WHEN SHE BECAME ENGAGED to her high school sweetheart, Robert,
Jennifer set her sights upon two goals: becoming healthy in time for her
parents’ arrival for her college graduation and fitting into her mother’s
wedding dress. “My mother got married in 1950 and had this beautiful wedding dress that her sister sent to Jamaica for her. I was determined I would
wear that dress.” For several weeks, Jennifer’s diet consisted of eating
yogurt for breakfast and dinner. She also walked a lot… all across campus,
from the subway station to home, from the subway station to campus, and
as much as she could throughout New York City. Losing about 20 pounds,
Jennifer finally fit into the dress. “This was my first attempt at weight loss to
achieve a goal, and I did it!”
After she and Robert were married, Jennifer continued to be active. “The
running craze was in full swing in NYC in the late 1980s, and I jumped on the
bandwagon.” Living near Flushing Meadows Park, Jennifer would often go
there to run. “The ver y first time, I thought I was going to throw up!” She
stuck with it, however, and was soon running all over her Queens neighborhood. Once she began work with a publishing company in Greenwich Village,
Jennifer found several other runners and they began to race together, mainly in Central Park. After settling into marriage and becoming pregnant, her
weight began to fluctuate. Jennifer reached a turning point in 1997 when she
decided to return to running. “We were living in Orlando at the time, and I just
felt the need to hit the roads again. Once a runner, always a runner! I started
at a local park and recreational facility. When I ‘outgrew’ those boundaries,
I hit the roads. Running is freedom.” By January 1998, Jennifer was enrolled
in the Disney Half-Marathon. Although she didn’t keep track of time back
then, she successfully completed the run thanks to hard work, persistence
and the support of wonderful friends. In November 1998, she signed up for
the New York City Marathon. “With little guidance and minimal training, I ran
a 4:55 marathon. My sisters and nephew traveled from Texas to watch me run
through the streets of NYC and were there at the finish line waiting for me.”
When she and her family decided to move to Florence in 1998, Jennifer
experienced yet another rough transition. “That feeling again – of being
an outsider, starting over and making friends – wasn’t easy.” In addition
to being physically and emotionally stressed, Jennifer experienced severe
acne breakouts and weight gain. “I wasn’t feeling very good about myself.”
Things slowly came together for the family, thanks in part to recreational
football. “I met a very good friend, Karen Bostick, whose son played on the
same rec team as my son. She would invite us to all of her family gatherings
and we became part of her family.” Someone pointed out Jennifer’s lack
in providing self-care during this transition, and she eventually joined the
Fitness Forum. A few years later, she joined The Sole Blazers Running Club
and became active in cycling. She, along with her friend Liz Moore, completed the Myrtle Beach Mini-Triathlon. While the swimming aspect was
challenging, Jennifer enjoyed the experience.
I’VE WORKED HARD TO
“CHANGE,
AND I FEEL
CONFIDENT IN WHO I AM
Jennifer inspired Robert to start his own journey to a healthier lifestyle
in January of 2014. As a truck driver, he had gained quite a bit of weight.
“He never had the time to start a fitness program, and it was difficult to eat
healthy while on the road. Also, the Department of Transportation was getting stricter with physicals and health guidelines, so he knew he had to do
something. Meanwhile, my Sole Blazer friends and I had signed up for the
Myrtle Beach Mini-Marathon. Robert and I had gone to registration to pick
up my bib and other materials. Well, guess who decided to run on the spot
without ANY training whatsoever?!” Robert began to run several times a
week and developed healthier eating habits. “I think he’s more competitive
than I am; I want a more relaxed running experience.” Jennifer admits that
she encourages Robert to maintain his new lifestyle and they train together
in hopes of running a marathon side by side one day.
Over the years, Jennifer has also run in the Marine Corps Marathon, the
Darlington Marathon and the Myrtle Beach Marathon. In December, Jennifer and Robert completed the Reggae Full- and Half- Marathon in Negril,
Jamaica. “Robert ran the full in 4:41 and I ran the 10K. This was a great experience and I’m very proud to have completed these marathons.” While
she’s won many awards in her age group, as well as placed as Overall
Master, the thrill of running has lost a bit of its spark for Jennifer currently.
Back in the day at Flushing Meadow Park, there wasn’t a major emphasis
on pace or completion time. These days, Jennifer feels that running has become more competitive. “I want to go out and just BE. This year is going
to be much more laid back for me. Currently, I am a part of the Carolinas
Hospital Healthy Woman Initiative Couch-to-5K program in preparation for
the Pacing-for-Pieces 5K in March. I will also be training with friends to keep
them motivated. My friend Dorothy Crosby, with whom I ride bikes a lot, is
doing the 5K training. I told her that if I can bike, she can run!” Jennifer is
participating in the Diabetes Ride in Columbia in May and has recently purchased a commuter bike to ride to work. She’s also considering the Divas
Half-Marathon in May and another triathlon with her friend Liz.
No matter what fitness goals she sets for herself, Jennifer will always
be proud of the way she’s changed her self-image. “I’ve worked hard to
change, and I feel confident in who I am. I have a few pounds to lose, but I’ll
get it done. I am now comfortable with who I am and how I look… not bad
for a chubby kid from Jamaica! I’m extremely proud of who I have become.”
Jennifer Harze resides in Florence, South Carolina, with her husband Robert. They
have one son, Brandon, and three grandchildren: Trinity, Tiana, and Ben. Jennifer is a
Speech-Language Pathologist at Heritage Healthcare.
SHEMAGAZINE.COM
FEBRUARY 2016
145