Danielle Hansen
by Amy Duquette
Danielle Hansen is the mother of three active young children ages four, six and nine. She does not
believe in pushing them into any activities. She believes in dedication. When one of her kids asks
to be involved in an activity, they are expected to stay with it until its completion. This concept
she teaches by example. She has remained dedicated to her running career for the last 17 years,
taking a brief pause only during her first pregnancy. She returned shortly after giving birth and
continued to run and race during her next two pregnancies. She maintains the full time job as mom,
second full time job as a physical therapist in a nursing home, a part time job with Hospice homecare
and a base of 30-40 miles of running week. This is accomplished with 5AM runs before everyone is awake,
quick five milers during some of her lunch hours and the PPTC Speed Series on Tuesday nights. That’s
dedication.
Danielle believes, "running keeps me even...It clears my mind." She came to the sport at age 26. Her aim
was to use running to live a healthier lifestyle, to provide a reason to take study breaks from college
while actively managing her weight. She had spent her early 20’s without direction and focus and she
thought that running would help her to take control of her own life. She moved from Long Island where
she was born and raised, to Brooklyn to obtain her physical therapy degree from Brooklyn Downstate
University while beginning to run. This turned out to be the most natural and healthy way for her to
get on track. Now, she admits that she is "...completely addicted. But to something healthy. If I go a
couple days without running I get cranky and restless. It affects my mood."
The physical aspect of "hitting the ground while feeling the air and the heat" is what attracts Danielle.
She is not a treadmill runner but needs the interaction with the earth to feel satisfied. For her first
two years of running, she was satisfied with short three to five miles that she ran in the Marine Park
area where she resides. However, as she continued to run in the same area the other ‘regulars’ recognized
her. She was recruited by an unofficial running group led by a marathoner. Motivated by this new group and
the wish to loose more weight, she began to run longer distances. Danielle built up her base to eventually
run the NYC marathon three times and the More marathon twice where she set her PR of 3:47. "I cried after
my first marathon. It was the most incredible feeling." She prefers these longer races, the half and full
marathons. "I can let my mind wander during all those hours...I actually relax and come up with my best
ideas during those times."
Joining the PPTC speed series on Tuesday nights has given Danielle both a "taste for the speed" and a
sense of community among the club. "I went for seven years of being a PPTC member without knowing anyone.
(Through the Speed Series), I’ve met so many people and feel that I am a part of this team. I love the
healthy competition; I feel like I’m 14 again!" It’s fun, but the hard work pays off. She recognized the
benefits of her training as she ran across the finish of the 2007 JFK 5K race in 20:54.
However, the marathoner’s attitude of being in it for the long run and pacing herself has stayed with
her and has helped her to prepare for motherhood. "I’d be a totally different person if I was not a runner.
I don’t think I could handle the ups and downs of it (motherhood) as well as I can now. It has made me feel
more solid, strong, and willing to take on more responsibility. Plus it just gives me my own outlet." She
has family time and she has running time and she recognizes that she needs and greatly appreciates both.
Danielle and her boyfriend’s first child came in 1998. She was a bit afraid to run during this pregnancy,
but only 8 weeks after her labor, she familiarized herself with the world of running strollers and got back
out on the road. Seven months later she was ready for a half marathon. This son, Antonio, is now 9 years old
and got his first taste of running during a one-mile kid’s race at one of her 5K’s. "He loved it". He has
now begun to ask his mother if he can go on some runs with her in order to increase his endurance for soccer.
During their runs is when he opens up a bit to mom and their mutual experience has become conducive to a
boding experience.
Danielle believes that she was much more prepared for her next pregnancy, with her second son, Jeremiah in
2001. She ran into her sixth month and "...felt much better during this pregnancy" than she did during her first.
She continued to build confidence in herself and what her body could do and in 2003 when she was pregnant
with her daughter, Delilah, she ran the NYC marathon at 12 weeks. "I had a great race. I had no time concern
and just took care of myself." She continued running well into her eight month when she completed a 6 mile
race. "Strangers would stop me and say, ‘please don’t run!’, and I would just tell them really, I’m good."
The process of being a pregnant runner has allowed for Danielle to appreciate her body and be much more gentle
on herself as a woman and on herself as a runner.
At age 43, Danielle was just awarded the PPTC Most Improved Runner award. She continues to set goals for
herself and would like to run another 5K under 21 minutes "...but this time actually feel good after the race.
I also want to be that one woman who is in her 70’s and who finishes a marathon. I hope to feel good for that
long." With the level of dedication that she has given to her running, this appears well within reach.