FOREVER 21 ... That's how old I would like to stay. However we must embrace aging, so we can be as FIT as our #WCW for today. #forever21


Q. Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do for a living?
I live in Brooklyn, NY. I work in Social Marketing for Marriott International. I moved to New York 10 years ago for school (I graduated from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study), where I studied Photography and Media Studies. Outside of work and running, I love cooking and for the past few years been learning more about nutrition. I also have a strong passion for visual arts and music.

Q. How do you balance your exercise regime and your professional life?
It’s all about creating a schedule, building habits and sticking to them. I generally run or cross train in the evening after work, and a few days a week I will wake up early and get in a few extra miles or some core work before going to the office. I’m a strong believer in balancing my career and my personal/athletic life.


Q. When and why did you start running?
I started running in high school with track and cross country, but didn’t get serious about running until the summer of 2013, when Nike invited me to take part in Montauk Project, an immersive weekend of running in Montauk in the Hamptons. Every run I did that weekend challenged my limits in every way. Even though I was “fit” and doing a lot of strength training, I had never taken my running to that level, from trail runs to sand dune fartleks to the final run of the weekend, 14 miles to tip of long island, which at the time was by far the longest I’d ever run.

Q. What motivates you to go out there, when you do not feel like it?
I really like the saying “Remember why you started”. I have days that all I want to do is sleep in and have a leisurely brunch instead of waking up at 6am and doing a long run, but whenever I feel like that I think about what running has given me and I think of those times as my opportunity to sacrifice my sleep and give back to running.

Q. What is the longest distance you have ran?
26.2 miles.

Q. What gives you the confidence to run in the streets?
Running in the streets is my favorite! There is no better high, natural or otherwise, than running through the streets of New York City blasting music on a portable speaker at night with a mob of runners 100 deep. It makes you feel like you own the city.


Q. What do you think about the lack of exercise among the youth?
The human body is meant to move. I grew up running barefoot in the grass and riding my bike around the neighborhood. I cannot image a childhood without that, but its something I see every day, particularly in NYC. With health and medical research being where it is in this day and age, it is a travesty that childhood obesity has become the issue that it has. It’s a complicated issue that involves diet and lifestyle along with exercise and education and it should be made a higher priority, particularly in the US.


Q. What was your best running experience?
Running the New York City Marathon in November of last year. It was my first marathon, I had missed 3-4 weeks of training due to shin splints and it was freezing that day with 40mph winds. But the spectators in New York City cannot be beat. You can feel the vibe of every neighborhood as you pass through Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Manhattan - it is basically 26.2 miles of NYC’s biggest party. It was absolutely by far the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life but also the most rewarding. Plus I crossed the finish line at exactly my goal time which made the experience even sweeter.

Q. What was your worst running experience?
My last 22 mile training run for the New York City marathon. It was one of those runs where you start out feeling great, then reach a point where you seriously consider calling an Uber. The previous weekend I had done 20 miles at my goal marathon pace in perfect running weather and felt amazing and confident. Then around mile 10 of my 22 miler I hit a wall. The temperature had dropped to freezing, it was raining, and my calves started to cramp up, which in turn made my quads, IT band and hips tighten up. This is the time when training partners are so crucial for moral support, because we’ve all been there. They got me through the last miles.

Q. How do you push through the pain?
Usually the point when I hit the most amount of pain is the same point that my mind rises above my body and I just make the decision not to quit. You can’t think about the pain, even if you can’t avoid feeling it. You just think about finishing, no matter what.


Q. What advice can you give somebody who wants to start running?
Running in many ways is the most accessible way to get fit and stay healthy. All you need is a pair running shoes. Start slow. Go at a pace that you feel comfortable at and where you can still carry a conversation. Don’t build your mileage too quickly. Cross train and stretch. Sign up for a 5k, find a training program and stick to it. Join a crew or a run club - running with other people changed my experience of running. And know that it will get easier.


Q. Which Social media sites are you on and how can one follow you?
Instagram: @chelseabeasley
Tumblr: chelsea.beasley.tumblr.com
Twitter: @chelseabeasley
Snapchat: @chelseabeasley




My best running shoes is …
Nike Flyknit Lunar 3

I love running because …
It makes more capable of dealing with the challenges of life.

Injury is …
the worst! But just another challenge to overcome.

My body is …
capable of anything.

My running playlist has …
Salt-N-Pepa!

I hate running when …
It’s on a treadmill.

Pain is …
temporary.

The road …
is never flat the whole way.

Sweat is …
transformative.

In future, I would like to run …
the Paris marathon.

Indie means …
being who you really are.

I do not like runners who …
bitch about how much they hate running.


#RunRevolution