Meet Annie – one of best friends and runner extraordinaire. Annie is pretty much the reason I qualified for Boston on my 1st marathon attempt. Sure, I ran a lot & worked hard but if it weren’t for her coaching and pushing me, I couldn’t have done it! Annie works full-time, is getting her MBA, races with Pacers Elite women’s team and owns her own artisan bakery & pastry company, Beaux Reve. If you’re wondering – Yes(!!), Annie Feldman rocks my world!
Name: Anne (Annie) Feldman
Age: 29
Location: Arlington, VA
Years Running: 18
Favorite race distance: Half Marathon
PRs: 5k – 18:27, Marathon – 3:08
How did you get into running? I had a ton of energy and zero coordination, so it was a natural fit for me in middle school. I never looked back.
How many marathons have you run? 6
Do you cross train or lift weights: Yes. I bike, swim, do yoga, and just started boxing. I’ll do the elliptical in reverse every once in a while for a full-body workout. I try to do some ab work every day.
How do you find/make time to train: Running has always been a part of my life, so it doesn’t really ever seem like I need to find time. Mornings are usually the best, but definitely the most difficult in the cold & dark winters here in DC.
Favorite place to run: A sunrise along the Mt. Vernon trail, at sunset along the National Mall, along the beach in Santa Monica, in the mountains of Alaska.
Favorite/most memorable race: My first marathon – 2008 Marine Corps. Running 26.2 miles was something I never thought I could do. It was such a painful race, but I had the support of so many family members and friends that it was truly a special moment when I crossed the finish line.
Favorite pre-race meal: My homemade breakfast egg sammie – whole wheat English muffin with a fried egg, turkey bacon, caramelized onions, and cheddar cheese. 
Favorite post-race food:Ice cream. A delicious “cool-you-down” treat.
Favorite quote: “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” – Teddy Roosevelt
Best running advice: Make small goals. Stay focused. Persevere. And never say “I can’t.”
Running accomplishment I’m most proud of: The honor and privilege I’ve had of being a part of the Arlington/DC and Pacers community. The people I have met here are the reason I have any running accomplishments at all.
What races are you currently training for? A few as of yet unscheduled 5ks and 10ks in the spring.
Famous {and delicious} Beaux Reve Brownie
I met her after her ’08 marathon. She ran it amazing and she’s still PRing all over the place!! Inspiring!
WOW so inspiring I need an Annie 😉 WAY TO BQ!!!!!!! when/if I ever run a marathon I’d like to BQ so I could one day run boston!
Wow!! Driven Girl! Artisan Bakery?!! My bro and sis did a video on artisan bread for kinfolk mag that she would love (if she hasn’t already seen it) http://vimeo.com/31750057
Amazing. She seems really hard to keep up with in almost everything…inspiring.
Awesome! she is inspiring!!!
Mel — thank you for such a wonderful article. I am so honored to be a part of your life & training. This article leaves out the fact that you are MY inspiration! And thank you to the other ladies who’ve shared such gracious comments.
This is awesome! And I just started reading the blog and didn’t realize you BQ’d at your first marathon! That’s so amazing.
Love her comment about “finding time”…So true…When you’ve been running and training for most of your life, it becomes a part of you and your daily routine. Great piece and yes she rocks…Good luck with all of your races Anne!
Super woman!!! 🙂
Love it. She sounds like a gem. I love getting tips and advice from experts!! Thanks.
Jessica
runningtobeskinny.com
WE have the same name! I just had a stint in artisan bread baking – I tend to go through hobbies, with great intensity for periods of time. I like to think I retain them and they just go into a holding bank for when I get back to them! At this point running is what I’m doing and seeing this Annie is quite an inspiration!