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Now, here are your hosts for the running
around Charlotte podcast,
Tim Rhodes and Dc casey.
Our 20 24 Nova Health ambassador squad is
bigger and arguably the best it's ever been.
That's no shade on the previous year's groups
at all. That's just our excitement about the
bigger, more diverse and exciting crew that's it's
out there wrapping at every event. Race and
Road club in the area. If you've not
run into 1 of these 50 folks, you've
probably been on some kind of extended savannah
call, or maybe you're just 1 of the
hundred something people who've moved here every day.
Not to worry. You'll see him soon.
Ariana Shah is part of this year's new
and exciting and she's our guest today on
the running around Charlotte Podcast.
Ariana, welcome to the show. How are you
doing? Good. Thanks for having me. Oh, we're
brew excited about it.
Dc c Luke Casey along for the ride
as usual. Happy to be here. Yeah. Excellent.
So
Give us the... Give us the story on
ariana.
Well, I grew up in Philadelphia.
Actually grew up a dancer.
Believe it no. And then I went to
school down here in North Carolina,
Elon.
Alright. Del phoenix.
Did my master's at Wake forest. And then
about 2 and a half years ago, moved
to Charlotte.
And along that, journey. I would say,
during Covid is what sparked my interest in
running.
You know, Gyms were closed,
ended up
running around my neighborhood, and I was in
school at the time, so I got sent
home,
had nothing but the neighborhood to run around
and
started to listen to podcasts and different music
when I was running and really found joy
in it.
And you hadn't run it before that. Just
the
gobble Wobble 5 k. My mom made us
steal girl.
That's all Here you go.
I did track for 1 year in middle
school, and I hated it. I got put
in the mile and nearly tried at the
end of it. Awesome so
4 laps. It's crazy to look back and
be like,
that's...
That was then and look at me now,
but... Yeah.
My
my mom is a fitness instructor and so
I kinda got into teaching group fitness.
Like, sophomore year of college.
So I had that in my background, and
then
you know, my mom always pushed the races
and she enjoyed doing it. So
fun fact, when I was
probably junior year of college. We got back
from Covid and
my mom told me she wanted
more experiences for gifts instead of tangible gifts.
So I signed us up for a half
marathon. Oh good for you.
And that was my first half marathon
worse for me. She's around 1 so she
was used to it,
but that really got... Me into it. And
now we make it a tradition. So from
mother's day or her birthday will do all
kinds of races,
and we'll be doing the Charlotte,
half marathon this year. Together. Yeah. Oh that's
So cool. I love your mom. I've told
my kids the same thing. I'm like, don't
get me anything. I really Be careful what
you asked for. I really don't need anything.
Well, 1 of them doesn't.
Yeah.
But I digress. What what I've said is
something
experiential. Like, let's build something together. Let's go
to a game together. Let's do, you know,
go to on a
weekend trip together. Let just
time together is what I want. I don't
want tangible things. So I'd like your wrong
perspective. I... Yeah. I'm at that point in
my life where
I probably have more than what I need,
and well I... For sure do, and
good for her. So you're doing the half.
Yes. I did the full marathon last year.
Did the full. That was my first marathon.
I through. Everyone said, I was crazy, but
I saw another ambassador post last year, and
that got me inspired to wanna do the
full marathon, and
the ambassador programs. Once you sign up.
So
signed up and I ran that,
So I think I'm gonna do the philly
marathon this year. How'd you doing? How'd did
you do last year? I finished.
And that was my only goal. Different. So
you didn't have like, you didn't in the
back of your mind, like, if I can
break. Well,
if we're being honest, I wanted, my mom's
first marathon was... 04:44,
I think. And I repeat that. Did you?
Yes.
32 or something Right. That was the only
thing in the back of my head. But
other than that, I just... I wanted to
enjoy it, and
everyone says it's nice to do a marathon
in your home city. Yeah. There y.
We agree. And it's, like, beautiful. I explore
towns. I didn't even know existed. So... Yeah.
So you know. III gather your mom is
in was a runner, like, is that a
something that she's always had an attachment to?
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think she played
Field hockey growing up, but
post college she got into running and yeah,
it's really
inspired me because,
something you can do together. It's something you
can do in your own. It's
in.
Doesn't cost a lot. Well, you you don't
always.
So has free.
People think it's a lot of, like, working
out, but I do it so much more
for...
Oh the mental benefits and Yeah. You feel
good.
I love starting my day running. Yeah. For
sure.
And we...
Then you probably... You may may not know
this, but we were just talking about these
numbers that the 18 to 24
space is the fastest growing segment.
It's like, oh my gosh. And then right
behind that, obviously, 25 29, You know, like,
My. So we're on a a cycle right
now where,
you know, for the first time in many,
many years, the, you know, the...
