Adventure-loving, New discovery seeking, Joyful spirited and Active in friendships, running and life!  These things all describe Anja Izban, NRC’s Runner of the Month.  

A quick “Hi. How are you?” from this tall, blond, always-smiling runner on NRC night will reveal that Anja is from Germany.  But, for those who haven’t had the chance to chat beyond the meet & greet, there is lots more to know about this amazing member of NRC!

It’s an early Sunday morning, just before 3:00AM in Nashville, TN.  Headlights file into a parking lot, proof that those who said they’d set their alarms were crazy enough to follow through.  Anja is among this wiley 3:1 running crew and from the long list of races she’s been talked into by this group, it’s clear she has become a Kool-Aid card carrying member.  

While COVID-19 travel restrictions may have cancelled their destination race, “Drei Länder Lauf” (3 Country Half – Switzerland, Germany, France), it would only alter the location of the starting line for these runners.  They would start their “Wish We Were In Switzerland Half” at 10:00AM Swiss time, instead crossing into two cities, before finishing their race over a chalk-colored finish line – together and smiling.  

Anja is from Oha, Germany, a tiny town close to Hamburg.  She had been beyond excited to return to Europe with her friends and share in this experience with them before the 2020 pandemic.  Luckily, the trip has been rescheduled for 2021 and she can’t wait!

Hearing Anja talk about her childhood in Germany is like a fairy tale.  The home she grew up in is steeped in generations of memories.  Her mom, grandma and great grandma all were born there and lived in the same house! Of course, as the family grew, upgrades were made, so each addition tells a story in and of itself.

She has fond memories of walking in the forest with her dog, bicycling to school, annual summer camping trips to their favorite campground, family reunions on the Baltic Sea, and the ever-so-slightly dangerous Fall Mushroom Picking town tradition.  As a young girl, she remembers going with her friends, buckets and baskets in hand, to pick mushrooms in the fields.  But, before they ate any, they had to go to the house of townswomen who were mushroom experts to be told which ones were poisonous and which were edible!

Following her interest in science and inspired by the quest for new discoveries, she finished school to be Research Assistant at the age of 19.  Anja has always loved to travel and the thought of making an international move sounded exciting to her, so she applied abroad for research opportunities in the U.S. and South Africa.  Ultimately, she chose the Texas coastline, taking a job in Galveston in 1984.

On the plane to America, Anja remembers making the decision that because her trip was only for a set time period, she would stay away from romantic relationships while she was there.  Of course, love had other plans.  

A month in to her American adventure, Anja met a handsome fellow named Mike who worked at the same lab.  Try as she might to stick with her plan, the chemistry between them was undeniable.  

Four years later, Anja and Mike were organizing a trip for his whole family to travel to Germany for their wedding!  They returned to Texas, until work drew them east to Cincinnati for a spell where their first son Alik was born, and then back to beaches of Galveston, where they had their youngest, Jordi.  

In 2007, Mike accepted a job in Nashville, TN, but with the boys still finishing the school year, Anja stayed in Texas while Mike did the house hunting.  As soon as Mike found the house he wanted (the one they still live in now in Nolensville), he took a million pictures for Anja to look through.  Never having set foot in the door, she agreed, and it has been a truly happy home for their family ever since.

Currently, Anja works at Meherry Medical College.  She loves that there are a lot of international workers and students there.  In addition to the work being rewarding, it is the mix of people that makes it really fun.  

Now grown, both their boys are in Jacksonville, FL and civilians working in the Navy as mechanical engineers. They support her love for running, and Jordi has even laced up for multiple Nolensville 5Ks and the Rollin Nolen with her!  

Then, there’s Bo and Moe.  Her Australian Shepard, Bo, who she rescued in September 2019, may be her best running buddy yet.  He LOVES going out for runs, but apparently hates her Friday night Zoom meetings (the dog bed fluff was everywhere!).  Her cat, Moe, is 14 years old and prefers aiding in run recovery at home.

Now, this may be controversial, but Anja claims that, technically, she started the original Nolensville Running Club!  In 2009, she began to organize regular runs with her Nolensville neighbor, Jennifer McVey.  As veritable President and VP, they took to the streets with their devotees (their dogs, Max and Beckley).  Unfortunately, Anja confesses she has no T-shirts to prove it.  LOL!!

Seriously, though, using only a Couch to 5K app and each others’ accountability, they proudly completed race after race, including the Moosic City 5K and the Zoo Run Run 5K.  Then, it dwindled.  Anja knew she needed others to keep her going. 

Then, she started seeing a group of people running down the streets near her home and found out about NRC.  Not sure she would know anyone, she just showed up one Wednesday night in December of 2015.  She was down to running only 1.5 miles, so the 4 miles was a challenge. Right away, she started running with the 3:1s.  It was meant to be.  

Encouraged by her new crew and not afraid to push her limits, the very next Saturday she joined them for 6 miles!  “I almost died,” laughs Anja.  “But, it helps to have friends out there with you!” 

She can’t count the miles she’s logged with friends, Rick and Melissa Sears, Vicky Travis, and Melanie Staudt.  She also has great memories running with Benlian Gao, whom she misses and hopes will come run with them again soon, and many others.

Since joining NRC, each year has brought a new milestone!  She ran her first 10 miler, the Rollin Nolen, in 2016.  Then, her first half in 2017 at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville, and then her first full in 2018 with Rick and Melissa again at the Rock ‘n’ Roll.  

“They kept adding on miles,” Anja jokes. “I just kind of slid into those distances, but alone I never would have done it.  Rick is the organizer and keeps us going.”  

One of her favorite all-time NRC events was the unofficial NRC Nolewood Marathon inspired by Yong Kim in 2017 that allowed runners to take the 26.2 and divide it up into 3 or more scenic (read: hilly) routes.  The 2 Ragnar Trails (ATL and Charlotte, SC) she’s done and the Carmel Half 2019 celebration with everyone, also land high on her list. 

What’s next?  Anja’s goal is simple.  She wants to stay at a level where she is able to complete the 13.1 distance.  “I’m glad I did the marathon. Well, (pause) I’m not sure,” she questions, then laughs, “Yes, I’m glad!”  

She knows she could run without the interval breaks, but she loves the 3:1 running philosophy.  This crew enjoys the journey!  A lot of their conversations end up with someone talking another one into a race, and then they all sign up!

A great example of this is the “Staycation Half” spurred by Melanie Staudt this past April for those who had signed up for races that were cancelled.  All it took was Melanie talking about it and saying, “It’s free”, and Anja jumped on the bandwagon!

Even more so now, with the unknowns of COVID-19, Anja is motivated to get out and run to keep her lungs healthy, her body moving and her mind calm.  “And, we can do it 6 feet apart,” smiles Anja.  “So, we’re lucky!”

So true, and we’re lucky to have Anja!  Herzliche Glückwünsche, Anja!  We are so blessed to have you in our NRC family!  

ROTM Speed Round – Anja Izban

Local spot you can’t wait to get back to:  Campo Azul

When I’m Not Running, I’m…:  Gardening, cooking, and making stained glass is something I will do again when I’m older.

First late night talk show guest:  Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, to ask her about being a scientist and growing up in East Germany

My hidden talents are:  I find pennies on every run, I can talk to dogs (read: scare off ferocious dogs on runs) and I used to play accordion.

Runs with the best views:  Downhill at Dawn was really pretty & running in the forests of Germany