Name? Mark McCowan
Where do you live ? Bucks County, PA
How long have you been involved with Achilles Philadelphia? I have been involved with Achilles Philadelphia since March of 2013. [Read more…]
Maggie Guterl
Name: Maggie Guterl
Where do you currently live?
Glen Mills, PA
How long have you been involved with Philly Achilles?
Since 2012
How did you find out about Philly Achilles?
Through my friend, Garth Reid
When did running become a part of your life?
In retrospect, it has always been a part of my life but if i had to choose a definitive year, 2007 after completing my first ever Broad Street Run.
What do you gain from running?
Everything but weight
What is your favorite distance to run?
The longer the more fun.
What is your most significant accomplishment to date?
Gold for the team and 4th place (individual) at the 2015 IAU 24 Hour World Championships *EDITOR’S NOTE: That was 146.64 miles for that 4th place and assuring the women’s team victory!
Who or what is your biggest inspiration?
Inspiration is everywhere for me, from a sunset to watching another athlete’s hard work pay off.
What quality best describes your personality?
Determined
What do you do for fun or a hobby in your free time?
Throw a ball for our dog, Titus and yard work, it’s actually fun!
Do you have a favorite quote?
“Find what you love and let it kill you” Charles Bukowski
What strength do you bring to the Philly Achilles chapter?
Passion for the sport of running.
What motivates you to keep coming back to the chapter workouts?
The bonds I have formed between our members that began on the first day I met these knuckleheads. Although I don’t regularly make it workouts anymore I still stay in touch with my buddies and am up for jumping in to guide when I can.
If you were speaking to a prospective volunteer or athlete and could only convey one thing about Philadelphia Achilles what would it be?
Words can’t really describe how it feels to be a part of Achilles International so do yourself a favor and come see for yourself. We meet every Saturday at 9 am 
Meghan Sarbanis
Name: Meghan Sarbanis
Where do you currently live?
Philadelphia, PA
How long have you been involved with Achilles Philadelphia?
May, 2014
How did you find out about Achilles International?
I heard about it while working out with November Project Philadelphia with some new friends (Rodney Russen & Trish Houck) who were active volunteers.
Eternally grateful as it’s turned out to be quite life changing!
When did running become a part of your life?
I always LOVED running even as a little girl.
What do you gain from running?
Honestly, I love the endorphins!
I love how good it makes me feel physically & mentally.
Running helps to ground me too & bring peace to my world!
Also like that it’s a sport where you can compete against others,
but you can also just compete against yourself.
Most importantly, eternally grateful for all of the special & in many cases, lifelong friendships it has led to.
What is your favorite distance to run?
Seriously, if it wasn’t for that whole job & need for money I would run all day!
I’d have to say whatever distance I’m running at the moment as they each present their own unique challenges.
Since I began running with Achilles though,
I’ve guided everything from a beer mile in a blizzard to an ultra in the rain and pretty much every distance & weather condition imaginable in between!
Countless memorable runs!
Yet to accomplish this distance so far, but hoping to in the years to come!
Would be happy to run it as a guide instead if someone wants to come along with me?!?!
http://www.spartathlon.gr/en/
What is your most significant accomplishment to date?
I represented Team USA in 2003, 2009 & 2010 in the sport of rowing.
Finished 4th at the World Rowing championships in 03 & 09.
Raced as a lightweight which wouldn’t have been possible if running was not part of my cross training.
On the day I retired from competing at the Elite level (of rowing), a referee walked up to me to shake my hand and say, “It’s been a pleasure to watch you race throughout your racing career. I’ll never forget you as you’re the rower who always had a smile on her face.”
I was rarely the lightest nor always the fastest, but was proud to walk away from the sport with my head held high and the respect of teammates, competitors, coaches & referees as a person of integrity, grit & passion.
Try to carry that along with my running as well since that’s what matters most to me. 
Was the 1st rower ever to be inducted into the Villanova Athletic Hall of Fame in Jan 2017 which was pretty cool too!
Who/what is your biggest inspiration?
Just watch this…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD2cVhC-63I&t=39s
What quality best describes your personality?
Positive attitude & open mind!
I try to find the bright side of any given situation (sometimes to a fault)
as well as not take myself too seriously!