Average age of people
in the running space is actually going down.
As opposed to a bunch of old people
or site, man. These dinosaurs are eventually gonna
be stuck in a tarp it. Yeah It's
so insights. That's very exciting. So I love
when we get oo young people on the
show, and they're excited about running
regardless of whether they came to it to
the Roanoke or they just had been doing
it forever and every a minute or whatever,
and
love the fact that you're challenging your mom.
It's hysterical.
Now does your mom live here in Charlotte?
No. She lives up in Philadelphia still. She's
still stuck in Philly. I know.
No. Now what going back to your story.
Now, odd.
How long did you dance and what kind
of dancing did you do?
I grew up probably since I was 3
dancing and...
Did everything
ballet tap jazz,
and then got into competition dance when I
was in about a middle school, did that
all the way through high school, and then
in college, actually double major in dance. So...
How do you double major? I had... Well,
I had dance and accounting.
So... Oh, 0. Here my... I need do
it twice or you sell the county and
dance. Wow.
Yes.
That's... Wow. Okay. 2 those of us who
are challenged just get 1 degree. Brian knows,
You know what you're doing soon. Why would
you get to? Exactly.
They don't pay you the from anyway. So
you did that, and then you said, okay,
I'm not gonna be a professional dancer or
anything like that. And... But that's still very
act a very active pursuit. So you just
channel that into running because you were not
dancing anymore. Yes. I still teach 1 night
a week. You do? Okay. Yes. What kind
of dance do you teach?
I teach 5 to 9 year old hip
hop, and and then 9 to 12 year
olds,
jazz, tap,
and some competition teams. Would you teach your
60 year old? Guy who had his eyes
replaced. You are. You are off the hook
cars.
As far as we're concerned, if this was
an audio
video
presentation, we would ask you to
share
dance.
You add next time. Maybe do that. Maybe
next time. Just the audio so we can't
can't have you sample
in next time. Next time. Next time. But
your... But so then now you're now you're
no longer dancing and you're running. Yeah. And
what else do you do? Do you do
something related to accounting and or
some other pursuit? I work full time in
tax
accounting,
as a Cpa here in Charlotte.
And then on the side, I teach Dance,
and I also teach body combat group fitness
classes.
So don't mess with her. Yeah. About my
house.
She will... I had no intention of doing
so anyway. But.
Of us and last night.
So how did you get like the last?
By compact. Again, my mom... Taught those classes,
and she pushed me to go to training
and I did it. And it's just... I
love getting out the community,
and meeting new people. Right now, I live
closer to uptown. And so
Actually traveled to Indian land South Carolina
Okay. As well as Hunters to teach this.
And so we see a whole different group
of people at each sure.
So... So I love it. What is body
kai? Is that like a martial Arts that
are? Like, mixed martial arts cardio.
It's a lot of chore, so you just
follow the teacher? So are you fine. Like,
are you on the Mma tour?
I should be...
Yeah. Are you that good? No.
Which you didn't hesitate with I should be.
I'm like, wow. We're on the opportunity.
Oh, my goodness and I don't mean this
in a way, but, I don't know anything
about Mma, but they do it by weight
class.
Yes. They do? Yes.
I don't know much. I, if they did,
then I'd totally bet on you. I mean,
not against, like somebody who who's, like, you
know, 200 pounds, but
some in your weight class it'd be like,
I don't wanna she see for passing scrappy.
She seems scrappy. He does. Now, and you
have a sister who's younger, is she
here in Charlotte, but No. She just moved
to Dc just graduated.
Gotcha.
Okay. Does she run?
No. Does she does she dance? Yes.
Yeah. Which still dancing. My mom has pushed
the running on everyone and and sister there
won't push to way.
So is it just you and your sister?
Or do you have other siblings? Just me
and my sister? Just. Your sister. She does
do Yeah. The gobble wobble and... Yeah.
Those kinds of events, but... As your dad
in the picture? Yes. Yeah. Your We tried
to get him... He actually ran Charlotte race
fast this year. Did it? 10 k? The
10 k. Yeah. So he came down for
Philly to run? Did you I assume you
ran? Rhythm it. Of course. Well, that's great.
Right. Yeah. Like getting it. We like to
travel and
make a race out of it too. Right?
It sounds like your family has good time
together. But the Right. Philly Dc Charlotte thing.
I'd be, like, as a parent Be
Alright. We gotta move somewhere between Dc and
Charlotte Well, they actually wanted to move to
Charlotte. Yeah. And I was supposed to move
to Dc after school. And then once...
They decided not to. That's when I was
like, moved to Charlotte.
She's 1 of the 100 and. You wanna
have 100 hundred. Some people move here every
day.
That is... Now I understand why the whole...
