Rebecca Funk, 28, is a middle school science teacher in Annapolis, Maryland. In the evenings and on the weekends she coaches the race-training programs at Fleet Feet Sports Annapolis. Rebecca was active in sports growing up and always had a thriving passion for the outdoors. She’s an alumni of West Virginia University and has a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology. While attending WVU, she competed on the women’s rugby team and fell in love with the hard-hitting sport.
After her college rugby career ended, Rebecca began running, slowly at first with the help of a friend, then gradually more often. She started out with a 5k and was hooked after her first race. From there she started training for her first half-marathon. The first half Rebecca ran was at the Crytze Run Fest on Tybee Island, Georgia in 2014. Following her first half, Rebecca proceeded to run in several other races along the East Coast. However, in 2015 Rebecca was diagnosed with Melanoma. Fortunately, the condition was successfully treated surgically and inspired Rebecca to take on a new challenge in life. She set out to join the 50 States Half Marathon Club, running one half-marathon in every state as part of a life-long bucket list. One year, and 10 states later and she’s ready to take on the Freedom’s Run in Shepherdstown, West Virginia on October 1, 2016.
“Be who you are meant to be, and you will set the world on fire.” – Saint Catherine of Sienna