Introduction by Donner Party Board Member, Marta Darby
A few things were clear when I first met Anna at our 2025 Pub Run: she’s full of stoke and a friendly, humble badass. So when Anna mentioned that she was looking for pacers for the Rio Del Lago 100 miler the following weekend, I didn’t hesitate to volunteer. What I thought would be some relatively chill miles with a new friend turned into Anna dropping me about 10 miles in (at my urging) while she strode effortlessly up the hills around mile 55, happily bopping along to T Swift. During those miles, I had a blast. It was abundantly clear that my initial impression of Anna was spot on and that Anna is an incredibly thoughtful person who exudes an infectious joy, even when she claims to be in the pain cave. I am so excited that Anna is part of our DPMR community and for some epic adventures ahead.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I grew up in Napa and most recently lived in Santa Rosa. My partner and I just moved to Truckee in September and we’re settling in to our new place on the west side of Donner Lake!
When did you begin running and/or long-distance running, if that applies? Why?
I got into running my senior year of high school, when I decided to run my first ever marathon (Oakland Marathon). I kept to road running for a few years until I accidentally signed up for a trail marathon. Though unintentional, I fell in love with the trails quickly. During COVID, I banded together with a couple of my best friends and we decided to run our first ever self-sanctioned 50 miler in the Berkeley/Oakland hills. Long distance trail running has slowly taken over my life ever since.
Do you race? Does racing motivate you? If not racing, what motivates you?
I had been casually signing up for about one race a year since 2013, mainly just aiming to cross the finish lines. In the last ~3 years, tho, i have started to lean into racing a bit more seriously. I’ve upped my distances, started to do a handful per year, and been pushing myself to chase faster times. Having friends/family at the races and watching my tracker is always the best motivator, and I’m always challenging myself to see how deep I can dig.
What was the best running advice you’ve received?
Don’t worry about pace – worry about effort.
Do you have a favorite on-trail food or nutrition strategy and favorite post-run meal or beverage?
I’ve been really hooked on the liquid-y gels (GU liquid energy and NeverSecond) for on-trail nutrition. Pre- or post run – I love me an eggy bagel. Dave’s killer bread cinnamon raisin bagel toasted with a couple of over medium eggs – yum. Savory and sweet! Try it, trust me, thank me later.
Do you have a favorite recipe to share?
Blend together: cooked white rice, frozen fruit of your choice, maple syrup, lemon juice, and a dash of coconut oil. Put into a popsicle sleeve and freeze. Boom, homemade energy gels for your long runs!
What was your most challenging/ character-building running experience?
The self-sanctioned 50 miler I did was SO HARD. It was the first hot hot day of the year, and that was brutal. I was still refusing to eat any gels/gus (and hadn’t heard of carb drinks, IDK if they existed yet?!?) and only relied on real food for the whole day. My friends and I also took WAY too long at our “aid stations” – we would sit for upwards of an HOUR munching on burritos, lamenting on how far we still had to go… What we thought was going to take no more than 10 hours (HA) pushed way past that. My other two friends called it quits with just ~10 miles left, leaving me to do the last stretch alone and in the dark. That was my first time ever running with a headlamp, and I’ll never forget the eyes reflecting back at me running through Tilden Park. It’s pretty comical thinking back to how we approached that day!
What are your upcoming racing/adventure plans?
So far for 2026, I’m signed up for the Miwok 100K and the Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Run 100M! I have a close friend running WSER, so I might pace her there, and I’m debating signing up for Javalina Jundred…
What do you do for a living? Is it hard to fit in time for training?
I do climate action and adaptation planning for cities, counties, and local agencies. My job is pretty demanding and it can be really hard to squeeze in all the miles on top of a busy work week. But, luckily, it does offer me some flexibility! Sometimes I can move my work hours around to squeeze in a run when the sun is still up, which is especially nice during the winter.
What led you to join DPMR?
Community, for sure! I’m still so new to the area, and have really appreciated how DPMR has been such a helpful way to build community.
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