It makes sense for you to wanna be
a no 1 hell Charlotte marathon ambassador because,
yeah. You're... History of your mom, pushing the
the races on. You're like, it seems like
you'd be a natural at pushing people the
doing something fun like that.
I just think it's fun, and I I
try to get all my friends to participate
in races or run clubs.
It's really about the community. And
you meet different people every day. It's inspiring.
Now what kind of what run clubs do
you go to?
I try my best to go to run
bots. Mh.
I won robot and then barn burners. Mh.
That's a big 1. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They're
are lots of fun. I would... I know
they're been some morning ones that Have I've
gotten started.
Yeah. And I'm more of a morning runner.
So I'd like to start going to some
of those. I know we were talking about
that earlier too. The number of run clubs
that you're now starting in the morning, it's
like, oh my gosh. Yeah. Exciting.
To Tim's point from earlier. If you can't
find a run club to run with. You
just haven't looking. Yeah. I mean, what... And
and that... I mean, that even bleeds over
into some like, the f 3 and the
Fe and the the morning workouts. Yeah. Yeah.
They're they're starting hardcore at. Oh, 505 05:00
I think is when they start. So my.
You could probably hit a couple of them,
you know, get 1 at 05:00 and then
a run group at 6, but, you know,
after is not
strictly running, but there's always seems to be
component of Contingent to run folks in that
group as well. So am.
Oh, my gosh. It's great. And and you've
lived in Charlotte for how many years now?
About 2 and a half. About 2 and
a half years. Oh my gosh. And you're
already
involved in running clubs. You're already teaching classes.
You're already
NNAN,
and these that's wanna call it now. And
and your... Nobody Hell Charlotte Marathon ambassador.
Wow. You are involved in some stuff. You
have embraced your new town. I like to
stay busy and meet people. That... That's those
are great things. Those are great. They do
have roommates or...
No? You... So no well, no. Yes. You.
0 percent at home. I'm like, I'm out
all the time. I'm doing the things. I'm
seeing the stuff.
Yeah. Except for during tax season. Yes. Yes.
Gotta you the taxes.
I 1 of my plates in college was
a Cpa. In 10 and it's, like, your
life doesn't exist until, like,
April fifteenth, and then... But that's why I
like, the mornings.
Like, I like to get My run before
anyone can ping me or message me, email
me,
and it's like, you can reset everything and
then go.
Into the day. Yeah. Hey. Are are you
working for a big firm? Do you work...
Are you working for a smaller shop? Or
how are you doing How you?? It work
for P.
That is a big firm? Yeah.
That's big for. So we will send them
an invoice for that,
and they will become an official partner of
the Charlotte Meredith. There you go. Exactly. And
we can edit this out if we need
to, but they pay. Well, no. Because this
is a work day, and you're clearly not
at the office.
The whole week. What?
Firm shut.
That's it's awesome.
Plus. Plus gets probably, like, 3 or 4.
Ease of vacation.
You good. How'd you get a lot. There
my
police do not chose wrong. Wish should have
been accountants.
I do not envy her until
April fifteenth, though. I mean, I know a
lot of people... That tax base and it
is is... Our busy season is actually in
the fall.
So we file extensions for everyone, and then...
What do you got to, like, August fifteenth?
Like, September through November, which is
all these marathons are Yeah. Prime time. For
a busy season.
I remember last year. I... There was a
20 mile run on my training plan on
a Saturday, and I had
work to do after.
So I had to tell people I was
like, I'm going for a 20 mile run,
and I'll be back after
And and then you had to tell your
20 mile run people. I am done Yeah
after this, Gotta worse. They couldn't believe I
showed up.
Don't you gotta do? That's true. But, you
know,
right. It depends on what world you're in.
Right? Like, the... And then the running people
would be like, it's... What Pier 46. Where
are you going? Now You're like, I'm going
to correct somebody's numbers. Yep. Oh my gosh.
And for you.
That's such a
I guess that is a really left brain
right brain thing. It's like, so you're,
you know, on the Arts c, you know,
creative,
you know, dance side at the same time,
you're
literally
doing math. I feel like you need both.
Well, they music is numbers. Yeah. So I
get that. You need to, like...
I think I'd go crazy if I just
did 1
full time.
You need a little bit both.
I can promise you I would not be
able to handle 1.
I I'd I get stuck in that space.
Is it a science or is it an
art and I guess accounting is a science?
It has. Probably. Art.
Yeah, I guess. Yeah. And those people go
to jail.
I not gonna say anything because I don't
know who's listening.
You know? I don't know if either 1
of our listeners or accounts. Think I think
we all
like to... Because try to operate in as
much of the gray as we can as
long as we can reasonably justify it. But
place know where the term creative accounting comes
from? Yeah. Of course. Did they teach that
in school?
