Running the DMV Since 1961
Running the DMV Since 1961
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Carol Cohen
Q: When did you begin running and why?
I started at 14. I joined the cross country team in high school, because it sounded like fun. I was one of those kids that acted out in junior high PE because the punishment was running laps around the school (way more fun than PE).
Q: How did you find out about DCRR and when did you join?
I first joined maybe 20 years ago, when I was interning in DC. The first thing I do when I get to a new town is find my running peeps.
Q: What are you training for right now?
Absolutely nothing—ski season hasn’t ended yet.
Q: What is the toughest run or race in which you have participated?
The Ring—71 miles of kicking rocks in the Massanutten mountains. It was my first time running through the night, an experience some describe as magical. I didn’t experience the magic, just exhaustion. I have runners amnesia, and signed up for the race again a few years later. Still no magic.
Q: What is the most important lesson running has taught you?
Consistency is key.
Carol Cohen on top of the world
Q: What is your favorite route in the DC area?
Potomac Heritage Trail
Q: What is your happiest running moment?
My first trail race and ultramarathon, the JFK 50-miler. After 15-17 miles at an easy pace, the endorphins kicked into overdrive and lasted a good 30 miles. I became increasingly cheery, chatty, and energetic as the miles went on. I became addicted to trail running that day.
Q: What is your favorite running book and/or movie?
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner by Dean Karnazes. It inspired me to run my first ultra.
Q: What is your life like outside of running?
It’s outside: skiing, snowboarding, biking, hiking, backpacking, camping, climbing mountains. I have a couple new adventures planned for this year, including a multi-day canoe trip and glacier travel in the Cascades. And I’m one of DCRR’s newest race directors!