One of the great things about NRC is how it brings together people of all experience levels who support and inspire us in our own journey. Since joining NRC just over a year ago, Andy and Shanna Dabson have shown their mettle, not only in road racing, but in biking, swimming, trail and ultra running. Although they would never boast, it is always motivating to see their hands raised on Wednesdays (sometimes the only ones) to say they completed a race the weekend before. Be it an ultra, triathlon, half mary trail or other impressive accomplishment, their positive, calm demeanors can be decieving becase they are fierce competitors when it comes to their goals.
We reached out for an exclusive interview with this illustrious, trail trekking, mile crushing couple to get the dirt on what brought them together, how they found NOLO and NRC, their favorite race experiences, and more…
NRC: So, I’m thinking from your lack of Southern accent, that you are not from Tennessee. Where are you from originally and what brought you to Nolensville?
Andy & Shanna: We were both born and raised in Maple Grove, MN, outside of Minneapolis. We both attended the University in Wisconsin in Madison, and moved to Chicago after graduation where we lived until our move to Tennessee. After enjoying the city life for 6 years, we were ready for a change of pace and made our way down to TN. We started in an apartment in Franklin, then jumped at the housing market as it was beginning to skyrocket. We quickly found our cozy home in Nolensville that we’ve been making our own since September 2020.
NRC: Growing up were you into running or were you into other sports or activities?
Shanna: I grew up playing competitive softball, swimming, and bowling. In college, my softball skills somehow landed me on the D1 javelin team. Unfortunately, that experience ended with Tommy John surgery on my elbow and 18 months of recovery (a story for another day). While softball involved running here and there, I gave running a real shot in college when Andy and his family decided to sign up for the Big10K.
Andy: I grew up playing baseball, football, and hockey, but predominately as a swimmer. As a mostly amphibious teenager, I HATED running! The most running I did was the 360 ft around the basepaths in my baseball days. After highschool I swam D-III one year at UW-Eau Claire.
NRC: Wow! That’s a lot of sports! I’m kind of surprised you both weren’t runners growing up, knowing you now, but it’s clear you two were always strong competitors! How would your friends describe your personality?
Shanna: I love to try new things (especially restaurants, breweries, and coffee), but nothing beats spending a week in the back country completely removed from society while soaking in the world’s natural beauty. I am usually fashionably late (sorry Andy). And I can spend months researching an item in great detail and still never buy it. I’ve also taken a handful of personality tests over the years (Myers Briggs – INTJ; Enneagram 3) and most point towards being driven to achieve, perfectionism, creative yet analytical, and good at listening.
Andy: I like to think of myself as always friendly and able to find the dry and witty humor in any situation. Although I love good company with a small group of friends, I do well by myself as well. For example, my dream trip is to backpack the John Muir Trail solo. Opposite of Shanna, I am definitely a more anlytical and practical person, and almost always (see: shanna) on time.
NRC: Y’all are such a cute couple and I heard you two are high school sweethearts. That’s so cool! Tell a bit about your dating story? How did you get engaged? Where was the wedding? Any funny or memorable moments that stand out that you’d like to share?
Shanna: We met through the high school swim team in MN in 2009 and kicked off the relationship with an awkward first movie date. It was the first sign we could make it through anything life throws at us, so we decided to give dating a second chance. In college, Andy proposed near the water’s edge at the UW-Madison’s Union Terrace in Oct 2013. We took our sweet time prepping for the wedding and officially tied the knot back in MN in May 2015. We’ve truly grown together over the last 13 years (almost 7 of it married) and are lucky to have similar interests such as triathlons, backpacking, or exploring breweries that we can enjoy together.
Andy: Shanna was a high school swim team manager, I was a senior swim team captain. She caught sight of me in a speedo, it was love at first sight, and the rest is history. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
NRC: Hah! That’s awesome and congrats on your 7 year anniversary coming up! So, I know you said you left Chicago to get out of the city, but were there any other motivators to make Nolensville your home?
Shanna: We moved to Nolensville in Fall of 2020, after a few more months of apartment life in Franklin. We moved here from Chicago for Shanna’s work, but also a change in lifestyle. One day we tried to go to Arrington, but were turned away as they were at max capacity with COVID restrictions. We searched for a brewery nearby and landed at Mill Creek – it was our first taste of Nolensville and quickly found that the town had everything we were looking for in a forever home. After years of the concrete jungle, the beautiful green hills were just what we needed. We officially moved in Oct 2020 and couldn’t be happier.
