Run Good And Keep Going, Part II

Keep Calm and Run Good

It was a dark and stormy night at Turkey Run, as they say, when nine-year-old Leah Snider’s tent collapsed on her. “I remember Anthony’s calm as the tent was falling down, just as I remember his love of learning, and his passion for teaching—and running.” Fast forward to 9th grade, Leah ’12 survived the first 12-minute run of the program after being a soccer goalie through Middle School. “Soon, the running program became such an integral part of my life. Having that core family of supportive people around me in High School was incredible. I went from ‘the energetic freshman at the back of the pack’ to being called a leader on the team by sophomore year because of my passion for the sport and helping those around me get the most out of running.”

Leah was a team captain during her junior and senior years. “I loved being able to talk to people about their races and help the younger runners around me.” She read up on injuries to be an additional resource to her teammates. She even went on to run collegiate cross-country at Scripps College, her excellent results there a testament to what she took on from the GDS program.

Anthony invited her back to coach during the 2016-17 season and soon joked that Leah would not only read his mind but spot what he might have missed. She would remind him of something if he forgot or cut him off if he were talking too long. She coached a full year of cross country, winter track, and spring track, and she’s found that athletes have continued to reach out, even to text about which type of shoes they should buy or what type of spikes to wear on a particular course. Now the 9th graders from the 16-17 team are the senior class, and she is eager to cheer them on.

We caught up with Leah at the 17th Annual Alumni Challenge 2-Mile Walk/Run. She cruised to a strong finish tucked into a four-person pack with current GDS seniors, Dora Hauache ’20, Natasha Zimmermann ’20, and Ana-Sophia Mostashari ’20. And so the GDS running family carries on and grows. Those who “ran good” are out in the world now making their impact* as athletes, professionals, performers, but they return to the pack now and then to reconnect and “Run Good.”
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Next week's installment, Running, Racing, and Balance, will feature skateboarding convert alum coach Peter Silverman ’03.

*Leah is currently a product designer at Fastrope Labs, partnering with companies to help them manage and navigate data as they meet global challenges such as ending human trafficking or innovating sustainable energy solutions.