Michael Wasserman

English teacher Michael Wasserman knows that his choice sport, ultra running, sounds to most, in his words, like “the Seventh Circle of Hell.” Wasserman runs races as long as 50 or 100 kilometers, about 30 and 60 miles respectively.

Wasserman was not always a runner, however.

“I always used to joke that I would only run if something was chasing me,” he said.

Wasserman cycled throughout graduate school, but one too many crashes eventually deterred him. Running seemed like an easy alternative to stay in shape.

After his first 10k race, Wasserman realized that he possessed “not talent, but ability to compete at the pointy end of the race,” he said.

Running longer and longer races soon became not only a competitive outlet for Wasserman, but also a stress-reliever.

“There is an odd kind of relaxation that comes with intense physical effort, because it crowds out everything else and it just becomes what you are doing right then and there,” he said.

Wasserman’s next race is in March. The event, called “Dizzy Dazes,” involves participants running as many laps as possible around Greenlake (about three miles) in 12 hours.

Wasserman ran the event last year, and placed second with 21 laps around the lake.

“The goal for this year is 22,” he said.

Andrea Moore, Kayla Robertson and Becca Johnson

Three women, P.E. teacher Kayla Robertson, counselor Andrea Moore and P.E teacher Becca Johnson, make up a pretty cool running group.

Robertson has been into sports all her life, starting as a kid.

“Others areas of my life were kind of chaotic, but sports and school were under my control,” she said. Even now, working out is a constant in Robertson’s life.

“I do a minimum once a day, and most of the time, twice a day,” she said.

Robertson shares her passion for running with Johnson and Moore.

Johnson began running in high school, when she needed to cross train for her main sport, swimming.

Now, running has become a destressor for Johnson.

“I’m able to clear my head,” she said.

Moore is the newest to running, and has been training consistently since April, before school with Johnson and Robertson. 

Robertson initiated the group.

“I’m always asking people to come for a run with me,” she said. “it’s about being together and doing something healthy.”

“It was an opportunity to get in my workout and also to connect with friends,” Moore said.

The three decided to run a half marathon together, as an end goal for their training. They chose the Bellingham Bay half, and ran it in September.

“They peer pressured me into doing it!” Johnson joked.

Mikayla Patella Buckley

University Prep students and faculty  can find science teacher Mikayla Patella-Buckley a couple times a week in the dance room, outfitted in colorful leggings and tank tops, (and neon shoelaces!) leading the University Prep faculty and staff in cardio dance moves to Top 40 Hits.

Buckley has been a fitness instructor for the past 16 years, though just recently implemented dance fitness into her class options.“ I started teaching it two or three years ago, because it was a trend in my gym.” she said.

Patella-Buckley found her passion for group workout classes at a young age. “I took my first step aerobics class with my mom when I was 12, and I really liked it,” she said.

Now, Patella-Buckley prefers group classes, like the ones she teaches, to solo endevors at the gym.

“I get a better workout when people are telling me what to do than if I just go by myself. I’m like “Oh five reps! I’m tired.”

One her her favorite things about dance fitness is the energy in the room.

“Working out with other people and feeding off each other’s energy is similar to playing on a sports team,” she said.

Patella-Buckley hopes to continue to dance and teach classes for as long as possible.

She aso hope to keep improving on her personal fitness goals.

“I want to be able to do the splits by the time I’m 40,” she said.