We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anna Weber and Becki Spellman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anna and Becki below.

Anna and Becki, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

We first had the idea to start a running camp together in 2016. Since we are both running coaches and had both wanted to start a camp prior to meeting each other, it just made sense that we do it together. Between 2016 and 2018 we casually talked about our plans, and then, at the end of 2018 we had the realization that it was now or never. We had a short phone call and talked about what we wanted in the camp and our non-negotiables. We wanted BAnna Camp to be easily accessible, have safe running routes, and be affordable. Within 24 hours of our phone call, Becki had filed for our LLC and Anna started a BAnna Camp social media account. Once the ball got rolling, it moved very quickly. Within 4 weeks we found the perfect location, thanks to out-of-state friends who volunteered to do the footwork, and had started registering campers. The next few months were a whirlwind, but our first camp turned out to be a huge success.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Becki: I started running in 7th grade. I was always a lazy kid, so when I told my mom in 7th grade I wanted to run track, she was a little taken back. But she says I was always a fighter. I’m not sure that was meant as a good thing at the time. I ran well enough in high school to earn a scholarship to the University of Akron, but was far from where I wanted to be as an athlete. I worked hard in college, always believing I could be a better athlete than I was. I continued running after graduation and eventually moved up to the marathon. I qualified for my first Olympic Trials in 2008 (in Austin), and have since qualified for 3 more (’12, ’16, and ’20). I also am a running coach and own Spellman Coaching.

Anna; My story is very similar. I started running in 6th grade because I wanted to make the first cut on the basketball team, which the coach had promised for any middle schooler who ran cross country. I quickly realized I was a better runner than basketball player. I earned an athletic scholarship to Marquette University, where I worked hard but also knew I had more potential. I took some time off for grad school, but picked running back up in 2014. I qualified for the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Trials in the marathon. I am also a running coach and own Anna Weber Coaching.

We first met in 2016 at a running camp. We realized there wasn’t a camp specifically for the women we coached: women who were trying to get the most out of their running, no matter their goals, despite leading high-stress lives. We wanted to provide a place where we could empower women with the tools to be the best runners possible – whatever that meant to them.

We are most proud of the relationship that we model. As competitive runners and coaches with the exact same goals and similar personal bests in running, we could be extremely competitive with one another. Instead, we have recognized that we are stronger together and use our complementary talents to create something bigger than ourselves in the pursuit of helping others.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Getting through COVID with a brand new business was really tough. We hosted our first camp in January 2019, and we had planned for our second camp to be in March 2020. We canceled both 2020 and 2021 camps. Then, in 2022, everything in the weeks leading up to camp went wrong. One of our main presenters at camp had a family emergency and had to back out, our credit card was marked fraudulent and couldn’t be used, Anna hurt herself while carrying camp items up the steps at the hotel (which turned out not to have an elevator), among other mishaps. Despite everything going wrong the week of camp, we somehow managed to make everything work, without missing a beat. We even found a replacement for our presenter on very short notice. Alone, the stress of every plot twist would have made us crumble, but together we were able to laugh it off, brainstorm, and come up with solutions.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

We think our candid honesty and vulnerability have gone a long way with our supporters. If something challenging is going on in our lives, running, or with BAnna Camp, we share it. Our campers know that they can come to us and ask real questions about running and life and get real answers because between the two of us, we have been through it all. Not all elite athletes are open with their struggles. We have experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows in this sport, and are open books when it comes to injuries, mental health struggles, pregnancy, burnout, anxiety, and serious illness.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bannacamp.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/bannacamp
• Facebook: facebook.com/bannaruncamp

Image Credits
Rhi Johns