About Me

My name is Shannon and I have been a nurse for 8 years and a runner for all my life. I have worked a variety of nursing jobs, mainly pediatrics, and spent over 4 years on night shift, and I know firsthand how hard it can be to maintain a healthy life style as a busy professional.

My story is unique because unlike most sub-elite runners, I did not run in college. Although I have always enjoyed going on jogs, I never actually trained for anything until I moved to Austin. The Austin running community immediately motived me to sign up for my first marathon, which ended up going pretty well – I ran 2:51 and qualified for the Boston Marathon with about a 35 minute cushion. I struggled with injuries the next year, but managed to place in the top 40 Overall Women at the Boston Marathon in 2024, running 2:46 off of 42 miles per week.

Having missed my opportunity to race on the track in college, I wanted to try out my speed, so in 2025 I tried out the 1500m. I entered NCAA track meets as a 30 year old, unattached athlete. In my first race I ran 4:26, which I ended up getting down to 4:15 at Portland Track Fest and Sound Running’s Sunset Tour in Los Angeles. I am loving working on speed and have chosen to take a break from the marathon to continue to improve in this area.

My favorite part about running is training for a big goal. I absolutely love setting my sights on something and working hard for it every day. It’s never easy. In fact, its far from it. In my 3 years of high-level running I have struggled with a lot of common pitfalls – Bone Stress Injuries, shin splints, nutrition, bone density issues, Achilles injuries, and more. I keep learning every single day about how to listen to my body and train in a way that is sustainable and healthy for a lifetime of running.

I still have a lot of big goals. Some people may say they are out of reach – but I choose to chase them anyway. I have dreams of qualifying for the USA National Championships on the track. Once I go back to the marathon, I want to chase the OTQ – Olympic Trials Qualifier which is currently 2:37.

I have learned a lot about prioritizing my health and fitness while still showing up to a nursing shift able to provide excellent patient care. I hope to share what I have learned and help other busy professionals achieve their running goals.