What has the SRC Brooks Team been up to so far in 2025? Read on to find out!
Kristi Williams
Training in the late winter and spring went surprisingly well after my plethora of sicknesses that plagued my body during the winter time. I had my sights set on the Vashon 50k that occurred during the first weekend in June. Along the way I entered a variety of races including one of my favorites, the Bridle Trails Relay, 5 miler, 10 miler, 15 miler, and 50k. I chose my favorite distance, the 10 miler and managed to secure a win for the women! Afterwards, in the fading twilight, I spend several hours preparing ramen, bone broth, and peanut butter and nutella wraps for those continuing on their night time race escapades. In February, I completed the Alexander’s Hope 5k. With a frosty and snowy start and on a much hillier course than years prior, I managed to secure a third place finish. In a very stacked race, I felt good about this performance considering trails have been my priority. In March, I ran the Seattle St. Patrick’s Day Dash 5k and had a tough race (was battling another bout of sickness), but managed third place finish for masters women. A few short days later, I ran the Honeywagon Half Marathon as a long tempo run to support my 50k training. Wind, cold, and nagging soreness made this race hard, but still managed to secure another victory. In May, I ran the Cougar Mountain Trail Series 5 miler and had a solid race with a second place finish for the women. I loved spending time in the food tent after the race continuing my tradition of making yummy treats and serving beer to other runners who finished. The following week, I took on the challenging West Seattle 5k and got destroyed by a gaggle of young preteen girls who left me in the dust while I struggled to maintain a consistent clip due to my overzealous attempt at pickleball the day prior. This race was a good reminder to take it easy the day before racing and not attempt the three hours of pickleball that was deemed as an acceptable rest day activity (not anymore).
All this work and racing up to June was unfortunately put on hold due to an accident I had in my vehicle in late May. While waiting for an offloading school bus, I got rear ended by a yahoo going way too fast. After smacking the front of my head on the driving wheel and back of my head on the head rest, panic set in as reminders of my big accident of getting hit by a car as a pedestrian came into my consciousness again. What made matters worse was that the driver sped away and left me crying, stunned, and upset. An angry neck and back with concussion later, I had to make the decision whether I would be running the Vashon 50k in my current state. The race would be exactly 7 days after my accident, but I was far from recovered. After I was given the green light by a doctor to run (despite my more reasonable friends and family telling me I was nuts), I decided to run, not race the Vashon 50k. The 50k was far from ideal with a super tight body and raging headache. Not to mention unseasonably high temperatures, the run, though beautiful, became a sweaty chafe fest. Though grit and determination set me on the course of completion and a second place finish. I don’t think I’ve ever been more disappointed in a race, but never more proud of myself for seeing it through.
A short week later, I took on the Cougar Mountain Trail Series 8ish miler and despite the lingering concussion and 50k weary body, got a solid third place finish. Alas, it was too good to be true because during my cool down I managed to fall down so slow and so hard that most areas of my body were bleeding or bruised. Let’s just say the shower afterward may have felt worse than the fall itself. I spent the afternoon tending to the beer and food needs of other racers and kept my bloody hands gloved and covered.
My plans for the remainder of the year include completing the short Cougar Mountain Trail Series with an upcoming 10ish miler, 14.5 miler, and my favorite “cross country” 7.6 miler. In addition, some fun 5ks are on the agenda including the Bill Burby 5k and Torchlight 5k. I have Hood to Coast in August with another year with Team Joha and preparations for cross country in the fall. Racing has been challenging, but training remains pretty solid. I enjoy seeing what I can put my Masters body through and I can attest, it has miraculously done well all things considered. Thank you to Brooks for equipping me with some stellar shoes to keep me injury free including the Brooks Glycerin, Brooks Hyperion Max, and the Brooks Catamounts and Calderas. I love sharing my love and knowledge of Brooks shoes to anyone who wants to listen! Thank you also to Seattle Running Club who continually has been my number one fan keeping me motivated, seen, and loved!

Dave Messenheimer
I have had a busy spring and summer, starting off with a win at the Little Backyard Adventure six-hour race in Tacoma in March. Running through a number of downpours, I ran 40 miles in the six hours and finished much stronger than when I did this race two years ago (and finished second). I was impressed by how well my Brooks Catamounts performed in the wet. Despite being billed as a lighter weight trail racer, they were excellent for the longer effort. In May I did my first longer road race in years, finishing third in the Kirkland half marathon, and then six days later I ran to another third place at the first Cougar Mountain 10 miler. From there I collected another third and a second at the next two Cougar races, which may have clinched the overall long race series. I recently finished 4th in the USATF masters regional trail championships. During trail work at Cougar, I sawed two substantial logs and trimmed countless thorns and brush and had a blast as a volunteer at the Brooks PR Invite, seeing some truly incredible
high school performances. It’s been a busy year personally, and it’s been so nice to have running and racing as an outlet with top notch support from Brooks and SRC.

