You will Jamie at many of our events. Like many of us, she started off slowly and set goals for herself to achieve. Having accomplished those goals, she then sets new ones. And that’s what I love about running, too. That you get to challenge yourself on a regular basis, reflecting back on how far you have come, but still being inspired by what’s lies ahead. Here is her story…
Why did you start running? I started running again after a 20 year break because a friend asked me to do the Color Run in Chicago. I had so much fun that I wanted to do more. It was a challenge to do the 5K since I hadn’t ran in such a long time. But just the thrill of being out there, running next to thousands of people, encouraged me to keep going.
How did you get started? After that 5K, I started using the Couch to 5K app to train for running. It was a great tool to use because it started you off slow. I then started going to the gym, running on the treadmill. I started slowly and gradually increased my time, both speed and how long I ran without stopping. I made sure to not push myself to hard at the beginning, I didn’t want to burn myself out.
What is your favorite Hometown Happenings event? It is hard to decide which Hometown Happenings Event is my favorite. I seriously love them all. One of my favorites is the St. Patrick Day 1 mile run. Even though it is short, it is so much fun to dress up and run. Everyone is already lined up along the streets for the parade, so you have a huge cheering squad encouraging you to keep going. Then afterwards, you can stay and watch the parade, which is also a ton of fun. Another favorite is the Thank God for Pets 5K. Any run that involves dogs is the best! The race supports a great cause! How can you go wrong when there are animals everywhere for you to pet?! My other favorite is the Mother’s Day 5K. I love waking up on Mother’s Day and doing something I love. Additionally, it is for a great cause and gets awareness out there. It’s also the one race that my mom comes to watch. I get to run it with my best friend and her mom, then spend time with them and my mom afterwards. The after race events make you feel so special.
What goal do you still want to accomplish? My goal I want to still accomplish while running is to just 
simply increase my speed and time. Every time I run, my goal is to have a PR. Every time I do a 5K, my goal is to be in the top 3 of my age group. If I keep that goal in my head, I am encouraged to keep running.
What are your interests/ activities outside of running? Outside of running, I am a mother to a 15 year old son and a 6 year old dog. They seem to take up all of my free time, but I absolutely love spending time with them. Besides that, I love to read and work on my house, redoing one room at a time, slowly. And, when I am not running, I am always searching for more 5Ks to do. I like to do 2 to 3 5Ks a month with my best friend.
Your best advice for someone getting started? My best advice for someone who is just starting to run is to never give up. Set goals for yourself. Work hard to reach those goals, then set new goals. Start off slow and gradually work to increase speed and time. If you can, find a running buddy who will help you stay motivated and on track. If you make plans with someone to run, you are much more likely to not find excuses or reasons to not run. And have fun!!!