The Epic Team

Hometown: Ann Arbor

When I am not working at Epic Races I am: Working at Epic Races

What year did you start working at Epic? 2008

What is your superpower?

Would you rather be a tiny elephant or giant hamster? Giant Hamster

What is your hidden talent?  I can pick the perfect sized Tupperware container for leftovers every time!

Do you have any pets? Gilli the Goldendoodle and Franny the Bernedoodle

Favorite line from a movie? “You is smart. You is kind. You is important.”

If you could add a commandment to the existing10 what would it be? Thou shalt read “Frequently Asked Questions” before sending an email to Epic Races.

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Dogs or Cats? Dogs

Mountains or Beach? Mountains

Apple or Android? Apple

Cardio or Weights? Both

Big Party or Small Gathering? Big Party

Favorite Race and why (Limit to 2 sentences)? Tri Goddess Tri because it’s where it all began!

Hometown: Ann Arbor

When I am not working at Epic Races I am: Teaching Marketing at Eastern Michigan University

What year did you start working at Epic? 2014

 What is your superpower? Helping others reach their goals

 What is on your bucket list? A few more Ironman races

Would you rather be a tiny elephant or giant hamster? Giant Hamster

What is your hidden talent? I can walk on stilts

If I ever had to ______ again it would be too soon? Drink a beet smoothie

Do you have any pets? nope

If you could add a commandment to the existing10 what would it be? Thou shalt be kind

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Dogs or Cats? Dog

Mountains or Beach? Beach

Android or Apple? Apple

Cardio or Weights? Cardio

Big Party or Small Gathering? Small Gathering

Favorite Race and why: Tri Goddess Tri. I love the supportive atmosphere and seeing so many new participants complete the challenge they took on.”

Hometown: Chelsea, MI

When I am not working at Epic Races I am: Kayaking, Swimming, Painting someone’s house or Farming my chickens, pheasants, and peacocks

What year did you start working at Epic? 2012

What is your superpower? Making things work, correctly

What is on your bucket list? Mountain biking again

Would you rather be a tiny elephant or giant hamster? Hamster

What is your hidden talent? I’m a sucker for cheesy arts and crafts

Do you have any pets? 75 chickens, 15 or so Peacocks, a handful of pheasants, a dog and house cat along with a few barn cats that come around my farm.

Favorite line from a movie? “Nobody puts Baby in a Corner!”

If you could add a commandment to the existing 10 what would it be?  Encourage your parents to move in with you or very near you, well before the need exists.

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Dogs or Cats? Dogs

Mountains or Beach? Beach

Apple or Android? Apple

Cardio or Weights? Cardio

Big Party or Small Gathering? Big Party

Favorite Race and why? Wolverine Tri (Ann Arbor Tri), high energy

Hometown: Ann Arbor

When I am not working at Epic Races I am: A Registered Dietitian for Aramark

What year did you start working at Epic? 2015

What is on your bucket list? Visiting Prague – family’s homeland

Would you rather be a tiny elephant or giant hamster? Tiny elephant

Favorite line from a movie? “Oh yeah, you blend”

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Dogs or Cats? Dogs

Mountains or Beach? Mountains

Apple or Android? Apple

Cardio or Weights? Cardio

Big Party or Small Gathering? Big Party

Favorite Race and why? Ann Arbor Marathon! I’ve been involved with it from the beginning and get to ride in a gator

Hometown: Royal Oak

When I am not working at Epic Races I am: Masters swim coaching, open water swimming, lifting and tri training with my husband and friends, playing outside with our four kids

What year did you start working at Epic? 2016

What is your superpower? Helping others overcome their fear of open water.

Would you rather be a tiny elephant or giant hamster?

What is your hidden talent? Accurately guessing how many carbs are in just about anything.

Do you have any pets? Not at the moment.

Favorite line from a movie?

If you could add a commandment to the existing10 what would it be? Thou shalt keep calm and swim on.

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Dogs or Cats? Dogs

Mountains or Beach? Beach

Apple or Android? Apple

Cardio or Weights? Both

Big Party or Small Gathering? Both

Favorite Race and why (Limit to 2 sentences)? Tri Goddess Tri because that was my first triathlon in 2009, and what got me involved with Epic Races! That and Swim to the Moon.

