On Sunday, November 5, five athletes will run the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon for Team NYC Outward Bound Schools! The challenging, 26.2 mile race through all five boroughs of the city is an exercise in believing that you are capable of more than you think — a classic Outward Bound lesson. Meet the marathoners who are running in support of our mission to help NYC young people develop the knowledge and skills to lead with confidence and curiosity, persist in the face of challenge, and live fulfilling lives.
Meet our Runners:
Catherine Alexander
What is your connection to NYC Outward Bound Schools?
I am a former student, instructor, watch officer, course director, and board member of the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School. Today, I serve on the advisory board to HIOBS. I am passionate about the mission of all Outward Bound schools.
What feels most exciting about running the NYC marathon? What motivates you to run?
I am most excited about the opportunity to push myself.
How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
I am motivated by my daughters who are athletes and always push themselves to achieve their goals.
What music do you listen to while you run?
I usually listen to books while I run. Lately I have really enjoyed listening to Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, and Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson.
Do you have any tips for people who are interested in running but don’t know where to start?
Break your goals into small steps and try to have fun. Run somewhere beautiful or with a friend or reward yourself by only listening to a favorite playlist, podcast or book while you run.
What are your go-to meals pre and post run?
Peanut butter and a banana is my meal of choice before a run.
Eva Anderson
What is your connection to NYC Outward Bound Schools?
I’ve known about Outward Bound (as a national organization) since I was in elementary school as my family’s close friend is involved in the Voyageur Outward Bound school in Minnesota. I feel closely drawn to NYC Outward Bound Schools’ mission due to the focus on the whole student and the goal of providing opportunities for students to complement their learning outside the classroom.
What feels most exciting about running the NYC marathon? What motivates you to run?
I am most excited by the prospect of running a marathon with fifty thousand other people, especially one in the city where I live. It is so cool to participate in a challenging athletic event with tons of other people.
How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
I reach out to others who are also training and plan to run with them. I am always more motivated to run with friends!
What music do you listen to while you run?
My first choice is to run with friends and therefore chat while running, but when I run alone, I’ve recently been listening to Olivia Rodrigo, AJR, Taylor Swift, or whatever Spotify recommends on my daily mix.
Do you have any tips for people who are interested in running but don’t know where to start?
I would suggest running slow! It’s a common misconception that you need to run as fast as you can for as long as you can. The key is actually to run most of the time at a comfortable, conversational pace. Once you slow down, you often realize that running is not nearly as painful as you remember it being in childhood gym class. I think of long runs more like hikes!
What are your go-to meals pre and post run?
I often will have a banana or a banana on peanut butter toast pre-run. Afterwards, I love to make a smoothie and eat whatever is available in my fridge as soon as possible.
Meredith Colleary
What is your connection to NYC Outward Bound Schools?
NYC public schools and Outward Bound each hold big pieces of my heart; I worked in schools in NYC for several years before deciding to try something new and work for the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Maine. The way that NYC Outward Bound Schools brings Outward Bound to New York City students is really special. I’m thrilled to be supporting such a powerful cause!
What feels most exciting about running the NYC marathon? What motivates you to run?
This will be my second time running the NYC marathon and I can confirm that it is very much just the best day! It feels like the entire city is out there, lining the streets, cheering you and 50,000 strangers on. The whole thing is the most exciting part.
How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
I know not everyone has the time or ability to train for a marathon, and that there are so many people who want to run this race but can’t for one reason or another. I’m lucky to be doing this! It’s such a treat that I get to spend a part of everyday playing outside and getting stronger! I don’t have to run, I get to run. When I’m not feeling up for it, I try to remind myself of that and trust that if I just get up and get out there, I’ll be glad I did.
What music do you listen to while you run?
Controversial opinion: I like running in silence! On marathon day, my inner voice is either going to be my biggest cheerleader or my arch nemesis, so I figure I might as well practice getting to know it and staying on its good side. Sometimes during a hard workout I’ll put headphones in and listen to whatever my Spotify on shuffle has in store for me, any further details of which I refuse to reveal because it’s probably even more controversial.
Do you have any tips for people who are interested in running but don’t know where to start?
Other people don’t care what you’re wearing, or how slow you’re going, or if you talk a walk break, or if you have to pull over to throw up because you accidentally went too fast too soon (speaking from experience on all of the above)! Just start going.
What are your go-to meals pre and post run?
Whatever I can get in my stomach the quickest.
Laura Senra
What is your connection to NYC Outward Bound Schools?
I serve on the New Leaders, the junior board of NYC Outward Bound Schools. I’m always so impressed by the mission of NYC Outward Bound Schools and the incredible work the organization does to bring equitable and joyful learning to students in our city.
What feels most exciting about running the NYC marathon? What motivates you to run?
The NYC marathon is my favorite race. It’s my hometown race and I love the energy on race day. It’s exhilarating for participants and spectators alike, and it brings out the best of New York. It’s a hard race with lots of elevation changes, but it’s incredibly rewarding! I’m also truly excited to run the race in what hopefully will be cooler temperatures compared to last year.
How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
A training plan helps keep me accountable and on track. I try to remember that for every hard, long run, there is always an easy recovery run around the corner.
What music do you listen to while you run?
I am a big fan of podcasts and audiobooks to get me through races. Right now I’m enjoying the Pivot podcast and the Elon Musk biography.
What are your go-to meals pre and post run?
I love graham crackers for pre-run fuel and pasta is my go-to post-run meal.
Frances Wilson
What is your connection to NYC Outward Bound Schools?
Education is about so much more than traditional classroom work and test scores. As someone who was never good at test taking, and someone who wouldn’t be where I am without the education I received both inside and outside the classroom, I feel very drawn to the NYC Outward Bound Schools mission. Here’s to running in support of the next generation of leaders and a more equitable future!
What feels most exciting about running the NYC marathon? What motivates you to run?
Every time I’ve watched the marathon, I always want to jump in and start running with everyone — the energy and magic on that day is overwhelming. This year marks my 10 year anniversary living in NYC and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate this fantastic city with a long run through its boroughs.
How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
Running has very much been a form of therapy for me over the years. In training for the marathon, I’ve obviously been putting in more milage than I might otherwise and I’ve found it helpful to share with others when I’m gearing up for a long run. I’ve got friends, family, and colleagues cheering me on even before the big day. I also love attending Mile High run classes — those get me running intervals in a way I never would on my own!
What music do you listen to while you run?
I love listening to podcasts on my longer runs! I’ve been loving Hard Fork these days.
Do you have any tips for people who are interested in running but don’t know where to start?
Start small (.5 – 1 mile) and celebrate completing that with no time goal in mind. You’ll be surprised by the positive endorphins you’ll get, even with just a short run. Then do it again on another day. Soon it might turn into your therapy like it has for me.
What are your go-to meals pre and post run?
Post runs I always crave dumplings with ponzu sauce!! My favorite are the shumai from Momoya (they are seriously special, trust me!). The night before a long run, I like to eat my favorite brown rice pasta (tinkyada) with a homemade red meat sauce.