear and timidness of “not fitting in” or being able to work out with others remained, largely because of being too hard on myself. I wish I could encourage others to get out and just do it, because I see so many people holding themselves back from living their life. Look, I’m the oldest and usually the slowest guy out there and NONE OF IT MATTERS. I wish that others can drop the self imposed barriers and experience how group workouts and an active lifestyle can improve their life. I’m so grateful!

Name:  Sarah Green

Twitter: Not a tweeter 😦
Instagram: sarah.m.green

Originally from …. Pleasant Valley, CA

How I found 9RUN6 … It was meant to be. I was meeting my friend for a workout at 6:30 on the west steps of the Capitol building (coincidentally the same time and place that 9run6 meets to workout). Everyone in the group was so welcoming so my friend and I joined their workout and we have been working out with 9run6 ever since.

What 9RUN6 means to me … 9run6 is a group of positive people dedicated to being healthy and fit and having fun while doing so! They are all postive motivation for me to continue a lifetime of fitness. Everyone in the group is training for something, that’s motivating to be around.

Favorite race distance … Right now, a 10k

Favorite race I have ran … CIM relay

Top race on my bucket list is … Ragnar Relay (any of them)

Favorite musical artist and song … The Beatles, Twist and Shout

A little more awesome stuff about me … I love to hike and travel! My favorite places to hike are in Desolation Wilderness and the Colorado Plateau. Last summer I traveled through Western Europe and prior to that I traveled to Ecuador. I also kayak and play tennis!

Name: Courtney Higgins

Twitter: N/A

Instagram: chiggins326

Originally from …. Maryland

How I found 9RUN6 … Internet

What 9RUN6 means to me … that there are people like me (possibly crazy) who like to run really early in the morning when the rest of the city is still sleeping.

Favorite race distance …1/2 marathon

Favorite race I have ran …tough question, but Las Vegas Rock and Roll is fun cause its on the strip at night.

Top race on my bucket list is …Boulder Boulder.

Favorite musical artist and song …(tougher question, not sure I have an answer)

A little more awesome stuff about me …if I tell you, then there is nothing to talk about during the run.