SFRC Elite & Ambassador Teams – San Francisco Running Company

Established in 2013, San Francisco Running Company has aimed to serve as a hub for local runners in the Bay Area. While ostensibly a retail store, SFRC’s priority has always been to support our community and help individuals explore on two feet. Since the inception of our Saturday morning group runs, which have become ritual for many, we’ve felt momentum building towards something else, something more focused.

With year round access to nearly 400 miles of connected trail, a following passionate about the sport, and a sense of separation left in the wake of COVID-19, launching a team is our attempt to close that distance. The San Francisco Running Company Elite and Ambassador Teams exist in principle to strengthen the local running community through a variety of influences, both material and virtual. As a collective, we will work to promote more diversity and inclusion within the sport by using the existing SFRC platform to showcase the ethos of running in the Bay Area to an international audience.

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Lindsey Bates

First trail race: Pilot Mountain to Hanging Rock 50k
Favorite race and distance: Umstead 100M
Racing/volunteering bucket list: Western States 100M
Favorite Marin trail: that changes probably monthly, right now Shady Side Trail around Bon Tempe Lake
Fun fact: I once cartwheeled for one mile straight…not during a race (or was it?)

Croom beatty

First trail race: TNF 50 Mile at Bear Mountain, NY
Favorite race and distance: Black Canyon 100k
Racing/volunteering bucket list: Western States…year 6 of the lottery! Otherwise, Comrades in South Africa, another big European mountain race (Lavaredo, Eiger, UTMB)
Favorite Marin trail: Matt Davis
Fun fact: have been to 75 countries and thru hiked the PCT

Chris Concannon

First trail race: My first trail race was the 2010 North Country Trail Run in Manistee, MI. I ran the marathon. While I was hanging out after the race, I watched a sprint finish between the top two male 50-mile finishers and my mind was blown. That was the first time I was ever exposed to the world of ultras.
Favorite race and distance: My favorite distance is 100k. My favorite race that I’ve ever done was the “Double Dirty 30” aka the “Ultra Dirty” in Silverton, CO. It was my first stop on a motorcycle trip from Denver to San Diego, and the only time that I’ve been in the San Juans.
Racing/volunteering bucket list: I’d love to run Western States again someday. I’ll have 64 tickets the next time I enter the lottery!
Favorite Marin trail: Worn Springs Fire Rd (Bald Hill) is my new favorite since I moved to San Anselmo last year.
Fun fact: I don’t consider myself a very good golfer but I did hit a hole-in-one in high school!

Nick Handel

First trail race: My first trail race was the Night Sweats 15k from Rodeo Beach in 2017. It was a ton of fun, and I did it with Emma. It was a night race and foggy so I have this memory of holding two headlamps (not on my head because the light made it impossible to see in the fog) and flying through windy fog running down Bobcat.
Favorite race and distance: My all-time favorite race is OCC because of the terrain and views. It is just the most epic place. It’s such a challenging course with so much energy the entire way. I like the 50k distance because the training is manageable with all the other things I like to do in my life! I really enjoy mountainous races.
Racing/volunteering bucket list: I’d love to race some longer races. Western States is on my list someday, but Hardrock and UTMB seem like the two that excited me the most because of all the climbing and the locations. Beyond racing, I want to do more big FKTs. Last year, I did Mt. Williamson, and it was one of the most epic days I’ve ever had, so I can imagine more really big mountains in my future. In 2020 I did an “Everest” on Mt Tam with 12 summits in 18 hours and 8 minutes and I’ve always dreamed about doing 16 in under 24 hours.
Favorite Marin trail: Northside Trail
Fun fact: I’m related to the famous composer George Frideric Handel. I’m not sure how many generations you have to go back but he is a great…great…uncle. I have no musical talent.

Laura Hansen

First trail race: funnily enough, the Mt Tam 50K in 2017! I didn’t move to California until 2021, but came out in 2017 for the weekend to visit some SF friends and we all signed up to run this race together. I remember driving to the start line at Stinson in the dark and driving by the SFRC shop and my friend pointing it out to me…little did I know someday I’d live down the street from SFRC.
Favorite race and distance: any mountainous 100 miler – I’m out there to spend a day and night (and day?) in a stunning landscape
Racing/volunteering bucket list: Hardrock
Favorite Marin trail: my favorite Marin trail is down Dias Ridge towards Muir Beach
Fun fact: the feeling of air conditioning weirds me out. and I don’t know the rules to American football at all.

Kati Laan

First trail race: Urban Coyote China Camp half marathon, i got lost and was second to last finisher 🙂
Favorite race and distance: from local races definitely Quad Dipsea and from the races I have ran so far, I think HURT100 in Hawaii. I like 100 mile distance the best.
Racing/volunteering bucket list: Since I am all into K-drama lately I would like to run Jeju Island 100k in South Korea. Also I would love to one day be able to run TOR330/Tor des Geants 205mile race.
Favorite Marin trail: Temelpa probably
Fun fact: I worked as a dancer in a cabaret on a cruise boat for a year while I was studying dance and choreography in Tallinn University.