Trisha Steidl
The first half of this year has been spent working to regain the fitness that I lost due to my long-term injury last year. It has been a true trial of patience and self-belief and has, at times, been mentally and emotionally exhausting.
I have learned that age does, in fact, have a significant -huge! – impact on regaining fitness and that I must really love this sport and have goals I still want to achieve because otherwise I don’t know why anyone would put themselves through what I have the past year (other sports and activities do exist).
Don’t get me wrong, I realize it’s “just running.” There are bigger things going on in the world. I have also realized that it’s not “just” running to me. It is my freedom to explore nature and the world, learn what I am mentally and physically truly capable of doing, opportunity to connect with and support friends and my community, and it holds long, sought after goals that matter to me.
I will continue to do everything I can to claw my way back to a place of good fitness and confidence in my body. Along the way, I aim to learn and share what I learn with others so that anyone else finding themselves in a similar situation might be more knowledge, better prepared, etc., for the journey ahead of them.
I did have a most fun opportunity to reconnect with some of my college rowing teammates as several of us came together to run a relay race in Seabrook. While my pace was nothing to get excited about, I felt very strong running my two relay legs, was able to get my competitive juices flowing for the first time in a long time, and did a great job with the recovery in between. On top of the experience being a blast, it was a little victory that I sorely needed.
I have spent many of my training hours enjoying wonderful camaraderie at SRC group runs – Wednesday Workouts, Thursday social runs, and Sunday trail runs. What a great community we have! I’ve also volunteered at all of the club’s races so far this year, plus continued work on growing the Youth Trail Project.
Here’s to building a strong foundation for the second half of the year and possibly checking the box of a lofty goal I have for myself!


Chris Chamberlin
My first-half of 2025 has had some uneven training, a bit of fun racing, and lots of good community around running. I’ve spent the spring managing a knee injury that tolerates some running but lets me know right away when I start to push too hard, so I’ve had to back from my plans for the long mountain races that I usually plan my running calendar around. Instead, I’ve been keeping it smaller and closer to home. I ran the Twilight 12 Hour in April, a fun community-centered overnight timed race, where most folks, myself included, don’t run all twelve hours; but it did make for my longest run so far this year. In May I ran the Cougar Mountain five mile race; it was a thrill to race, but the hard pace certainly didn’t help with injury recovery.
In place of extensive racing I’ve enjoyed being a part of the running community in other ways. I volunteered at Bridle Trails in January and at Cougar in June. Back in March I joined a bunch of team members to run the top-of-Cleator-Road aid station at Chuckanut 50k. The weather conditions were cold and wet and just miserable for the runners and volunteers but I love working at aid stations to help runners reach their goals.

Laura Mizumoto
I am one of the newest members to the SRC Brooks Team and have enjoyed all the volunteering and running opportunities of 2025 so far.
On the volunteer front, I have been an active and reliable presence across multiple events. I helped kick off the season by assisting with registration at the Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival, welcoming runners who were eager to hit the trails. I spent time volunteering as a parking attendant for both the May and June Cougar Mountain Trail Race Series, helping keep race day operations running smoothly. Beyond race day, I gave back to the trails themselves, participating in a Trail Work Party, clearing and maintaining trails to ensure they were safe and ready for race weekend. It has been very rewarding to find a running community where I feel like I belong again.
In terms of racing, I re-entered the world of trail running this year. In May, I tackled the Cougar Mountain 5.1-mile race, where despite tripping and falling three times and finishing with banged up hands and knees, I powered through to take 1st female overall. In June, I returned to Cougar to run the 8-mile distance, where I finished 2nd female overall. Next up, I will be running the 14-mile trail race at Cougar Mountain in August. When it comes to gear, I have found a perfect balance between road and trail favorites. My go-to for workouts and tempo runs has been the Hyperion Max 2, while I rely on the Catamount 4 for trail running and racing—a trusted companion for every climb, descent, and hard-earned finish.
I am so grateful to be a part of the SRC community and to Brooks for their support as I figure out the best balance of being a mom of two amazing girls and pursuing my running goals.


