October can mean different things to different people. In Vermont especially, it can mean beautiful fall foliage, or it can mean Halloween, pumpkin spice lattes, crisp, cool nights, and more. To me, October has always meant my birthday, and for those of us born in 1986, it means we're turning 40 this year. As October 2026 approaches, I'm reminded of all the negative things we were taught about turning 40 while growing up in the '90s: that you're now "over the hill," or "just wait, you'll have a midlife crisis." Ideas like these make getting older scary, and as my running career grows, I can't help but wonder, "Am I too old for this?"

Top Female Masters at the 2026 M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon (third and fourth women overall)

I have always loved running, but my passion for distance running really blossomed in my 30s. With half marathons under my belt, marathons in the very near future, and ultras possibly on the horizon, my age is on my mind. I am realizing the meaning of the phrases "age is just a number" and "you are as old as you feel," because both ring true for me right now, especially as I watch the local female runners here in Vermont.

The running scene here in Vermont is unlike anything I have experienced before. These runners train in rain, wind, snow, and heat, and I am so lucky to have watched them run and to have gotten to know them personally. I know a woman who just finished the Island Vines 5K in an exceptional time of under 22 minutes. She is 46. I know another 46-year-old runner who ran the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon, turned around six weeks later to run the Vermont 100, and is about to take on the Mammoth 200 (which is actually a 218-mile course through the Sierra Nevada!). I also know an amazing 43-year-old runner who, after giving birth to four children, has continued to run marathons, ultramarathons, and various other trail running events.

Three of the FIVE Masters Women in the Top-10 at Island Vines 5K

These women, and so many others, inspire me. They prove that turning 40 isn't the dark hole we grew up fearing we would one day fall into; it's actually a beautiful path we will all get to run down.

Happy birthday to all the October babies (especially those born in 1986)!