How I Started Running:
I was never an athlete in High School. The only running I did was from the cops in the woods (ha, ha….but true!) Going through a rough patch in life, I was either going to keep gaining weight and go downhill or turn things around. Someone suggested I run a 5K. It was flat and I thought it sounded great to cross a finish line. I changed my eating habits, started walking on the treadmill and lost 60 pounds. Then, I attempted a Couch-to-5K program. It was extremely hard and so many times I had to repeat weeks because I was not able to move on to the next week. My entire family was there to cheer me on at my first 5k. I thought I might die and wondered how people could ever run more than 3 miles. Sometimes I still think that same thing!
My Favorite Moments / Biggest Accomplishments:
I loved the feeling of accomplishment and just kept running…but
a full marathon, that was a huge jump for me. In 2016 I flew to Washington DC and finished my first marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon. One of my daughters, my niece and 2 childhood friends came to cheer me on. It was truly life changing, I tear up just thinking about it! Five years have passed since my first race and here I am training for marathon #4. I am now more educated and always chasing a PR.
Running has brought so much meaning to my life and most importantly a group of people I truly cherish. Thank you running for changing my life forever!
Future Goals:
I look forward to doing the Marine Corps Marathon again this year and hope to meet a lot of my Team Ordinary teammates!