Member Spotlight: Nina Choi
Nina Choi joined Trail Roots in 2019 in search of meeting more crazy people who enjoy waking up at 4am to start running at 5:30am. She took a small break to explore other activities, but then rejoined us after the pandemic to lose some of that delightful pandemic weight. She joined our Discovery class to ease back into training and immediately fell in love with the trails again. Since then, she’s hit the ground running and has some big goals ahead of her. She recently ran her first trail marathon at the Texas Switchback and has her heart set on a 50K next. Her persistence, dedication, and warm, friendly smile make her a joy to be around, on and off the trail. We love watching her push herself, cheering her on along the way. We wanted to ask her about her journey with running and Trail Roots.
What inspired you to start running?
The inspiration really came when I was living in New York walking Central Park every day. I had just moved to Hells Kitchen so it was super close by. It slowly evolved from a walk to a slow jog to a run. It wasn’t until a girlfriend suggested that I try running the Turkey Trot which felt very non-threatening as a competitive sport — and I was right. People dressed up as turkeys ran faster than I did and it made me feel very happy inside. I’ve continued to run the Turkey Trot almost every year.
Why did you join Trail Roots?
I LOVE being in the woods. I love nature and I loved the idea of running in the woods with strangers. I felt like these could be my people.
How has training with a group helped you? How did your running change after beginning to train with Trail Roots?
Training with other people has been a godsend. I mean, the truth is, it doesn’t feel like training when you’re running with friends. It’s more like hanging out with friends and you just happen to be running.
My running weirdly changed in the sense that I started to want to run farther. I hadn’t ever run more than a half marathon since I started running back in 2010 and now I have this long-term goal of hitting 100 miles. Although, I imagine a 100k would be just as great. I just really like round numbers.
What do you love about trail running?
I love the people I’ve met - I feel so grateful for them - like we have THE BEST OF TIMES. I love the scenery. I love running in the dark and chasing Amy when she’s putting trail markers out for Discovery on Wednesdays. I love that it gets me out of bed and challenges me to cross cold ass water. I love that I’ve seen things I’ve never seen before. Basically, all the things.
What’s your favorite training workout or trail with Trail Roots?
My favorite runs are probably either Discovery on Wednesdays or Saturday trails. Anytime I get to be in the woods — ideally with my headlamp on — I’m in!
Since you’ve rejoined, you have been consistent and determined, what is motivating you?
The people that I’ve met have become some of my closest friends. They are the people that I look forward to seeing every time I put my sneakers on. I love that I’m with a bunch of like-minded folks who aren’t afraid to get dirty or wet and get after it every day. Everyone here is inspiring to me and I feel lucky to have found my tribe.
You just did your first trail marathon, what was that experience like?
It was one of the hardest runs I’ve done thus far. It challenged me in a way that I finally understood how running can be a mental game. How it can break your body down where suddenly eating became difficult, especially because I took such pride in my iron stomach.
During the first loop, the weather was great — but I knew that the heat was going to creep up on me and boy did it. I finished the first loop in 3 hours. I texted my boyfriend that I was making great time and that I should be able to be at the finish line in just a few more hours.. and then the heat started kicking in. I started walking more and I learned:
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That you can put ice in your hat but it will make your shorts stick to your legs (if they’re too long) in a weird way.
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That salt caps are easier to manage than salt tabs (chewing just felt like another hard thing as I tried to slog it through the heat).
When I hit the last two miles, I had a hard talk with myself and said — just get it done and my mantra became:
I just have to finish and I can go home.
I just have to finish and I can go home.
I just have to finish and I can go home.
The best part was at the end and seeing my trail wife at the top of this silly hill that was towards the finish line. I heard her yelling my name as I tried to trudge up this god damn hill. She was telling me that I could do it and when I made it to the top, she was like — let’s run together! That’s when she started screaming — GO NINA GO! while she chased me in her Birkenstocks. Other people heard her at the finish line and started yelling my name with her and I got to see all my favorite people cheering for me to finish in slow motion. It was like one of those movies where I got to be the underdog that no one saw coming and you just want them to win (note: there’s no winning for a 7 hour marathon finish time, but who’s counting?). When I heard all the people cheering me on — I gunned whatever I had left in me to cross that line. Thank goodness someone was there to let me pummel hug them once I did. It was 95 degrees by the time I crossed that finish line and it was THE BEST OF TIMES. Thank you trail wife for making this run a great one!
“When you’re on a trail with someone for 6 hours, you really get to know each other. You’ve essentially agreed to open up your world with another human and the world opens up with you — like to see a rattlesnake or a bighorn sheep or bears. Best of all, I became one of those impressive people that did that sort of thing.”
You have been on the Big Bend Runcation twice with us. What do you like about the trip and why do you keep going?
Camping is super fun and Big Bend is gorgeous. The desert is beautiful and dangerous and there’s something really wonderful to me about that.
The first time was really great. I came with my boyfriend and he’s not really a runner, but he’s faster than me and came from a family of runners. We really had a grand old time doing the Window Trail and going to the Mines on the following day. It’s when I first learned about salt tabs and to always pack for serious changes in weather. I remember seeing all these much faster runners that did these crazy distances in the heat and feeling very impressed that people did that sort of thing.
The second time was more of a girl's trip. I got to bond with some very fabulous ladies that I absolutely adore. When I say fabulous, I mean these women are beasts. Absolutely fearless.
But for me, it was the Saturday run that I did with my now trail husband who at the time, I didn’t know very well. He was kind enough to volunteer to run 20 miles with me in the desert. Mind you, he’s a much faster runner than I am and it was kind of him to volunteer because the truth was — no one else was training for a trail marathon and I wouldn’t have done this run alone. The run was absolutely majestic. All you could hear was the sound of footsteps as we ran through sandy terrain and wind if there happen to be trees in the vicinity and there aren’t that many in the desert. When you’re on a trail with someone for 6 hours, you really get to know each other. You’ve essentially agreed to open up your world with another human and the world opens up with you — like to see a rattlesnake or a bighorn sheep thing or bears (not scary at all). Best of all, I became one of those impressive people that did that sort of thing. Thank you trail husband!
What’s the next race on the calendar for you?
My next race is a Capt'n Karl's Pedernales Falls 30k on June 25. I’ve unsuccessfully attempted to corral people into doing this run with me. I guess running in the middle of the night in the heat doesn’t sound so great to everyone, but for me, I figure it’s a way to challenge myself with being tired and running in the dark. It’s the long game of getting to that 100 miler.
You’ve mentioned wanting to go for the 100 miler one day, what is inspiring this goal?
I want to see what my body is capable of. I want to see more things that I’ve never seen before and to be honest, why the f not? Plus, I like the idea of making the people I love the most pace me while I complain about everything for hours.
What advice would you give people who are new to trail running and want to join a group?
Join because you want to meet more people who are crazy like you. People who want to challenge themselves AND you — to be stronger and better than you were yesterday. Plus nature generally smells really nice. I like that.
***Special thanks to Ashlee for being one of the most welcoming and thoughtful folks as well as a fantastic organizer of peoples! Heather for being an inspiring adventuring spirit and Erin for being her damn funny self.