NRC: So, basically beer was a motivator! One more reason we’re thankful for Mill Creek – it brought you two to Nolensville!
Andy: It doesn’t hurt that our kids will not have to stand at the bus stop in -20 degree cold like we had to in MN!
NRC: True! We’ll come back to the “kid” comment in a bit. 😊 What do you each do for work?
Shanna: I am a Sourcing Manager for External Manufacturing Innovation at Mars Petcare. In short, I am responsible for creating cool new pet foods and treats by working with 3rd parties. I love that my job allows me to exercise my creativity, lean into my passion for food science, and helps create a better world for pets. Need a conversation starter? Ask me about some of the products I’ve launched recently or the time I created new Starbursts, Skittles and chewing gum products!
Andy: I work in debt and finance for a REIT in Chicago. I really enjoy the commercial real estate industry, and analyzing the connected markets as a whole. My industry definitely fits my personality traits.
NRC: You’re not only runners, but super strong triathletes as well! When did running (and swimming and cycling) for exercise become a part of your life? Was there a specific motivation to start?
Shanna: Andy got me into running with the Big10K during college. I HATED training for it – I would get anxious and break down in tears most times I “ran”. I still rarely enjoy training for races to this day, often skipping mid-week workouts and only doing the long ones on the weekend. I didn’t start triathlons until we moved to Chicago and I noticed how much fun Andy was having with them. Naturally, triathlon became a new challenge that I couldn’t resist and it was off to buying my first road bike. A similar story continues… Andy did an Ironman? Hell, I can do that too. Trails? Sure, why not? The debate is still out on ultras though…
Andy: I did my first triathlon my last year in college as a goal to get in better shape and healthy again. Eventually, I got more competive and was hooked! I’ve only been interested in road and trail running the last two or three years. Separate from the competitive side of sports, running and training has also become my “me time” and my stress-relieving time away from everything. I really have grown to love running (most days), but love the externalities it has brought to my life more. Stress relief, improved health, friends, motivation, etc.
NRC: Do you like to train and compete together?
Shanna: I do! Sometimes the only way I will go out for a run or ride is if I drag Andy with me. I don’t mind racing alone, especially bigger races like Ironman, but it’s more fun when we can recap races together and celebrate each other’s accomplishments
Andy: We will run together once or twice a week and do long bike rides together occasionally, but we generally train separately. Both of us love to race and we are usually both on the start list. But at bigger races like ultras and Ironman, one of us will act as sherpa and support the other.
NRC: How did you hear about NRC and when did you first come to run?
Shanna: We wanted to join a run club when we moved to TN to meet new people with similar interests. When we found our house in Nolensville, I discovered the NRC Facebook page and requested to join. A month went by with no response, so I’d cancel my request and try again. Another month would go by… and I’d try again. We even met some nice folks in the neighborhood at the dog park who told us about run club (the Bostelmans). Still no acceptance to the group page at this point. Eventually, I asked Andy to try to figure out when people were meeting up and his FB request was approved the same day. Clearly, Scott had a favorite before we even showed up. 😊 Our first run was in March 2021 when everyone started meeting in person again. It was our first time running with a group and we didn’t know what to expect. Everyone was so welcoming and made us feel like we belonged from Day 1. The rest is history.
NRC: Man! Well, we’re going to claim FB algorithm hijinx on that one, Shanna! Even though it’s only been a little over a year, you’ve been involved in so many awesome experiences with other NRCers! What is one of your favorite memories so far?
Shanna: NRC manages to get me out on the stormiest days. I’ll never forget the Wednesday nights when it is down pouring, we are laughing and complaining at the same time, and we are no longer avoiding puddles but rather purposefully splashing in them like children.
Andy: For me it was rounding the last corner at Stumpjump 50k this fall and seeing a big group of NRC cheering for me at the finish. Everyone is so excited for each other and supportive in this group! I still smile thinking about that moment.
NRC: On more than a few Wednesday nights, I’ve heard about one or both of you completing an intense race or triathlon (e.g. Black Toe 2022, Music City Trail Ultra 2021, IRONMAN Chattanooga) What are a few of your proudest accomplishments or favorite races?