I also try my best to remain judgment free & consider perspectives other than my own.
You can’t control things such as the weather, conditions, traffic etc, but you can control your attitude. Whether I’m guiding, pacing, racing or just running for fun with friends, I always do my best to make it fun since we all have enough stress in our everyday life.
I find myself most happy when I’m able to make someone else smile or happy!
What do you do for fun or a hobby in your spare time?
I LOVE any athletic activity that gets me out in nature!
Running, rowing, cycling, yoga & jumping in puddles or fountains are some of my favorites!
Super curious as well!
Love nerding out learning about almost an subject matter!
During my time in Philly some of my favorite exhibits have included the impressionists at PMA, Body Worlds & Jurassic Park at Franklin Institute, the Mudder Museuem, Independence Hall, the Tall ships & the NFL draft experience!
Love listening to almost any genre of music too.
Trivial Pursuit is my favorite board game and a veggie & egg scramble is my favorite food to cook.
I like trying new things so have a quirk of letting the bartender get creative in deciding what I have to drink.
I also turn into a big green ogre after the sun goes down.
(just checking if you’re still reading 
)
Between work & other volunteer commitments such as secretary for my boat club & chairing an annual blood drive, don’t find myself having an awful lot of spare time,
BUT…
I have an uncanny knack (whether a talent or curse is still open for debate???)
for turning the most mundane activities in life into the most unexpected adventures!?!?
Conversely, I’ve always craved solitude & quiet time as well.
Balance is important to me.
I cherish my solo workouts as much as my runs with Achilles
My favorite part of the day is the quiet of the morning sipping my coffee before all the craziness of the day ensues.
Do you have a favorite quote?
That’s like asking if I have only one favorite U2 song, but one favorite is:
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away”
~Pablo Picasso
What strength do you bring to the Achilles Philly chapter?
Having been an athlete my entire life, I’ve made A LOT of mistakes & screwed up countless times!!!
But you take those humbling lessons & you grow from them.
I have no shame in sharing and/or admitting to mistakes I’ve made for the benefit of others so they are not needlessly repeated.
My former athletic career taught me a great deal about strength training, body mechanics, injury prevention, cross training & nutrition so I try to share whatever knowledge I have on those subjects whenever the opportunity arises to help all of our runners & guides to become as holistic as possible.
(IMHO solely running is a recipe for injury)
I’m also an occupational therapist by profession so I have a great deal of experience working with a number of different disabilities & special needs.
Several people in the group have noted that I have very strong nurturing qualities.
It’s true that I do derive a great deal of joy out of helping and caring for others.
Others have noted flexibility & adaptability since I’m open to walking/running any speed with whomever & also pretty versatile when things change on the fly.
Though I think the majority of the gang would probably say: humor???
I’m kind of a walking contradiction since despite being very focused & dedicated to fitness, health & wellness as well as being the best friend or family member I can be…
I’m conversely a bit of a flake?!?!
One of our athletes, Matt MacAvoy was recently teasing me that the way to best describe me is to recognize that while EVERYONE has those occasional “You’ll never believe what happened to me today” days…
that’s pretty much me almost EVERY day in my life!
It’s all good though because it keeps me grounded as well as results in funny &
entertaining stories to share quite regularly!
What motivates you to keep coming back to the chapter workouts?
This is not an exaggeration in the least, attending Achilles workouts are my 3 favorite hours of the week. I was blessed with a very healthy body so to be able to use my athletic talents for somebody else’s benefit is a priceless reward that can’t be topped.
If you were speaking to a prospective volunteer or athlete and could only convey one thing about Achilles Philadelphia what would it be?
No regrets!
It’s indescribably rewarding.
I’ve met so many amazing quality people & had unique experiences that I never would have had elsewise!
It’s indirectly introduced me to other new passions such as trail running from some of the guides as well as reconnected me with some old passions such as adaptive rowing with some of the athletes.
I’ve no doubt grown a lot over the past 3 year & know Achilles has helped mold me into a better woman & version of myself than I was before I joined.
Megan Murphy
Name: Megan Murphy
Where do you currently live? Parkside, West Philadelphia
How long have you been involved with Philly Achilles? April of 2015… only a short time, but I’ve been aware of the community for a while!
