Frugal Wahm Magazine - Premier | Page 56

56

The first time out was more of a jog/walk and more walk than a jog. It was only a mile and felt like I was going to die, but I didn’t. So my journey began with that first mile of a jog/walk. As 2009 went on I started running more and more. My distances got longer and faster.

By 2010, it was time to enter in my first race. It was a 5K (3.1 miles) that started in my town and ran around the same routes that I was already running on my own. Being the first race, it was a good race to start with. There were some little hills not to many and the people on the roads were so supportive. They didn’t know you but they would cheer you on. Even the other runners would say “Good Job” and “Keep it up, your almost there”. That is what I love about the running community; you can be supportive of a complete stranger.

In the summer of 2010, I was only shooting for maybe one race a month. Not every plan happens that way. The follow Friday after my first race in 11 years, my mother was talking to one of her former colleagues.He was telling her about this race that his wife put on each year to help the American Cancer Society. The race was a great run with it being downhill and that it was the next day. So I called that night and got my name on the list for the next day’s run. It was only 5K run and downhill, I thought great it shouldn’t be too hard. The first 2 miles was up and down hills, the last mile was down and then we ended running on gravel. Even though I approved my time, it was a challenged with making sure I didn’t go too fast down the hill because it was straight down. I can say that it was fun and knew a lot of the people running.

In the past 3 years, I have run in 14 races; several 5Ks, 10Ks (6.2 miles) and this past January my first 1⁄2 Marathon. My other goal is to run in a Marathon. I have a great running buddy that helps to push me during our runs and also slacks with me (but that is okay every once in a while). We are still out there walking and running.

In March of this year, I started seeing a personal trainer, which I learned about through a friend. They would meet each Wednesday and work out. Then during the week, wewould do a specialized workout for ourselves created by the trainer. From this workout we would set goals to work for. All I want was to lose weight (like everyone else in the world) and be able to run faster. As the month has gone on, I have removed both pop and junk from my diet and have lost 15 pounds.

In December, I was at Disney with my kids for Dance the Magic, I saw a RunDisney.com advertisement. So I checked it out and thought it would be great to do a 1⁄2 Marathon this upcoming November. So I planned on doing that. Well, then RunDisney sent me an email about the Dopey Challenge. I looked into it and learned it was races over 4- days - a 5K on Thursday, 10K on Friday, 1⁄2 Marathon on Saturday and a Marathon on Sunday in January 2014. I thought,” You know what, I could do that”. I talked to my personal trainer. He said he would help build my endurance and get me ready for the races. Now I am on track to my first Dopey Challenge and my first ever Marathon.

The road will not be easy, but I’m looking forward to sharing my journey with you over next year. Together with you & my trainer I will face this challenge & not look too Dopey along the way.

The road to the Dopey Challenge...

Michelle Suman is the owner of JamSum Limited and is part of the work at home community. Since February 2001, JamSum Limited, a professional full-service company, custom designs services specifically for your business as well as for you, the individual. She has an AAB in Computer Sciences.

She and her husband, Chris, of 13 years have 3 children. She has been a Girl Scout Leader, a PTO Secretary and Swim Team Booster V.P. Enjoys coaching Cheerleading and Basketball for her community. She is a runner that has run in 5K, 10K and a ½ Marathon races. Currently is in the process of training for a 4 day run of a 5K, 10K, ½ Marathon and Marathon.

As a runner in High School, I always thought I would continue running because I really enjoyed doing it. Well that isn’t what happened. That thing called Life became more busy and interesting. I went off to college like most. It only took me 16 months straight through to get my Associate Degree in Computer Sciences. Found a great job a couple months after graduating. The following year, I got married and then had two children 15 months a part. I was only 23 by the time my second child came. Starting my own business and having two children at home was a bit crazy and tiring. In 2008, I had my third child and decided after she was born that I was going to start running again. It had been 11 years since I really had taken time to run. It was hard to start running again.