Name: Gabriella Brekne (a.k.a Gabby/ Craig’s sister)
Age: 28 (29 On 3/13)
Home town: Selden
Occupation: Childcare; Toddler Teacher
Children: Just 14 little ones I give back by 5pm
Pets: Dog Rascal
Hello Friends!
So I’ll be honest when I was asked to be Warrior of the Week I was surprised but excited. I don’t get to the hills much due to a foot issue making me prone to fractures. However I love the support the warriors give and try to visit the hills every now and then!
Here’s the usual introduction “I’m Gabby. Craig’s sister” but I also have a younger brother making me the middle child. I work in daycare educating and shaping the minds of tiny humans in Southampton. I love it! It gets crazy and the toddler drama can be realer than a soap opera but I get paid to run around a playground and wear silly hats so it’s not too bad!
I was never a ‘sports’ kid. And even the few years my parents put me in soccer I was more into trophies than playing the game. But at about 12 or 13 I got into theater. Later due to unforeseen events in college I had decided to change my major to Theater. During the summer before my junior year I got an internship abroad in London, England for a small pub theater. It was the experience of a lifetime! Then somewhere in my sophomore year I found I had knack for playwrighting. I began just writing short sketches for the improv and sketch comedy club I was in, and during my senior year one of my plays was featured as a part of our final production that honored women playwrights.
A few years after college I found myself wanting to drop some weight. Having been overweight most my life I started small- gave up soda, cut back sweets, and slowly lowered my caloric intake. Then eventually around 2013 I joined a gym. At this time I was nannying just off of Bluepoint Road and came across many runners at 5am, little I know! I used the gym to keep myself active and eventually found that if I ran on the treadmill I burned calories faster than walking. My first running goal ever? Be able to run for 1 full minute. It took me a few weeks but eventually I did it. I was very proud of myself and impressed that I could achieve happiness in an activity I used to fake sick to get out of! It was then I told myself one day I’ll run a marathon.
About a year or so later Craig moved back home and started running. He joined Selden Hills and then talked me into running a 5K. Together we completed all 3.1 miles during Santa’s Toy Trot. Next he suggested I try a 10K. I wasn’t crazy about running 6 miles, and to be honest I’m still not a fan of that distance. But somehow I ended up outside of Selden Thrift and lived to tell the tale!
Eventually it got easier to convince me to run and sign up for races. However it’s no secret I love the bling and am easily enticed by it! Then I found triathlons and this past fall I checked off that marathon. I’m excited to see what my future holds in running and in life. I’m so grateful for finding this treasure trove of support and friends and I could have never become the athlete I am without some of you warriors.