Name
 Rodney Russen

Where do you currently live?
Collingswood, NJ

How long have you been involved with Achilles Philadelphia?
Since day 1 in September of 2012

How did you find out about Achilles International?
Running buddy/Philly Achilles President Melissa Wilcox

When did running become a part of your life?
When running went to a new level was my first half marathon at the PDR (Philadelphia Distance Run) in 1997.

What do you gain from running?
It used to be for fitness and stress relief but has since become an unexpected form of camaraderie.

What is your favorite distance to run?
I really like the diversity in my running.  I have finished almost 150 races from 5k to 50 milers on streets and trails.  Training for all of that keeps things very interesting.  To answer the question, my favorite distance to run is the next distance I am running.

What is your most significant accomplishment to date?
Getting my BQ and running the Boston Marathon in 2011 felt really good but better yet would be when running with Kinzey Lynch and helping him with his form one day and being able to get him to run on West River Dr without a tether for the first time.  Still cannot believe how amazing that was.

Who/what is your biggest inspiration?
No one is perfect but we can all be better.

What quality best describes your personality?
I would rather have others answer that.

What do you do for fun or a hobby in your spare time?
What do you have in mind?  I’m up for most anything – golf, basketball, climbing, make beer, drink beer, stand up paddleboard, surf, biking, taking the dog out, being the fun uncle, yoga, going to live music, watching classic movies, traveling, etc., etc..  I love being active and when I am not I hope to be gaining some kind of culture.

Do you have a favorite quote?
“We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.” ~Charles Bukowski

What strength do you bring to the Achilles Philly chapter?
I try to make everyone feel welcome and accommodated.  Most importantly, I want everyone to be safe as they get in their workouts.  While we are at it, I hope we have some fun, too.  People say to me often about how it’s great that I am “giving back to the community” or “paying it forward.”  That’s not at all why I am there.

What motivates you to keep coming back to the chapter workouts?
No motivation needed.  I just don’t want to miss it.

If you were speaking to a prospective volunteer or athlete and could only convey one thing about Achilles Philadelphia what would it be?
I’ve been fortunate enough to join in with Achilles in Philadelphia, New York, Orlando, Chicago, Denver, Nashville and Toronto.  Narrowing all of that down to one thing is very difficult.  If I were to try, I would have to say to the potential athlete that achieving a goal and to the volunteer that helping someone achieve that goal is always special.  Be it a walk around the block or running a marathon.

Name
Stephanie Cully

Where do you currently live?
Marlton, NJ

When did you start getting involved with Achilles Philadelphia?
In 2012

How did you find out about Achilles International?
I found out through my husband who works at Cigna

When did running become a part of your life?
5 years ago

What do you gain from running?
I love the feeling of accomplishment after a great run and I love running to stay healthy and in shape.

What is your favorite distance to run?
My favorite is 10 miles.

What is your most significant accomplishment to date?
Running 17 miles for a training run with my Achilles athlete, Mark.

Who/what is your biggest inspiration?
 My biggest inspiration for running is Mark, my athlete. He has an incredibly positive attitude which makes running fun and he inspires me to keep pushing myself and him to improve.

What quality best describes your personality?
My best quality is persistence. If I don’t reach my goals the first time, I keep pushing myself until I get there. This applies to running, work and my personal life.

What do you do for fun or a hobby in your spare time?
I love to do yoga, rock climb and go to the beach in addition to running.

Do you have a favorite quote?
Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring. -St. Catherine of Siena

What strength do you bring to the Achilles Philly chapter? (don’t be modest!!)
My strength is my ability to “bull dose” during a race. I’m pretty good at tapping people and asking them to slide to the side to make a path for my runner. This is important because it makes it less likely for my athlete to trip and easier for them to obtain their goal time.

What motivates you to keep coming back to the chapter workouts?
I am motivated to come every week because of the athletes and volunteers. I look forward to seeing all of the members before a workout and enjoy the fun workouts I have with those in my pace group.

If you were speaking to a prospective volunteer or athlete and could only convey one thing about Achilles Philadelphia what would it be?
I would tell any prospective volunteer that Achilles has become my second family and that’s a big reason that it’s so enjoyable. We all support each other, have fun and push one another to do our best.

Name:
Claire Marie Sokas

Where do you currently live?
Center City Philadelphia…but always a Colorado girl at heart.

When did you get involved with Achilles Philadelphia?
Fall 2013

How did you find out about Achilles International?
A friend saw them on TV and thought they looked like fun, so I came to a Saturday workout!

When did running become a part of your life?
After a short-lived career as a high school freshman in the shot-put event, I switched to long distance track. Running became a social event and stress-reliever in college, and I discovered I preferred longer distances.

What do you gain from running?
Running brings me peace. My favorite runs are in the morning, when I can watch the sunrise along the Schuylkill.

What is your favorite distance to run?
The 11-mile Art Museum/West River loop from Cigna.

What is your most significant accomplishment to date?
Participating in my first (unofficial) 50K with tons of encouragement from fellow Achilles athletes and volunteers.

Who/what is your biggest inspiration?
For as long as I can remember, there has been a picture in my dad’s office of him running the Baltimore Marathon, wearing Ray-Bans and looking cool as can be. He still runs every day, rockin’ the Ray-Bans. He encouraged me to start running, and I have miles to go before I catch up to him!

What quality best describes your personality?
I’m a hugger!

What do you do for fun or a hobby in your spare time?
I love to bake, and I make killer fluffer-nutter bars and white chocolate cherry bars.

Do you have a favorite quote?
“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” – Christopher McDougall

What strength do you bring to the Achilles Philly chapter? (don’t be modest!!)
A zest for life, and come spring 2016 Philly Achilles first “official” doctor!

What motivates you to keep coming back to the chapter workouts?
I know if I don’t show, Kinzey Lynch will kindly remind me that I haven’t been able to keep up with him lately…

If you were speaking to a prospective volunteer or athlete and could only convey one thing about Achilles Philadelphia what would it be?
The Philly Achilles family has truly made me feel like Philadelphia was my home. Whether you are working towards walking your first mile or running your next marathon, we look forward to meeting you!

Favorite Distance: 10 miles for races and 20 miles for fun

Melissa’s interest in running was born during her High School track days and blossomed into a daily routine after her first marathon participation at age 25. With 10 marathons under her belt and a personal best of 28 miles completed in a single shot, Melissa continues to put her dedication and competitive spirit to the test. However, the true satisfaction Melissa finds in running comes from helping others train to compete in marathons and strive to reach their full potential.

After guiding a visually impaired runner from NYC in the Disney Half Marathon, Melissa decided to pursue her largest accomplishment to date by founding the Philadelphia chapter of Achilles International. Due in part to her relentless recruiting and natural organization skills, Melissa has watched her passion for running spread through the Achilles family of athletes and volunteers. The Philadelphia Chapter President believes, “there is nothing like the rush you feel crossing the finish line of a big race for the first time. It inspires me to help others experience that joy, especially when they never thought it would be possible.”

Come out to a Saturday workout and you will find Melissa utilizing her impressive pace to carefully guide Achilles athletes, or laughing with the group she considers some of her closest friends. But don’t be intimidated to join the group as Melissa will be the first to tell you they are the most welcoming group you could ever encounter. “It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner, a walker, or even currently injured- you can still come out and socialize and join the walker/rehab group. Also, marathon and ultra-runners, fast sprinters, and accomplished athletes are welcome to join as well. There are always athletes and volunteers who can keep pace and utilize your talent!”