Trail Gangsta of the Month
š„Trail Gangstas of the Month (OCT & NOV '21): Melissa & Sarah Ostaszewskiš„
Names: Melissa & Sarah Ostaszewski
Age: 30, 30
Occupations: Merchandiser, Copywriter
Hometown: Crown Point, IN
Current Residence: Flagstaff, AZĀ
1. How do you pronounce your last name?!
Melissa:Ā Ah-stuh-zew-skee is how most of our family pronounces it.Ā Real Polish way is something like Ah-stuh-chef-ski\ee
Sarah:Ā āAah-stuh-zoo-skeeā is how we pronounce it. Our grandparents on our dadās side pronounce it like āAah-stuh-chef-skee.ā
2. How did you discover trail running?
M:Ā I ran in the Indiana Dunes (now a national park!) along Lake...
š„Trail Gangsta of the Month (SEPT '21): Jose Sosa Jr., Union Steel Worker & Aspiring Ultra Running Coach š„
Name: Dose Sosa Jr.Ā
Age: 40
Hometown:Ā San Diego, CAĀ
Current Residence:Ā Chula Vista, CA
Occupation:Ā Steel WorkerĀ
Ā 
1. How did you first get into running/trail running?Ā
By trying to stay in shape; I began running little by little, did a few 5kās and started training for the Rock ānā Roll Marathon in 2019. I joined a local YMCA trail running group and I fell in love with the mountains. The rest is history!
2. Youāre a San Diego native but lived in New York City half of your life. That begs some questions: East coast...
š„Trail Gangsta of the Month (Aug '21): Diane Dawson Immethun, Third Grade Teacher & Cancer Survivor š„
Name: Diane Dawson Immethun
Age: 59
Hometown: Flagstaf, Arizona
Current Residence: Flagstaff
Occupation: Third Grade Teacher
Ā
1. How did you first get into running/trail running?
When I was a youngster, my dad started taking me for weekend backpacking trips in the Grand Canyon or playing in the Red Rock country of Sedona. Wherever we went, I always tried to be the first back to the Rim or to the car.
Being of shorter legs than my dad, I had to run to win. I donāt think I thought the effort was difficult ā lots of joy...
š„Trail Gangsta of the Month (July '21): Andre Lee, Massage Therapist & DFL at Cocodona 25š„
Andre Lee
Age: 50
Hometown: Washington, DC
Current Residence: Tempe, AZ
Occupation: Massage TherapistĀ
1. How did you first get into running/trail running?
I have been running/racing since I was 5 years old. I ran track through the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, IN. I then transitioned to marathons in 1989 and triathlons in 1990.
I really became interested in trail running with Ragnar in 2013. A friend, Josh Uriarte, approached me to be a team member. I jumped at the chance. We raced a few years together there. Josh worked a lot with Aravaipa...
š„Trail Gangsta of the Month (April '21): Peter Mellen & Olivia š„
Full Name: Peter Mellen
Age: 40
Hometown: Naples, FL
Current Residence: Memphis, TNĀ
Occupation: Service Advisor, Race Director for Motivated RunningĀ
1. How did you discover trail running?
When I began running roads and increased my mileage to the point I felt I was able to go up to a full marathon, I wanted more! Thatās where my desire to try my first 50k in 2019 happened. It was just the drive to do more mileage after that. Now Iāve completed a 50 miler and looking at 100k and 100 miler by 2022.
2. What...