Hometown: Howell, Michigan

When I am not working at Epic Races I am: A full-time student at EMU who works as a lifeguard at the EMU Rec IM and at Banana Republic

What year did you start working at Epic? 2017

What is your superpower? I am great in stressful situations

What is on your bucket list? Traveling to Alaska

Would you rather be a tiny elephant or giant hamster? Tiny elephant

What is your hidden talent? I can put both legs behind my head

If I ever had to ______ again it would be too soon? Run a marathon

Do you have any pets? I have a dog and two cats

Favorite line from a movie? “Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you’re crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us – in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club”

If you could add a commandment to the existing 10 what would it be? thou shall respect thine brother and thine sister regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and creed

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Dogs or Cats? Dog

Mountains or Beach? Mountains

Apple or Android? Apple

Cardio or Weights? Cardio

Big Party or Small Gathering? Small Gathering

Favorite Race and why? STTM. This is my favorite because it showcases some of the best swim athletes in our area and is always fun to watch.

Hometown: Manchester

When I am not working at Epic Races I am: Doing marathons, woodworking

What year did you start working at Epic? 2014

What is your superpower?  Speaking before thinking

What is on your bucket list? A marathon in all 50 states

Would you rather be a tiny elephant or giant hamster? Elephamster!

What is your hidden talent? Haven’t found it yet

If I ever had to ______ again it would be too soon? Put a pet to sleep

Do you have any pets? 2 dogs, 5 cats

Favorite line from a movie? It’s not a Motorcycle, it’s a Chopper Baby!

If you could add a commandment to the existing 10 what would it be? Agnostic

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Dogs or Cats? Cats

Mountains or Beach? Beach

Apple or Android? Android

Cardio or Weights? Cardio

Big Party or Small Gathering? Big Party

Favorite Race and why? Big Sur! The Beauty of it all.

Hometown: Saline, MI

When I am not working at Epic Races I am: Enjoying time with my husband and two little girls, running, coaching, or in some way staying busy

What year did you start working at Epic? 2017

What is your superpower? Organizing many things!

What is on your bucket list? Completing a triathlon

Would you rather be a tiny elephant or giant hamster? Tiny Elephant

What is your hidden talent? Goal setting

If I ever had to ______ again it would be too soon? Run a marathon

Do you have any pets? One dog – Shelby

If you could add a commandment to the existing 10 what would it be? Be Kind

Dogs or Cats? Dogs

Mountains or Beach? Beach

Apple or Android? Android

Cardio or Weights? Cardio

Big Party or Small Gathering? Small Gathering

Favorite Race and why? My favorite Epic Race is the Ann Arbor Turkey Trot because I love Hudson Mills Metropark, the bike path is a great, straightforward, and scenic course, and with the great food, music, and people Epic brings, it’s just a great time

Hometown: Asheville, NC

When I am not working at Epic Races I am:  Researching zebrafish extraocular muscles, catering, reading, spending time with my people

What year did you start working at Epic? 2018

What is your super power? Laughing at myself

What is on your bucket list?  Rocking my white hair as it happens

Would you rather be a tiny elephant or giant hamster? Giant hamster

What is your hidden talent? Always having room for dessert

If I ever had to ______ again it would be too soon? Have long hair

Do you have any pets?  Unfortunately, no

Favorite line from a movie? “You go Glen Coco”

If you could add a commandment to the existing 10 what would it be? Consider the effects of your words and actions

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Dogs or Cats? Dogs

Mountains or Beach? Mountains no question

Apple or Android? Android

Cardio or Weights? Both

Big Party or Small Gathering? One for Friday, one for weeknights

Favorite Race and why?  So hard to choose a favorite, but I love seeing the woman power at the Tri Goddess Tri weekend. I’m always here to get my socks blown off by first timers and triathlon veterans alike!

Hometown: Chelsea, MI

When I am not working at Epic Races, I am: hanging out w/friends or my son or traveling.

When did you start working at Epic? February 11, 2019

What is your superpower? Dawn enhanced strength – I’m a morning person.

What is on your bucket list? The entire list? It’s pretty long.

Would you rather be a tiny elephant or a giant hamster? A tiny elephant.

What is your hidden talent? I can get stains out of anything – ask my son.

If I ever had to go to Las Vegas again it would be to soon?

Do you have any pets? Used to have a cat.

Favorite line from a movie? I can’t say, but it’s from 21 Jumpstreet.

If you could add a commandment to the existing 10 what would it be? Treat your body as your temple.

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Dogs or Cats? Both

Mountains or Beach? Both

Apple or Android? Apple

Cardio or Weights? Both

Big Party or Small Gathering? Hmmm… depends on the group

Favorite Race and why (Limit to 2 sentences)? Moscow Int’l Peace Marathon. It was so unique