Mandi’s running career began in the seventh grade when she joined the cross country and then track teams in middle school. She continued with track and cross country, participating in state championship teams until high school graduation. She was team captain of the cross country team during senior year, despite a season-ending joint injury.
That injury kept Mandi away from competitive running through college and into her early twenties when physical therapy finally fixed the issue in her sacroiliac joint.
She didn’t return to competitive running until her mid-30’s after moving to an apartment across from the running mecca of Van Cortlandt Park with her young family. In 2008 she joined the Van Cortlandt Track Club (VCTC) and immediately felt like she had found her new running home.
Since joining the club she has achieved numerous age group and overall top three places in local road races ranging in distances from 1 mile to 5 kilometers. Mandi has raced in numerous other race distances from 4 miles up to the marathon distance of which she as completed four. In 2015, she was selected as the Bronx representative in the Foot Locker Five Borough Challenge of the New York City Marathon.
Still living in Riverdale, although a little further away from Van Cortlandt (1.5 miles exactly to the the Tortoise and Hare statue, to be precise), Mandi is currently honored to be serving her first year as the President of VCTC. Her coaching experience includes a certification from RRCA, and three seasons coaching Moms In Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She is currently the coach of the VCTC Kids’ Running Club.