Highlights

I grew up and went to high school in the Boston area and have lived and worked in New York City for over 20 years now. Growing up in a city and living in a city with nice spring and summers but harsh winters and a population where people grind it out every day no matter what (no offense intended to other cities, but these are not resort beach communities year-round) instilled in me something that became part of my drive and ambition in everything I do.

How has Custom helped you? Custom has been amazing - I came to Custom a few years ago after I broke my foot, wanting to prevent any further injuries when training, and Cat has been my savior. She has shown me the value of foam rolling & stretching (though we both wish I actually did them more) and over quarantine, has not only been my PT but at times took the role of a part-time therapist.

Anisa Arsenault is a health editor and distance runner for Central Park Track Club living in Harlem.

How did you start running? I started as a sprinter (100m, 200m) in high school track and started running distance (small distances like 3 miles!) when living in the city. Kept challenging myself with the distances and only wanted to run one NYC marathon. Whoops!

How did you start running? I started running nearly a decade ago, using a Couch to 5K app, after watching the Marine Corp. Marathon in D.C. and realizing anyone can be a runner. After that, I signed up for a series of 5Ks in Crystal City Virginia.

I learned that I'm much stronger than I previously thought! 2020 brought so many challenges, both physical and emotional. The quarantine forced me to reevaluate my goals and priorities while also motivating me to take my running to the next level.

I am one who loves to plan trips (even if it's small ones to Boston or Washington DC) and love to plan get-togethers as well. That all went down the drain during this time. It was hard but found it was ok to feel down and powerless. We don't always have to be on the go and doing something, that does not define us.

Going into the pandemic I was coming off of major abdominal surgery, hoping to run my first full marathon in the fall, yet unsure of what my running prospects would look like for the next 12 months...and then the pandemic hit.