Erik Barkhaus
It’s mid year and strange enough my biggest running related win was taking a big plunge and finally getting a septoplasty and turbinate reduction. Note to the reader that a “nose job” is a rhinoplasty while mine was for a deviated septum and oversized turbinates. There seems to be some confusion sometimes 🙂 This has been a game changer for breathing and sleeping. Knowing I was going to get this surgery end of March I wanted to make sure I could get out one last painful 50k before running becomes too easy so I signed up for Chuckanut 50k. Sure enough 4th time is the charm as they say and I was able to both show up to the race and finish, two things that caused me issues in the past. That being said…man was it a struggle. Toughest weather I’ve raced in and the trails were not in great shape. Regardless, with the adverse conditions and it simply not being the greatest lead up with some unrelated work and life stress, I got to the point where I was just simply racing without much expectation or time or place. I can honestly say there has never been a race where my sole focus became just finishing, there has always been an expectation of time or place even if I didn’t want to admit it out loud. I’ve never been so happy to cross the finish line and know that I pushed through some major lows in the race and overcame a lot leading up to race day. My Brooks Catamounts did the job through mud ice and slick rock even though I picked up 3 pounds of mud inside my sock. I look forward to dropping an hour off my time with my larger nasal passages in the future. Kudos to all the volunteers and supporting, the only thing worse than running in the cold is standing in the cold.
My aide station shift for January Bridle Trails was a warmed hut and I’ve had wonderful luck with weather when doing registrations for Cougar Mountain trail series. This year I maintain my greatest feat in volunteering was navigating downtown traffic jams to pick up donuts that were donated for our race! (and not eating them beforehand) April though June have been healing and building months, but I look forward to returning to racing with the Cougar July and August race as well as the Beast of Big Creek out in the Peninsula to test my quads out. I just returned from a great trip to the Scottish highlands where I had a blast running amongst the moorlands and lochs. My Caldera’s were the natural choice for long days on the trail, bog, rock, and grass. They were even up for my version of “fell running” as I ripped down mountain on no discernable trail. It’s truly a joy to run in
such a beautiful place for the first time and i felt like there was much left unexplored.
Next time I need to try a fell running race!


Jenny Easterberg
Wow the first half of the year has flown by! Track season was a success! I focused on speed and trying to get my mile time down. Now we are into summer with lots of trail running and volunteering planned. My last trail half marathon was Fort Ebey, which is one of my all-time favorites. The kettles are one of a kind and a very unique running experience.
I kicked off May by running the Teanaway 10k, which I did in memory of my race buddy who passed away a couple of years ago, so that one is truly special to me. Midway I had a meltdown, so it turned into more of a run than a race, but I really enjoyed being out there and still managed to place third for the women. In May I also had the opportunity to volunteer at the first race of the Cougar series. It is so fun being behind the scenes at running events. It is truly amazing all the hard work and team effort that goes into each and every one of these events. In June I participated in my first trail work party as well, which was so much fun! It is such a great way to
enjoy the forest while helping to keep the trails accessible. On my summer bucket list is more volunteer work as well as a slew of my favorite trails. I’m excited to see what the second half of this year brings!

Tyler Vasquez
Through the first half of 2025, my routine became familiar: weekend long runs, midweek tempos, recovery miles, and strength work. I leaned heavily on Brooks gear to carry me through the months. The Ghost Max stood out as the best shoe I trained in. The generous toe box offered comfort on long runs, and the cushioning held up well through high mileage. For daily runs, I trusted the Adrenalines for their durability and support, while the Hyperion Elite became my go-to for speed workouts. The carbon plate and lightweight feel noticeably improved my tempo efforts and gave me a performance edge when it counted most.
In addition to training, I made it a point this year to stay connected to the running community through volunteering. In March, I helped at the Chuckanut 50K, cold, muddy, and invigorating. Watching trail runners push through tough conditions was inspiring and humbling. I also joined Seattle Running Club’s trail maintenance day out on Cougar Mountain. Clearing brush and digging in the dirt allowed me to connect with other members, give back to the trails we all love, and remember that running is not just about
racing, it is about the people and places that make it possible. Through the first half of the year, my volunteering and training came together at the Tunnel Marathon on June 8. The goal was to run fast, and I went through the halfway point in 1:30 feeling strong, but the unexpectedly hot weather forced me to reassess. I shifted to a trail style effort, mixing running and walking, listening to my body, and embracing the experience. I crossed the finish line in 3:35, a personal record. While I did not qualify for Boston, I left the course proud. The months of focused training, dialed in gear choices, meaningful volunteer work, and support from the Seattle Running Club
gave me a grounded, positive mindset. I did not reach my original goal, but I was surrounded by the running community, and that made this race feel like a win.