Shanna: I’m really proud of my first marathon in New Orleans in 2019 and first trail marathon in Moab, UT in 2020. Finishing long distances is more about overcoming mental and physical challenges along the training journey and day of the race than it is about a PR for me. For these races, I was just happy to have made it to the finish line. I even pushed through a mental meltdown mid race on the trail marathon – 2 miles of increasing elevation, in the hot sun, on the edge of the “Scorched Wall”. It’s as bad as it sounds. Overall the course was beautiful and worth the suffering! Bonus in New Orleans was that I managed to crank out a 3:45 (30min faster than I predicted). Both races gave me the confidence that I could go even faster if I stick to a training plan and stay positive throughout the day. Ironman Chattanooga in 2021 is at the top as well, again surprising me that I can do better than I give myself credit for, finishing in under 12 hours.
Andy: I tend to got a bit overzealous when it comes to signing up for races! I was always in awe of Ironman atheletes growing up, so completing my first was a great moment. Performance-wise, Stumpjump 50k this past fall stands out as my best executed race and one that I am really pround of.
NRC: Between running, bike and swim, that’s a lot of training! Have you dealt with injuries or training hiccups? What were they and what has helped you train through them?
Shanna: I definitely should train more than I do. I get burned out easily with training so I’ve learned to not start too early and to set midway goals instead of only focusing on race day. I’ve been fairly lucky avoiding injuries. This past year, I had tendonitis in my foot and had to take a few weeks off from training. Remembering that it would only take longer to heal if I kept irritating my foot helped me stick to the doctors orders. Other than that, if I feel any signs of pain, I know it is time to rest, stretch more, and/or build in more strength training.
Andy: When I started running, I had terrible shin splints and was limited to running twice a week for a few years. I also hurt my IT band badly several years ago and that took half a year to heal. Luckily, I haven’t had anything serious for the past 6-7 years. My shoulders are a bit wrecked from swimming so much when I was younger, but I do that as little as possible now!
NRC: If no limitations, what race would you like to run?
Shanna: If I had no physical limitations and all the money to spend on travel and training, I would do an extreme triathlon such as Patagonman. Usually starts with a freezing swim in a fjord between mountains, cycling at extreme elevations with expansive views, and running through beautiful trails. Plus, experiencing the culture of a new country. What’s more realistic and still gives me the nature aspect? Picking one of the more popular US trail marathons.
Andy: UTMB – An epic ~100mile race in the French, Swiss, and Italian alps. Every photo is breathtaking, and it is the superbowl of international ultrarunning. The race, mountains, and culture is something I would love to take part in.
NRC: What is your current training goal?
Shanna: I just checked one off – finishing a half marathon while 6 months pregnant. Baby Dabson is due in June, so I’m now focused on training for motherhood. When I’m up for it again, I’ll give training for a marathon another shot and see how close I can get to a BQ.
NRC: On that note, can we say congratulations on your growing family! We’re so excited for two to become a family of 3! How about you, Andy?
Andy: I just finished Georgia Death Race at the end of March, and am not signed up for anything past that. With our first kid on the near horizon, I hope to just keep running rugularly for a bit. If life allows, I would like to take a shot at a BQ in the next year!
NRC: Well, you’re in the right club for training for parenting! We have several NRCers who are growing their families this year, and you know you have all our support every step of the way! We’re so glad you are part of the NRC family and can’t wait to cheer you on for those BQs and each challenge after!
SPEED ROUND – Shanna Dabson:
When I’m not running, I’m probably: prepping for baby or dreaming up a DIY project
Ever run in a costume? Nope, that just sounds uncomfortable and asking for chafing.
No one in NRC would guess that…: If I start a jigsaw puzzle (has to be 1000+ pieces), I will become obsessed and forget about the world around me for a few days until it’s done.
Most scenic or unique place you’ve run: Moab, UT
If I didn’t run, I would ____: Sleep. I love sleep.
SPEED ROUND – Andy Dabson:
When I’m not running, I’m probably: Biking or at a local brewery! But lately, researching everything baby and parenting.
Ever run in a costume? Not really. We used to do the Big10k every summer in Chicago with family and get decked out in in badger gear, stickers, facepaint, etc.
Do you have a hidden talent?: Not really – I’m a pretty open book. I have a love of paleontology and took every class I could on it in college. Need Paleaozoic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous fun facts? I’m your guy.
Most scenic or unique place you’ve run: Moab is my answer too, it was georgeous! Backup answer: It isn’t unique, but the Chicago lakefront path. I was sick and bored of it when we lived there, but I do miss running on a nice flat trail along the water and beaches in the summer.
If I didn’t run, I would ____: Probably be a more avid cyclist.