CAROLYN LANTHAM

First trail race: THE DIPSEA!!!

Favorite race and distance: THE DIPSEA!!! I think my favorite distance is the 1/2 marathon.

Racing/volunteering bucket list: Running Western States is my #1 bucket list item. After I accomplish this goal that I have had since I was 14 years old, I plan to return to running shorter, faster distances and volunteering at ultras. I LOVE the ultra community but I don’t think my body is truly meant to endure ultras.

Favorite Marin trail: The Dipsea is my #1

Fun fact: I have ridden the Tevis Cup (Western States Trail Ride) 3 times; @ 14, 16 and 18 years old. Someday, when I finally finish Western States on foot, I will be one of 21 women in the world to have completed both.

Pauline Loulier

Where are you from?: Nantes, France

First trail race: Lake Sonoma Trail Marathon 2023

Favorite race and distance: Dipsea, it’s a love-hate relationship. I hate redlining, but there’s a beauty to it. [distance] No idea, still trying to figure it out. All of them.

Racing/volunteering bucket list: Western States and a race in the Alps like UTMB.

Favorite Marin trail: Homestead Valley trails, my happy place. They are a hidden treasure in my hood.

Fun fact: As a kid, I was a regular at the hospital because I was so clumsy. My parents decided to put me into synchronized swimming so that I would not hurt myself. I still managed to hit the bottom of the pool and break my nose. Then they put me in golf. I then hit my best friend on the head with my golf club. Then…now trail running? Let’s see how this goes.

Leo Pershall

First trail race: The Revenant Ultra-Adventure run on the south island of New Zealand
Favorite race and distance: Lake Sonoma 50k and 50 miles
Racing/volunteering bucket list: PCT self-supported FKT attempt
Favorite Marin trail: This is constantly in flux but Porcupine trail is the winner for now.
Fun fact: I am a long distance ocean sailor and have sailed 20,000 nautical miles between California, Hawaii and the South Pacific and New Zealand

Ambassador Running Team

Diana Chou

Why you are an Ambassador: SFRC Saturday trail runs are my favorite way to kick off the weekend! These runs bring together the friendliest, most energetic early risers — and I’m here for it! Plus the store hosts events pretty often to try out new shoes on the trails, raffles off great swag and race entries, and the staff are so helpful in anything running-related that you want or need.
First trail race: Skyline 50k
Favorite Marin trail: SCA Trail
What moves you: Community! And the way the outdoors brings me so much peace.

Jessi Goldstein

Where are you from?: New Jersey

First trail race: A half marathon in Woodside…

Favorite race and distance: I have two – Western States 100 and Quad Dipsea.

Racing/volunteering bucket list: It was Western States – so the racing part has been crossed off the list but I still love to volunteer there. I also accomplished my goal of running up Tam and then over to the east bay to summit Diablo last year!

Why do you run: For mental and physical health – and the community!

Fun fact: I did a No Pants streak for 14+ months and am currently in my third year of a push-up streak.

Antonio Pelayo

First trail race: 2023 Headlands 50k
Favorite race and distance: So far, the Big Alta 28k, the first race I could keep my tempo up and not have to worry about conserving energy.
Racing/volunteering bucket list: I think I’m setting my eyes on a triathlon, I spearfish and bike frequently so might as well put everything together!
Favorite Marin trail: Down Deer Park from Warm Springs FR, a cruise-y windy descent you can barrel down after challenging yourself up the wall of Sky Ranch Trail.

Dez Taylor-Douglas

First trail race: My first trail race was the 50 mile North Face Endurance Challenge- Washington, DC
Favorite race and distance: My favorite race is Broken Arrow Sky Race and my favorite distance is 50km
Racing/volunteering bucket list: I would love to run the Speed Project from LA to Las Vegas, or get out to UTMB!
Fun fact: I absolutely love coffee! I have 4 different types of beans at any given time, and 5 different brewing methods depending on my mood

Amy waldron

First trail race: Woodside Ramble Half Marathon, 2018
Favorite race and distance: Rio del Lago since I had such amazing support from my community. Distance: 50 miles.
Racing/volunteering bucket list: I’d love to volunteer at Western States, if running isn’t in the cards.
Why do you run?: I love being in nature, and running helps bring me back to center after I’m immersed in my work as a psychotherapist all week. I spent the first 10 years of my career as a trauma therapist for teens, which gave me a lot to shake out!
Fun fact: I met the founders of Trail Sisters Marin on an SFRC Saturday run back in 2021. and they convinced me to join them. It’s grown to be such an incredible community.

Elite Running Team