21st, 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon; 1st, 2023 and 2022 BMW Dallas Half Marathon; 1st, 2021 Novant Health Charlotte Marathon; 37th, 2023 Boston Marathon

My parents are Charles and Clare Smith. My sister is Devin Smith (28). I am granddaughter to Betty Smith and the late Ronald Smith, and Gregory and Elizabeth Foster. I have had extremely supportive relatives throughout my entire running career, from junior high school to post-collegiate.

Graduating from Duke's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and graduating from the University of Texas Southwestern Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy Residency Program.

From graduating undergrad at Wake Forest University in 2019 to moving to Dallas in 2022, I moved a total of eight times because of school/clinical rotations. It's lonely, constantly uprooting, and this was also the case moving to Dallas as I didn't know a soul in the city. I went to a local running store and asked about local running teams, desperate to meet people right away. I found a group of runners who adopted me immediately, even convincing me to sign up for Boston 2023 the first week I started running with them. What I like about this group is we are all very passionate about running, but we are also all very passionate about our professional careers. It was the perfect mix for me as I was completing a physical therapy residency. If it wasn't for having a network of runners who taught me the importance of consistency, teamwork and community, I would not even imagine running in the 2024 Trials. Thank you @Trainpegasus and @completelyslothed. Funny running related story: at NCAA East Track Regionals 2018, a couple of my teammates and I went back to the track after the meet was over to find any NCAA signs "laying around." While clearly snooping around, some gentleman approached us asking if we needed something, so I indulged and asked if we could take some of the signs. He didn't work for the NCAA (he worked for the hosting university), and figured why not. He even gave use his scissors to cut down the signs on the fences - how sweet of him! While we were removing a huge banner from one of the 13 ft. fences, we heard someone yell "STOP" on the opposite side of the track and the roar of the gator cart coming towards us (definitely someone who actually worked for the NCAA). I learned that night in the "fight or flight situation," I am for sure "flight" because I leaped over that fence and was on the other side before I even realized it. Unfortunately, my teammate with me was neither a fighter or "flighter" and instead froze. After much yelling at her, we managed to somehow escape the track compound before they caught us. But the men on the gator decided to mess with us more, chasing us throughout the campus after switching their gator lights off, so we only could hear the engine chasing us. I'll never forget sprinting faster than I ever had in my life, hiding under a ramp at 12:00 a.m. (past curfew), holding my breath hearing the sound of the gator go back and forth. Our one teammate who had a car was able to locate us, and zoom us off campus without anyone being caught or our school being exposed.

"Trample the weak and hurdle the dead."

At the 2023 Boston Marathon, I was told there are four hills between miles 18-21. As I was going over the hills, I apparently miscounted (either due to counting two separate hills as one long hill, or just having a lack of oxygen in my brain). I thought Heartbreak Hill was the second out of four. Yet, as I got to the top and I saw the arch stating "Congratulations, you've completed Heartbreak Hill!" I turned to a fan on the sideline and asked, "Is this really Heartbreak Hill?" He replied, "Huhhh?" I yelled "IS THIS HEARTBREAK HILL??" He goes, "Yes?!?!?" I yell, "RIGHT ON!" It is one of my favorites because (a) I hope I gave that spectator a good laugh and (b) I've never been so relieved in my life to not have any more hills.