A ballerina moves with grace across the stage and can transport an audience to another place. Ballet can express a mood or tell a story. It takes years of training and dedication to master the five positions along with the twirling and floating through the air. A ballerina displays graceful moves with precision and artistic expression. The exercises done at the barre (a wooden support attached to the walls of ballet studios) are the foundation for all of the ballet exercises. The ballerina lives on in the heart as she made a transition from the elegance of dancing on her toes to the sport of running, going heel to toe.

It could have been destiny that led the ballerina to running but she had to take the next step. At the age of 12, Melissa Tanner's family relocated from Huntsville, Alabama to Maryland.

Tanner, a Harvard graduate, is currently a clinical psychology PhD student advisor for student-athletes at American University. She is a member of the racing team at Georgetown Running Company in Washington, DC.

"I had always done ballet rather than sports, but I thought I'd give it a try because my siblings were both pretty good at it. Plus, I thought it was cool to be on a varsity team as a 12 to 13 year old. I quickly discovered that I really enjoyed running and was surprised that I was actually pretty good at it. I was really petite, so I didn't really think of myself as an athlete. Pretty much the only sport I excelled at in gym class was dodge ball and that was only because I was a small target and could move around pretty quickly. I really enjoyed competing and succeeding in races though," Melissa said.

At the Randolph School in Huntsville, "My sister and I quickly became a formidable duo. We came in first and second in most races, including the Alabama state cross country meet in 1995. I was the state champion in 1998 (5K, 21:00.97). It was cool to be able to share that with her. She went on to run for University of North Carolina as an undergrad and at Stanford as a grad student. In 2004 she qualified for the Olympic Trials in the marathon. Her success motivated me to work harder and gave me confidence in my own ability; I think to myself, 'If Heather can do it, I can.' Plus, I think it brings us closer to having a shared understanding of each other's dedication. It makes family vacations easier when someone else is getting up early to go for a run. It's nice to not be the only crazy person." added Melissa.

As a junior at Harvard in 2002, Tanner turned in the top school performances at the following distances:

	3000M	Outdoor	9:50.10
	3000M	Indoor	10:06.20
	5000M	Outdoor	17:40.59
	5000M	Indoor	17:12.10
	10000M Outdoor	35:43.01
Tanner's current PRs are:
	3000M		9:50    (2003)
	5000M		17:12   (2003)
	10000M		35:28   (2007)
	10 Mile		59:40   (2007)
	Half-Marathon	1:20:09 (2008)
	Marathon	2:51:45 (2008)

Melissa is dedicated to the sport, and that accounts for her level of performance. She explains, "Running more than 70 miles a week definitely requires sacrifices. Work and school can't be compromised, so unfortunately things like sleep, happy hours, and socializing tend to suffer, at least during peak training performances. Sadly, I don't have too much time to cultivate other hobbies."

In order to be at the top of her game, she says, "When I'm preparing for a race, I will do one speed workout, sometimes on the track, and sometimes a fartlek run. Between work and school I don't have time to do more. I also tend to run what I consider 'borderline tempo runs' on Saturdays and Sundays, trying to keep up with the Georgetown Running Company guys on their regular runs. I am doing more volume than I did in college but much less speed work. As a result, I have a lot more endurance, but I've lost a little bit of leg speed. At peak mileage I will run 100 miles a week. My average for the year will be 65 a week, factoring in a few weeks of post- marathon recovery."

Melissa selects events for a variety of reasons and the outcomes vary. She explains, "I strive for variety in my races. Sometimes I'll look for a fast course and sometimes I'll be more interested in the post-race party or team competition. Prize money is always a bonus, but there's also glory to be had in doing well in a big race like Marine Corps Marathon. At events I tend to set tiered goals. The lowest tier goal is always to finish the race, finishing a race when you are struggling is a victory in and of itself. If I fail to achieve my highest tier goal I will definitely be disappointed; however, I try to use it as motivation to succeed in future races."

She adds, "I find goal-setting to be crucial in racing, although my goals vary significantly from race to race. I usually have both a time and place in mind, but sometimes my goals are more subjective--to actively compete, to get a sense of how it feels to run a certain pace, to stay motivated when someone passes me, etc".

In the last few seconds before the start, Melissa is ready to go. "When I'm feeling good and ready to race the only thing going through my mind is "Bring it on!" I'd say my performance at the Marine Corps Marathon (2:51:45, 3rd place) this year (2008) was my most satisfying to date. Sometimes you can put in all the effort for a marathon but peak too soon or not soon enough and fail to reap the rewards. I've experienced this on more than one occasion. This time I felt that I peaked at the right time and all my hard work seemed to pay off. I still think I have room for improvement, but I was very satisfied with this performance."

"My recovery from anything besides a marathon is pretty quick. I'm almost always back out the door the next morning, eager to start training for the next one. The marathon is different. It usually takes three to four weeks of easy running to get back to business as usual. I find that my mind is sometimes slower to recover than my body. I usually need more of a mental break from focusing on training and racing than a physical one," she said.

Her favorite running routes are along the Capital Crescent and Georgetown Branch trails. On the weekends she likes to explore different venues, such as Rock Creek Park, Great Falls, and Difficult Run. The Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run is her favorite local race because "it has excellent competition, it has a fast course, and it's in my back yard at a beautiful time of the year."

The sport of road racing causes one to reach down into the depths of one's soul to know oneself better, as Tanner shares, "I think running has made me a more productive person. Having to operate on a tight schedule forces me to prioritize and be efficient. The successes and failures I've experienced have also taught me how strong I am, both mentally and physically, which translates to confidence in other aspects of my life."

When asked to share some advice about the sport, Melissa said, "Keep it up! Be patient and your hard work will pay off."