MEMBER: Lexi Ambrogi

Name: Lexi Ambrogi
Hometown: Randolph, NJ
High School: Randolph High School
College: University of Delaware
Occupation: Nonprofit communications

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

By: Lauren Kelly

Lexi, thanks for taking time to speak with us. Could you tell us a bit about yourself? How did you end up in the Philadelphia area and running with PRTC?
Hello! I moved to Philly this summer with my PRTC teammate/husband Tait. We had been living and running in Pittsburgh, and several of our teammates there encouraged us to connect with the club. They were so convincing that we showed up to a PRTC long run the morning after we moved here.

When did you first become a runner? Did a specific event compel you to take on the sport?
I started running rec track and cross country in second grade. My parents must have realized early on that I wasn't coordinated enough for ball sports--I did play hockey and softball for a while, but running is the only thing that really stuck.

Once you began running, how did your career develop? Take us through day one to today.
I was definitely a below average runner in high school and for most of my college career at the University of Delaware. It wasn't until I spent the summer before my senior year in Boulder training with my college teammates that I started to figure out how to get better at running (in my case, the secret is that I had to run more). I improved a lot my senior and fifth years in school and then didn't really race seriously again until moving to Pittsburgh and joining a club there three years ago. Running with people who are still excited and hungry to race years after college is really motivating to me, and I can be talked into pretty much any race if there's a good crew involved.

What is a favorite running accomplishment or moment?
I raced at USATF XC Club Nationals two years ago, and I surprised myself with a new 6k PR. Running a personal best at a collegiate distance at age 30 was not something on my radar until that day, and being able to do it alongside teammates made the experience so memorable. All of my favorite running moments involve the people I've met through the sport.

How about a not-so-great moment?
How much time do you have? My actual bottom-tier running moments are all injury-related, but one that's less of a bummer to hear about was from a high school cross country meet. It was on our home course, the boys' team had lined the finishing chute to cheer us on, and as I crossed the finish line I... very cartoonishly puked all over the place. It was a mess. This is how I ended up with an unfortunate high school nickname ("The Fountain").

Regarding your running future, what are your near and long-term goals?
Currently, I'm all fired up about the Kara Goucher-ing I'm trying to do in 2020 (this is when you run faster after you have a kid; based on how running pregnant feels, I can't imagine ever feeling good on a run again, but tune into my Strava to see how this all shakes out). I'm really looking forward to being able to 1. run more than 3 miles at a time and 2. do so with other people.

If you had to be locked in a room with a grizzly bear and one member of PRTC, who would it be and why?
Do you remember the presidential fitness test we did in elementary school? It involved skills like the shuttle run, v-sit reach (?), pull-ups... I have always been extremely bad at things that measure overall fitness, and so I consider myself highly killable by a bear. Fortunately, young Ivan Ruchkin participated in the Russian version of the presidential fitness test (translates to "Ready for Labour and Defence"), and I'm hoping that he retained some defensive moves that could be used on a bear.

Do you have any favorite quotes or words you live by?
I have a cross-stitch of the iconic Kanye quote "Ain't no tuition for havin' no ambition / and ain't no loans for sittin' your ass at home" next to my bed for when I need some extra motivation.

Can you share with us what you're currently up to professionally?
I've been in the nonprofit sector throughout my career and am currently doing communications and marketing for an organization called Children's Scholarship Fund Philadelphia.

Any non-running related hobbies, hidden skills or talents we may enjoy hearing about?
Every year I try to get a little better at gardening and cooking. Much like with running, in the grand scheme of things I am average at both.