Profession… part-time freelance writer. I was a teacher for 12 years.
First love… living as rich and full a life with the people dearest to me.
I started running on… May 7, 2005.
Life/sport philosophy… to give it the very best you’re capable of. Learn from what you’ve done before. Apply what you’ve learned to your next experience.
Favorite spot to be active… the Naples Saturday run, for the marathon training. AREC members are lucky to have that for our training run because it’s so beautiful.
Athletic highlights… 7 years ago I finished losing 100 pounds and since then I’ve kept it off.
My running experience with AREC has been… exhilarating.
I’ve been with AREC since… mid-June.
I run… for my health. To clear my head. For a sense of accomplishment. For a feeling of relaxation.
When I’m not running I am… connecting with friends and family members. I could also be on the Internet or traveling.
My best running accomplishment… 1. 11.2 mile run that I finished a couple of weeks ago without stopping. 2. A 14.9 mile course which I ran and walked (in that horrible heat a few weeks ago!)
My first race… the Revlon Run/Walk for Women 5K, the annual race for Breast and Ovarian cancer, on the USC campus. I ran 2.8 miles, the rest of the course. It took 44:14. That was May 7, 2005, my first run ever.
Running history… I did a little bit of recreational running in high school, 27 years ago, when I was a junior. I did 30 minutes a day of running, about 8 laps. I was able to do that running because I had lunch before free period. However, my schedule was changed, so I couldn’t stay with the running because of homework demands and extracurricular activities. In college, I ran 3-4 days a week (for only a couple of weeks), but had to quit because of knee injuries. Thank God for new shoe technology! About the only shoes available during that time were Penney’s or K-Mart. There wasn’t a Road Runner Sports back then and I didn’t know about Runners High!
My goal is… 1. To stay in good health so that I can run the rest of my life. 2. To complete the LB Half Marathon. 3. To complete LA Marathon next March. 4. To do a 5K in 30 minutes.
My running mantra… loose, easy, free. Because I tend to run very stiffly, I keep that mantra in mind, so I can really pick up my pace and feel great at the same time.
I’m inspired by… Heather’s continued running throughout her trials with cancer. Her efforts totally astonish me. …Bernard’s leadership and Emmett’s enthusiasm.
The best advice I ever got was… listen to yourself, listen to how you feel.
I want to improve in… speed, by far!
I love… the folks in AREC who are so eager to help me.
I hate… that I’ve got nothing but slow-twitched muscles.
I wish… that I were built like a runner.
Last thoughts… I’m very appreciative of the continued support and enthusiasm by AREC members.