GS Alumna Tackles The Great Saunter Around Manhattan

“I don’t look like a runner,” said Ashley Goh ‘24GS. “I’m a 5-foot-1-inch Singaporean-Chinese female, who only picked up running last year; I was never genetically gifted to be a ‘runner’. I thought of how nontraditional my path to running was—and the spirit of GS celebrating unconventionality—and that gave me the fighting spirit.”

That fighting spirit, a common thread within the Columbia GS community, helped carry Ashley through The Great Saunter—a 32-mile urban trek around Manhattan. 

The recent grad discovered running rather haphazardly. When Ashley first moved to New York City to begin her Columbia GS journey, she had just torn her ACL, which required surgery—and rest. The latter was a particularly tricky task in a place like New York, but Ashley took it all in stride. “I remembered feeling like I would get left behind, especially with so much walking in the city,” she said. But Ashley soon found that the benefits of walking extended beyond helping her knee heal. “I would walk to Central Park and loved how tranquility helped me destress from the hustle and bustle of college life.”

After graduating with a degree in financial economics earlier this year and starting a new job as an analyst at a private equity advisory firm, Ashley was in search of a new hobby to fill her time. “Running felt like a very social thing. It was also a (relatively) cheaper hobby to have—just put on some shoes and get out of the door right?”

She joined the New York City chapter of No More Lonely Runs, and found herself running with a Barnard student. Between the camaraderie, conversation, and perhaps even a bit of the infamous runner’s high—Ashley was hooked. “I started making an effort to stay in on Friday nights to attend run clubs on Saturday mornings. That made running a more regular thing—I was starting to get better,” she said.

Ashley started documenting her journey on Instagram (@nyctriathlete), sharing the running events she attended and the new community of runner-friends she was discovering. “It felt really amazing to share all my achievements with people who were so supportive online,” she recalled. 

A slight setback due to knee overuse this past summer allowed Ashley to enthusiastically embrace cross-training—and complete a triathlon in Nantucket with fellow Columbian Christian Monovoukas ‘26CC. “We bonded over being scared to do it, but still wanting to complete it!” she said. “I think this is the Columbia family spirit. I’m happy we did it together!”

In searching for her next running venture, Ashley had to look no further than her dad, who completed a 50K for turning 50 years old. Inspired to do something similar, Ashley decided to run 25 miles for her 25th birthday in August. “I’d never run more than 13 miles! It would be a huge jump,” she said. 

As luck would have it, a fellow runner posted an open invitation on a run club chat board to join a small group of folks aiming to tackle The Great Saunter in early August. Ashley was more than intrigued—she was in!

Decked out in her navy blue Columbia GS hat and a sage green hydration vest she’d only just purchased the week before, which was packed full of electrolytes and energy chews to fuel her along the way, she set out to Chelsea Piers for the 6 a.m start time. Ashley was unphased by what lay ahead of her that morning—her first ultramarathon venture was not something to be feared, but celebrated. “I kept telling myself that I would try everything once, and if ultra running isn’t for me, then I should at least finish this so that I can safely say it is not my game.” 

The physical and mental challenge of The Great Saunter is not for the faint of heart—but what it gives to those who are brave enough to tackle it is priceless. While Ashley and her fellow runners came from a plethora of different backgrounds, they all had a shared goal and something to prove. “It was breathtaking to step outside of the Columbia bubble, with people in the city for different reasons—a costume designer, a physiotherapist, a visiting student from Stanford, a prison officer. But everyone had something in common; that they wanted to prove to themselves this wasn’t as scary as a challenge they thought, and that they could have fun doing it too!” said Ashley.

Half way through her 32-mile journey, with the late morning sun beating down on her, doubt crept into Ashley’s mind. Traipsing over pebbled, rubble-covered streets in upper Manhattan, she longed to find the nearest subway and head home. But her resilient spirit wouldn’t let her. “I took out my phone to record a voice note to myself about how I felt like just giving up,” she recalled. “I thought of all the tough times that I went through in New York, moving here without knowing anyone to have such a supportive community all because I stayed open minded and put myself out there.”

Another runner gave Ashley the inspiration she needed in that moment: don’t worry about how many miles you have left, instead focus on finding your groove, finding your stride right now. Five hours and 44 minutes after she left Chelsea Piers she found herself back near the Hudson River feeling a little tired and more than a little shocked at what she just accomplished. Still donning her navy GS hat, Ashley dedicated her great saunter journey to Columbia for helping make New York City feel like home.

The resilience, determination, and unwavering support Ashley found throughout her ultra marathon experience echo those that are often seen within GS. The strength of a community can be an unexpected source of encouragement someone needs to get themselves across their own finish line. 

“I learned to tolerate the elements, and appreciate how it shaped me to develop resilience in the face of tough conditions,” she said. “I think that’s a testament to how much a supportive community can carry you through a tough battle!”