Emily Brain
So far 2025 has been a bit of a rollercoaster, just like any good ultra! I started off the year strong with a win at the Lord Hill 20 miler in February. This was a great race for me in preparation for Chuckanut, I felt super powerful and fast! In the weeks following this event, I began to experience some hamstring issues, with some random mid-run cramping. Luckily, this seemed to resolve and I had no issues with it during the Chuckanut 50K in March, although the very cold and wet temperatures during the race were quite difficult for me. Seeing smiling SRC faces at the ridge aid station was a highlight for me during this super tough race. I was not able to improve upon my time from 2022, but I was proud of the way I stayed strong on a hard day.
A week after Chuckanut, the hamstring cramping came back in a bad way and caused me to have to take a Lyft home. It turned out I had a grade 1 hamstring strain—luckily nothing major, but I had to take a few days off and then build back with care. During this time, I was able to enjoy a sweet long bike ride in Wenatchee—silver lining! Once the hamstring seemed back at 100%–bam!—I had an issue crop up in my left hip (probably a compensation situation). After a few years of being basically injury-free, it was very disheartening to have back-to-back muscle strains. I was able to cautiously run through this one, although it did prevent me from lining up at the Peterson Ridge Rumble 20 miler in April, which I had been looking forward to during our family trip to Bend. I was still able to enjoy lots of lovely, flowy trail miles though!
The big highlight of the first part of the year for me came at the end of May. I ran the Smith Rock Classic 50 miler on a very hot day (80+ degrees on exposed terrain) and was able to achieve my twin goals of finishing strong and coming in under 11 hours. I had a serious low point about halfway through the race and had trouble taking in fuel while feeling nauseous with a headache and a bad nosebleed. I was able to rally once I got my hands on the crystallized ginger in my drop bag (my number one go-to fix!!) and then later was boosted even more by filling my bottles with ice cold Coca Cola (my other go-to fix!)! Several miles of run/walking in the middle turned into solid running for the final 15ish miles and I was thrilled to finish in 10:56 (a PR for me for the distance) in the challenging heat. I was hoping to come in closer to the 10 hour mark, but I was very happy with my time given the conditions. This was a beautiful and fun course and a very well executed event, I would highly recommend it! Plus, I was lucky to be able to share the experience with my best training buddy and fellow SRC member Bryndís Ingimarsdóttir.
Next up, I will be running the Volcanic 50K (around Mount St. Helens) at the beginning of August. I am excited to finally run the Loowit trail and see what I can do on the tough terrain! After that, I’ll be looking forward to some XC races with SRC in the fall.
The Brooks gear I’ve been loving so far this year: For the shorter distances of Lord Hill and Chuckanut, I loved racing in the Catamount! This year’s update works much better for my wider forefoot and I am obsessed with the snappy, peppy feel. For my 50 miler (and a lot of my long training runs), I used the Caldera, which I also love. The cushion is fantastic for longer distances but it somehow still feels light and bouncy. The High Point rain jacket saved the day for me at Chuckanut, how is this jacket so waterproof and yet so breathable?! I have also gotten a ton of use out of the High Point tops (both short and long sleeve, but the short sleeve is especially boss), the Chaser shorts, and Spark tights & shorts!

Tommy Brooks
2025 is my first with the SRC Brooks Team, and also the most challenging year with injury I’ve ever had. After suffering a foot injury in late November 2024 training for the Boston Marathon, it’s been a rollercoaster ride in figuring out the nature of the injury and navigating a web of various doctors, specialists, and therapists. It wasn’t until teammate Trisha (thank you!) referred me to Dr. Zach Zugschwerdt at Ideal Motion Sports Therapy that I started to make some real progress in May. I’m finally back to running in the past couple months, and ramping up miles and speed. Injuries have a funny way of forcing us to reflect, and I’m finding a ton of gratitude and joy in just being able to get a few miles in again.
I had a blast volunteering and meeting some of the team at aid stations at the Chuckanut 50K and the June Cougar Series. I left the Chuckanut station with frozen toes that took a few hours to completely thaw out. It was a certifiable winter wonderland up there in late March. I was grateful to join the SRC team for the first time at our monthly August run, and look forward to meeting the rest of the crew in the coming months.
While I still have a ways to go in recovery, I’ve signed up for my first half marathon in about a year in October and look forward to finally repping the SRC team out there. I plan on hitting the trail race circuit again in spring/summer 2026, if not before then pending recovery progress.
I’ve really been enjoying the Brooks Hyperion Max 3’s as I’ve been able to get back out there. They are the perfect combination and speed and support, and are super fun to crank out some tempo runs. I’m excited to try the Catamount 4’s on the trails soon, and the Hyperion Elite for a road race when I’m fully healed and ready for that kind of burn.
