Lauren McCrea, Executive Assistant, Global Equities, a first-time participant in the RBC Brooklyn Half, discusses her training regimen and how her involvement aligns with the RBC culture.
Q: What makes the RBC Brooklyn Half different from any other race and why are you so excited to run?
A: I live in New York City, and I’ve always wanted to be a part of the Brooklyn Half. It’s the largest half marathon in the U.S., and it’s such an important event for the New York City community.
I’ve worked at RBC for almost 8 years now. I love working here and working out, so it’s a great opportunity to combine my favorite things. I’ve really enjoyed training with so many of my colleagues.
Q: Have you ever participated in the Brooklyn Half?
A: This is my first time. I did train for it in 2020, but it was cancelled due to the pandemic.
I ran cross country at Penn State, but never ran more than eight miles at a time. The Brooklyn Half and the New York City Marathon have always been on my bucket list. I decided that I really wanted to dedicate the time to do it this year.
Q: What has your training regimen been like?
A: I’ve been running for 15 years, but I haven’t been running that much for the past eight. One of my co-workers, who is an avid runner, helped me get back on track with some training guidelines. The key is to gradually increase your mileage by doing one long run every week. I’ve also been incorporating cross training into my regimen, as well as yoga, Pilates, and barre classes.
Q: Who is coming with you to the RBC Brooklyn Half?
A: My parents and our two dogs will be attending the race. My parents are so excited to come and support me. They asked for my race number, so I think they will be at the RBC Cheer Zone to root for me during the race.
“I would tell others that whether you run or not, the RBC Brooklyn Half is a great opportunity to meet new people and to team build. If you’re a runner, it’s a great way to bond with coworkers. If you don’t run, you can join in the fun by rooting for the runners in the RBC Cheer Zone.”- Lauren McCrea, Executive Assistant, RBC Global Equities
Q: Why is coming together as a community and as a firm so important for you?
A: It gives me a strong sense of camaraderie and brings me back to that same collegial spirit I experienced in college. It’s nice to share the same mindset and goals with so many of my colleagues.
Many people in my department are active runners, so they’re very excited and showing a lot of team spirit. Some of us are even talking about potentially running RBC’s Royal Half Marathon in London together too in the future. I’m running with Libby Jandl, Vice President, Flow Derivative Sales, and Jessica Fallis, Associate, Institutional Equity Sales. Libby and I have been training together and we run at the same pace; we motivate each other. Jessica has a goal of running the Half in less than two hours!
Q: Why would you tell others to participate?
A: I would tell others that whether you run or not, the RBC Brooklyn Half is a great opportunity to meet new people and to team build. If you’re a runner, it’s a great way to bond with coworkers. If you don’t run, you can join in the fun by rooting for the runners in the RBC Cheer Zone.
I also think it’s a great feeling to know we’re the title sponsor, and to see the RBC brand displayed so prominently.
Learn more about the RBC Brooklyn Half.