MICHAEL BASEN, BOARD MEMBER OF CENTRAL PARK TRACK CLUB
Describe yourself in one sentence
A maven who sees the world as one interconnected place, where there is an opportunity to partner for mutually beneficial purposes.
Name 3 things you are passionate about.
The well-being of my friends, family, and especially my wife and three daughters
Running
Partnerships and getting great deals and then sharing them with friends/acquaintances.
Where are you from and how has that influenced who you are today?
I grew up in Maryland just outside of Washington, D.C., and spent most of my high school years down in D.C. at the first fully integrated school in the Washington D.C. area. My high school, Georgetown Day School, taught us to celebrate everyone, no matter your background, preferences, or beliefs. This foundation helped shape me into being a well-rounded and inclusive person, which I believe I express today both professionally as a manager, and as a Central Park Track Club – Tracksmith board member and team leader.
Why do you run?
From the time I was little, I always loved running. When I was younger, I used to go on runs with my Dad. He likes to joke that I didn’t stop talking the entire run, which is not dissimilar to my easy miles today. In high school, I opted for baseball but came back to running in my young 20’s in NYC. Running takes me away from the chaos of daily life, and allows me to completely unplug. I don’t bring a phone with me, and it is the one time where my only focus is: LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT… I also run with an amazing group of people, the Central Park Track Club – Tracksmith Morning Crew (“MC”), who are amongst my closest friends. I guess you can say that at some point running also became my social life. It is something I look forward to 6 days per week and allows me to feel good about sleeping-in on day 7!
Speed work or hills?
Speed! I am like a metronome and enjoy getting into the zone. I am known for my race-day kick, which definitely comes from my leg turnover and finding that last gear. Many of my teammates will agree that the best place to be during a race is far enough in front that I cannot close the gap during the last 400 meters, but it doesn’t mean that I won’t try. I believe that if you don’t feel like you might vomit upon crossing the finish line, then you didn’t push it hard enough in the homestretch!