No. No. Now don't teach that part. I
something mueller learned that's
research? Exactly. How much of your over to
the interpretation? They I I think... Yeah. So,
anyway, we won't chase that rep.
Tim like... Hold on a second
like, Tim's got his extension plow it hit
you up later. And then know, I've had
our cpa,
you know, I I have... I I don't
think they know what they're writing. So I
don't know how we interpret it yet. You
So we're still trying to figure that out.
So I'm sure you get the same thing.
Like, all these new tax laws have pass
every year and you're, like, 1.
That's what makes it interesting though. Yeah. Yeah.
How do you care learning? Well, okay. I
guess that makes it hat... I mean, how
in the world do you keep up with
that?
You're learning and everyone at the firm supports
you and helps.
Right? Do you have some sort of specialty
that you...
Like, I'm I only do blanket blank.
Well, I work in state and local tax
for corporations and partnerships. So that's... Kind of
what I know, but,
always open or learning more.
Do people hit you up on runs when
they find out what's what you do. Yeah.
All the time. You want me to do
their tax. So I don't know how much
health I am. Is not eric. Yeah. Right.
Oh my god. Well, yeah. Because you're not,
like, doing somebody
high.
I'd... There else that you probably could find
somebody. Oh Yeah. Maybe.
My gosh. That's a whole, that's a whole
different crazy world that
that like I said, I just Don't think
I could even swim in that pool.
Wow, oh my gosh I not pass anybody.
Just locally how many people in the office.
Hundreds
Yeah. I think they're trying to get us
back more. Yeah. Like my team goes 2
days a week,
probably. I think everybody's kinda.
From the employer side, I think everybody's over
the work from home deal. Like, alright. We
need you back in the office.
So...
Well, maybe you're right I mean, if you
guys are early in 2 days week. Right?
Yeah. I think they're pushing for more soon.
Yeah.
That's gonna makes it hard to gotta get
up extra. To that run. But the same
man, for somebody who's doing all those miles
and I mean, at the end of the
day,
It's not like you're punching a clock. You'd
like as long as the taxes are done.
Right? Yeah. That's why I like to run
in the morning because I know it'll get
done.
But there have been times I've taken
off a little early and gone to a
run club and then come back, finish my
work. Oh my gosh. Now what... This nice
break. Shifting to the to the ambassador thing,
What is your...
Do you have a success story with the
ambassador thing, like somebody you've met or somebody
you've inspired?
I know know, kinda be active and trying
to get people to...
She's getting her mom feels like aunt well
her mom. That's doing going on. Right? I
mean, her mom inspired her. That's know what
easier here. Yin yang that, man
in any good stories?
I have a friend down here who,
I'm trying to convince to run. At least
the 5 k. She said... Yeah. We're talking
her into it.
Slowly I'm working 5KI know. Gun into it.
Yeah. Don't you get free chick play?
Something like that. Yeah.
Actually, yeah. There's nothing to lose.
You could walk it and
gun
There you go. There'll be a success. Lyric.
Now, literally, that... That's actually true. That did
if you if you register for the 5
k. Not only do you get chick free
chick f a. Chick f a is donating
a meal to
bench shelter? There you go. Yeah. So it's
a win win win. 2 for.
2 for man. I bada a bing. I
like that a lot.
Sorry so tell you tell tell your friend.
Push them over push them over the edge
with that 1. Yeah.
And the ambassadors all have a discount code,
so it's not like
Of course. Right. I tell everyone. Yeah. Ariana
on 10.
Ariana on 2 ends.
Yeah. Yes. 1RIANNA
10. Is it? 1 0 or 1 0.
Yep. Yep. So if you wanna sign up
for team.
That's how you do it, and you'll get
10 percent off. Right? Yeah.
Any there go.
Alright. Phrase
free good for you. I I... I'm impressed.
IIII
was not nearly as organized at 25 as
you are. I'm... There's just no way. Well,
I wasn't nearly as educated either. I mean,
I'd scraped by to get through 4 year...
Well, 4 and a half years of school.
And then I did not go get my
masters after that because I was not an
over.
So... And good for you. III know your
parents are proud of you. And we're proud
of you too. We're glad you're on the
ambassador team. I hope this is the first
of many years that you're a part of
that. And
if anybody thinking about messing with her don't?
Because she knows
mma why will take you out years tight.
So that should be your... That's your closer
right there for it's like for the marathon.
Oral Mma you right here. Or. Take you.
My guys too funny. Too fine.
I well, enjoy your long week.
Of
a vacate. That's fantastic.
That's great. And Yeah, we look forward to
seeing you at the... At on the longer
runs as we get closer to November. Yes.
Thank you for having me. Thanks, Ariana.
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