Rose City Runners Club

 

Jennifer Sabattis (Summit)

Jen has been running consistently for the last 3 years. She’s competed in 5 half marathons, 2 full marathons, and 1 10k (including the Goofy Challenge in January 2023). For some runs, Jen loves taking her 2-year-old white German Shepherd mix, Coconut. When she’s not running, Jen loves to bake, write, and craft. She especially loves making her homemade sourdough bread. In addition to Coconut, Jen has 3 cats and 1 husband. Her husband, unfortunately mostly loves treadmill running. 

 

Francine Leff (Chatham)  

Fran has lived in Chatham for 20 years.  She has a 27-year old son (DC fireman) and a 19-year old daughter, a Villanova freshman. Fran works full time as a client exec for a Global IT Solutions Integrator and travel often to see family in NC. She’s also an avid Carolyn Girvan follower for strength training. 

 

She’s been running since 2005 as exercise for her dog JJ who was 1 at the time.  Then she got hooked on racing starting with JJ at the Hounds and Harriers Run.  She started doing other races and using JJ as a training partner.    Fran has completed over 75 races, many 5& 10k’s and ½ marathons. She completed NJ, Phili, NYC (twice) and Chicago marathons and will be racing in Berlin this coming September. 
 

She misses her JJ beyond words- 3 years since he crossed the rainbow bridge.  
Now she runs every run for him!

 

Valentina Vedeshenkova (Basking Ridge)

Valentina came from Russia over 20 years ago.  She had a family membership a few years ago but more for her high school daughter Natassja who is a runner.  Her daughter Natassja is now a senior at UPenn.  Valentina is IT professional who wants to start running again and to lose some newly acquired extra pounds.

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Charlie Lehman (Madison)

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Hilary Claggett and Bob Little (Chester)

Hilary and Bob have been running more or less together since 2007. Bob's first marathon was the Twin Cities in 2008; Hilary thought he was nuts. But in 2009, when he had signed up for Chicago along with a co-worker and friend of Hilary's (coincidentally), she felt she could no longer be a spectator, and signed up as well. Her first experience was miserable--compartment syndrome--but she registered for the Flying Pig in Cincinnati the following spring, because she saw that other folks were having an amazing time and she wanted to have a good experience. Unfortunately, that race, too, was a bit of a bust due to pouring rain, but in the end, the endorphins kicked in, and a hobby was born. Hilary has now completed 15 marathons, including another Chicago in which she BQ'd, Boston, and New York City.

 

Since 2017 her pace has slowed tremendously as she encountered recurring shin splints every spring, but she is still on a quest to complete a half marathon in all 50 states--only 20 states left--if only at her current run-walk pace of 12:00. She now prioritizes health and being injury free over speed. Her biggest challenge is base building over the winter. In all, she's run over 200 races from 5K to 50K and is an RRCA-certified running coach. After six marathons, Bob got the triathlon bug, and completed a number of sprints and Olympic tris. We also enjoy hiking and biking but have not found the time to integrate these activities on a regular basis. Hilary would like to learn bridge this year, and perhaps finally finish a knitting project. Bob is an avid golfer who is looking forward to playing St. Andrews someday. They live with their two Pembroke Welsh corgis and a cat who is part Maine coon.