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Natalia Vélez-Guerrero
10 min/mile Pace Leader
(Editor Note: Natalia also serves on our Social Media Team)
How long have you been with the Pasadena Pacers? I’ve been with the Pacers for three and a half years. My first day was spent volunteering at the 20 Mile Cheer Station at the 2014 LA Marathon. My first run was actually two weeks after that. I felt overwhelmed, like not knowing what to do, where to go or who to run with…but that feeling went away the following week and I haven’t looked back. This is my community.
How many marathons have you run? Four! Only one LA Marathon.
Why do you run? I run because it makes me happy. It is easy and because I want to inspire people to do physical activities.
Favorite post-run snack/meal? A homemade shake with banana, peanut butter, oatmeal, chia seeds, honey, and unsweetened almond milk.
Running mantra: “Just because it burns, it doesn’t mean you are gonna die!” I’m working on getting this mantra to work for races longer than 10ks. 😆 It’s already really, really effective for 5ks, though!
Occupation: Psychologist!
Hometown: Originally from Colombia. 🇨🇴
What do you do for fun? Handstands! Well, besides all the running, biking, swimming, yoging (is that even a verb?), blogging, and Instagramming, I love reading, writing, and traveling.
Do you have a secret talent? Knitting and coloring!
Anything else you’d like your fellow Pacers to know? I don’t like avocado, coffee, nor dulce de leche (don’t tell that to any Colombian)! I have three cats and they love to be the stars of my yoga videos!
Jen Lee
10 min/mile Assistant Pace Leader
How long have you been with the Pasadena Pacers? I’ve been running with the Pacers since 2015; however, I’ve been a runner for 10+ years.
How many marathons have you run? Two (LA and NYC). I also ran the Big Sur 21-miler and the tough course sure felt like a marathon by the end!
Why do you run? I mostly run to stay in shape and relieve stress. The bonus part of running is making new friends.
Favorite post-run snack/meal? Depends on mileage. Less than 20 miles I crave orange juice and a bagel. 20+ miles means pizza.
Running mantra: I don’t have a specific mantra, but I use running as a meditation. I think about life or wherever else is going on.
Occupation: Genetics Counselor at Kaiser Permanente.
Hometown: San Francisco Bay area.
What do you do for fun? I enjoy hiking, yoga, and snowboarding.
Do you have a secret talent? I’m quite good at snowboarding.
Anything else you’d like your fellow Pacers to know? I’m always happy to meet new people and share running goals, tips, and random stories!