Aleks is a runner, writer, mom to a four-year-old boy, wife to a "retired" marathoner (now occasional 5k runner and dedicated ping pong player) and full-time writer/ editor in the San Francisco Bay Area. She started running in high school, as a way to lose some imaginary weight -- but quickly fell in love with running as a fun, uplifting activity. Must be all those endorphins! Aleks has been calling herself a runner - not a jogger - from day one. She got the racing bug in 2003, the year she ran her first New York City Marathon. Since then, she has completed two full marathons (training for a third in Spring 2013), 17 half marathons (and counting) and countless shorter distance races. In her spare time, Aleks blogs about running and racing at AleksRuns.com.