How did you find out about Philly Achilles? I’m an EMT and am highly interested in health and safety for urban athletes- for myself and for others, in both racing and training! I’d been looking for a way to use my training to serve others. My future husband and “faster half,” David Bernstein, took up my friends’ Rodney, John, Meghan and Hal’s invitation to run with Achilles a bit before I did; once DB started, I couldn’t stay away!
When did running become a part of your life? I’ve always been game to play and sweat, but I started training and road racing in late 2007/early 2008.
What do you gain from running? The satisfaction of a job well done (which feels suspiciously like pleasantly heavy legs, a perpetually hungry belly and a quiet but happy mind).
What is your favorite distance to run? 10 miles!
What is your most significant accomplishment to date? It’s not my fastest and fanciest time in a race to date, but this is far and away “my proudest PR”: completing the Miami Half Marathon 2015 in 1:59:33 three and a half months after breaking my leg and not being able to run at all! Learning to safely recover from injury and stay sane, strong and smiling from the sidelines has challenged me in ways I did not expect. What happened up to, on and since that day in Miami has made me a better runner and a better person.
Who or what is your biggest inspiration? My Bernese mountain dog, Dexter “Big Essie.” He is always smiling, he’s always got love and if you’re asking him, everything is always awesome.
What quality best describes your personality? Watchfulness
What do you do for fun or a hobby in your free time? I read, run with shelter dogs through The Monster Milers, meditate, cook vegan food, do deck workouts and listen to rap music!
Do you have a favorite quote? “I spoke to a man down at the tracks, and I asked him how he don’t go mad / He said, ‘look here, junior- don’t you be so happy, and for heaven’s sake, don’t you be so sad'” – Television, “Marquee Moon”
What strength do you bring to the Philly Achilles chapter? It’s all in the hugs and high-fives.
What motivates you to keep coming back to the chapter workouts? The community, and the welcome challenge of helping others stay safe as they lace up, swing out and put the work in!
If you were speaking to a prospective volunteer or athlete and could only convey one thing about Philadelphia Achilles what would it be? It’s about the athletes: as volunteer guides we’re not coaching or training so much as we are holding a safe space (environmentally and socially) for our athletes to push themselves and let their best efforts shine.
Angel Ayala
My name is Angel Ayala and I currently am living in North Philadelphia. I was diagnosed with ligneous conjunctivitis, and later, my retinas began to detach. By the time I was 14, I had lost all of my light perception. If you’re worried about such a condition as well, you may want to research on details like can you get pink eye from eating ass.
Philly Achilles has been a huge part of who I am since I first stepped foot at the work out in April of 2015. I have always been an active person but I wanted to challenge myself and keep active when I graduated high school. I decided to try to get in touch with Achilles through my dear friend Madeline Garber. Within a few days I showed up to my first work out and knew I wasn’t going anywhere. I have always loved to run, but I have only done one 5k and the rest were one mile events.
Running gives me a feeling of complete freedom. It’s like once I start moving I enter this zone of happiness that is all mine. What makes that worthwhile is sharing it with people who feel that same sense of joy just running and talking. I don’t need any motivation in order to get me to the workouts because I know once I get there I’ll see one of my Wonderful guides and know that it’ll be awesome.
My biggest inspiration is my mom. I won’t take up all of your time rambling about how amazing she is but I will say that she gives me a different type of strength that you can’t get from working out. She’s the reason I am the way I am today. I think Achilles is such a great match for who I am as a person because it brings out my happiness like nothing else. I honestly don’t really know what strength I bring to the Philly Achilles chapter, but if I had to throw a wild guess out there I would say its my attitude and my willingness to keep pushing forward.
When I am not running with Achilles or running with one of my energetic guides, Megan Murphy, you can find me either weaving, writing poetry, or eating. I also take great pride in annoying and bother my many younger siblings.
If you are thinking about coming out to a work out, My question would be what are you waiting for? Philly Achilles is more than just a running club, we are a running family.
Walter Elliot once said, ‘Perseverance is not a long race; it’s many short races one after the other.” I view life as a journey, you might experience heartbreak, sadness, or you may feel like giving up, but with family, friends, and the people around you will help you complete this phase on the trail.