If you ran in the 2011 East Tomato 5K, then you had the pleasure of hearing this new East Nast of Week’s singing voice as she belted out the Star-Spangled Banner right before the starting gun. Say hello to the one and only Kristine Mylls.

Our good friend Kristine was born in New York state, in the small town of Mt. Kisco. It is also the birth place of one Bo Duke, also known as John Schneider. She did not stay in the Empire State too long, growing up mostly in Oakton, Virginia, which is just outside our nation’s capital.

In school Kristine was a bit of the “jack of all trades” variety. To some she was a tomboy, to others a girly-girl, and then she was also a music geek. As far as early sports, her family introduced her to the world of cycling an early age. Her father, who still races in cycling events at the age of 75!, ran the local BMX track, and yes there is a picture of young Kristine tearing up the track. ENJOY!!!

Her main passion though was music. She studied the piano seriously for several years, and she began singing and competing vocally as early as the 4th grade. Her singing carried her to George Mason University, where she studied Music and English. Through various singing groups in college, she gained the chance to perform at the White House and Kennedy Center.

In 1996, Kristine arrived in Nashville. She wanted to be a part of musical community, but not the ones in New York City or Los Angles. She had only planned on staying for a few years, but like so many others, Kristine thankfully stayed here instead. Now she runs marketing for J. Alexander’s restaurants and she has a cool side gig running the Jumbotron at Titans and Predators games.

Kristine’s running career took off in 2009. While planning a reunion with some college friends, they ended up all running the Indy Mini-Marathon together. Her husband, Dudley, had tried his best to convince her that running could be fun, but she would just laugh at him every time he said that. At a Hope on Wheels bike ride in 2009, she meet ENOW alumni Holland Carley, and she told Kristine all about this great running group out in East Nashville. The rest is history. Since her first half marathon in 2009, she has run several more half-marathon races, and even started getting into triathlons in 2011. Her greatest moment so far was during last year’s Half-Ironman in Augusta, GA. Although the run was brutal in the 90+ degree weather, she pushed herself to through the finish line!!!

One final mention about Kristine is that she loves helping train our Couch to 5K groups. She has recruited tons of people to the program, and her favorite part is to watch people transform themselves from not being able to run for 60 seconds to finishing a 3.1 mile race. (From everyone at East Nasty, we are so thankful for all that Kristine does for that program.)

For downtime, which is not all that often, Kristine likes to read, travel, hang out and relax with her husband, and sing. She still performs every once and while, Jazz primarily, but who knows, you may catch her singing the National Anthem once again in the future.

Here is one last picture of Kristine with her East Nasty buddies after this last weekend’s Mercedes Benz half marathon in Birmingham, Alabama. Be sure comment on Kristine induction to the ENOW club.

Rod