Gabrielle – President
Gabrielle started running races at 14 in New Jersey after being introduced to the sport by her marathon running parents. She joined GGRC in April 2021 after 5 years of running solo in San Francisco, and it completely changed her life. She has since discovered how great it is to run with friends and the joy of trail running. Her favorite race so far with GGRC was the Mt. Tam Trail Run 10k in November 2021 where she couldn’t stop exclaiming that everything was “so beautiful!” While she’s not running, Gabrielle can be found hanging out with her cat, working on her new roller skating hobby, and talking about books.
As the 2022 President, she’s most looking forward to welcoming new members to GGRC, seeing returning members take on new challenges, and finally doing a destination race with the club!
Ari – Treasurer
Ari is a computer scientist, but he sneaks off between meetings to go run way too many miles through the streets of San Francisco. You can also catch him walking his adorable dog Curie (or rather her walking him, good girl!). Say hello, challenge to a run up Twin Peaks, or join for a drink in the park!
Jakob – Race Coordinator
Originally from Portland, OR, Jakob has been a member of GGRC since the summer of 2018 shortly after moving to SF. Since this time, he has further developed his running abilities both in time and distance through club training events. His favorite event participated in as a GGRC member was the Napa Ragnar, in which 12 teammates ran a 200-mile relay from SF to Napa. As the Race Coordinator Jakob hopes to plan similar events that are both running focused and provide memorable social and bonding events for club members. Jakob’s most aspirational running goal is to complete a 100-mile race on his own before his body decides otherwise.
When he is not running, Jakob enjoys other activities ranging from backpacking, brewing beer and kombucha, cooking, cycling, skiing, and fishing. Last year he even caught a world-record challenging sardine, measuring in at 15 inches! One of his personal goals is to visit all the National Parks in the United States and has over 20 under his belt so far. To fund all his hobbies, Jakob works as a tunnel engineer and is your go-to guy for exploring claustrophobic spaces underground.
Takashi – Coach
Takashi found running tolerable at the after-school program in elementary school. Back then, he ran sometimes, but not methodically. Fast forward many years: when he got a new job and sat next to a coworker-becoming-best-friend who co-founded one of the NY-based eminent running groups, he joined the group and started to run races. Since then, he has finished more than a dozen marathons, including SF, NYC, Boston, and Tokyo. Most recently, he discovered trail running very soothing.
Yi – Social Chair
Hi my name is Yi! I am the 2022 GGRC social chair. I joined GGRC this May 2021. I moved to the Bay Area from Chicago last year and work as a software developer. What I love about GGRC is the camaraderie and events! Whether you are a serious runner or just someone doing couch-to-5k, we have it all. Come join the family!
Taylor – Merchandise
Taylor is one of those rare Bay Area natives who has lived in the area his entire life (besides college). He became interested in running through his love for the outdoors and sports/athletics. With a year of Social Chair under his belt, Taylor is excited to be the King of Merch for 2022. When he’s not at Track, Sunday Run, or a GGRC Happy Hour… or working, Taylor is likely at the beach, hiking trails, or cooking.
Here’s a photo of Taylor at GGRC’s annual banquet. Taylor will bring stylish and fun merch to the club. Come say hi! 🙂
Jeff – Assistant Coach
Jeff is a San Francisco native who joined GGRC in 2021 and can’t wait to be Assistant Coach this year. He hated running as a kid, but fell in love with Half Marathons when in college in San Diego, and now he can’t wait to lace up his running shoes and hit the road. He works in construction, but when he’s not rocking a hard hat, he can be found baking brownies, doing a jigsaw puzzle, or trying to get rush tickets at the theatre.
As #AssCoach this year, he can’t wait to get everyone excited at the track and looks forward to the runs we will tackle this year!
Chamila – Communications
Originally from the Midwest, Chamila moved to San Francisco in 2017. Despite not having much running experience, she signed up for the San Francisco half marathon. Throughout the training and the race, she fell in love with running, especially in the Bay Area, with its beautiful views and perfect running weather!
Running was a mostly solitary sport for Chamila until she joined GGRC in 2021. It was game changing to find a supportive running community to run and hang out with! Outside of running, Chamila enjoys other activities including hiking, rock climbing, and cooking.
As the Comms Chair, Chamila is your hype person for club runs, social events, and races, and hopes to introduce new folks to the GGRC community. Hit her up on GGRC’s social media if you have any questions about the club!