Runner of the Week: Peggy Hewitt

This week's Runner of the Week just graduated from a recent RunnerDude's Fitness Beginning Running Group.


Peggy, like many mom's, found herself filling most of her time with family and work commitments, leaving very little time for herself. But, after seeing her daughter getting into running and loving it, she decided to check it out for herself and ended up getting hooked.


Throughout the beginning running program, Peggy often shared her appreciation for the group and the knowledge she was learning, but what Peggy didn't know was that her desire to become a runner along with the other eight ladies in her group (ages 33 to 61) was one of the most motivating and inspirational things I've been involved with.


Each lady in the group had the same concerns, "will I be the oldest," "...the slowest", "...the least fit." They were nervous and worried they wouldn't be able to complete the program. The group, however, quickly bonded and supported each other through the weekly group runs and the weekly independent runs. It wasn't long before the comments turned from "Will I be the slowest?" to "How far have we gone?" "What's my pace?" "How far is a 5K?" I loved every minute of it.


Read on to learn more about Peggy and her experience with running.


Having been tall and skinny while growing up, people always asked me if I played basketball or was athletic. The truth is, no one in my family was athletic! Especially me! We were all encouraged to learn piano or violin, or some other form of the arts. Even though I was the only one out of my large family most likely to play in neighborhood 'pickup' games, I could never talk my siblings into joining in the fun. So, I was thrilled when my three children all showed athletic abilities (along with artistic talents!). However, instead of joining along side them, again I was the spectator - or the band Mom, Scout Mom, taxi Mom, church youth group Mom, ect… Being a single parent since my oldest was 5 years of age left little time for personal exercise. (Or, so, was my excuse!)


Over the past few years, though, all three kids, now in their early 20's, have all continued with running on a more serious level. Amy joined a running group about a year ago, and then decided to train for a half marathon. She found Thad McLaurin, from RunnerDude's Fitness, and signed up with him. She would come home and tell me how far she had run and how much progress she was making. I could see such a change in her, that I became curious about this thing called running. So, I threw on a pair of tennis shoes and started running around the neighborhood.


Amy, Andy, and David were so proud of me; they decided we should do a Family 5K. There was one coming up a few weeks later and they were SURE it would be the perfect race for the four of us. When the 5K start time rang out, all the runners took off at the fastest pace I had ever seen! Amy ran at my side the whole race encouraging me to keep going even though I'm sure I was barely moving at times! Was I the last one to finish? I may have been; but I FINISHED! And I loved it! Every aching muscle and breathless moment! I knew then, I wanted to learn the right way to run!

I was in luck; Thad was starting another beginner's running group in just a few weeks. About eight to ten of us beginners met twice a week to learn the proper techniques of running from Thad. He is surely the most patient trainer ever! We were always asking "Why do my knees…", "When will my breathing…", What should I eat…" "When should I eat…"? Our questions were endless! Thad answered each question, and if he wasn’t sure, he would find the answer and email it to us. Thad never pushed us or made us feel like we were not doing our best. He ran alongside us each day telling us how well we were doing.


Although Thad never pushed us to make a certain 'time' or distance, we were all curious as to how far we were running. Thad measured our route and discovered we were running about 3 miles! The last week of our program had us up to running 30 minutes. What perfect timing for the Resolution Run 5K! I decided to go for it!

David and I met a few new running friends at the start line that New Year's Day. But, I was so thrilled when Thad came and ran alongside me the whole race! It was like having my own personal trainer there cheering me on! His watch measured distance and time so at the end of each mile he could tell me how I was doing! Even though I was running faster than I usually go on my weekly runs, once I saw the finish line I had that second wind come over me. I sprinted that last tenth of a mile and managed to come in 7th for my age group! David came in second for his age group! What a great feeling!


I know I could not have done this without Thad! I am so thankful for his encouragement and dedication to helping us meet our goals and live a healthier lifestyle. He truly has a special gift. Five of us in this last beginners group are nurses and we often commented on how it makes us feel good to be role models for others by routinely exercising. If not for Thad and his gift for encouraging and teaching, I know I would not be so excited about running. I know this is something I will continue doing!--Peggy

RunnerDude's Runner of the Week: Tim Wilson

I've been following this week's Runner of the Week—Tim Wilson— through his blog and on Twitter for quite a while. His story of a complete lifestyle turnaround for himself and his family is truly amazing. Read on to find out more about Tim's story.

RD: Where are you from?

Tim: Currently live in Gwinnett County in NE Atlanta.

RD: Share a little about yourself. What do you do for a living? Hobbies?
Tim: I have been happily married for 20 years and have three awesome kids, two daughters in high school, and a son in elementary. I am a programmer, mainly working with .NET technologies and mainly for the web, but also am kinda an IT jack of all trades since I work for a smaller company. For hobbies I don't have many. I tend to focus on a couple things at a time. My first and foremost is running, and second is blogging and everything that goes along with it from a social media and technical standpoint. Of course my wife and kids and all their activities are important, but I don't consider those hobbies.

RD: How long have you been running?
Tim: I have been running for just over 3 years, I started in February of 2007.

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RD: What got you into running?
Tim: I used to run XC and track in high school and loved it. I tried a few times over the years but never got very far. I was changing my lifestyle and losing weight. I started just walking, but then one day decided I would try running. It was slow going and very short, but grew each time I tried. I guess you could say my poor health and wanting to change it got me into running.

RD: What do you enjoy most about running?
Tim: I love so much about it that I just don't know where to start or end. I love how it makes me feel, how much energy it gives me, how I don't have to worry about myself physically and how I can eat. :) I also love the camaraderie and community around it and the change it has made in my life and my family's life.

RD: What are your favorite training foods?
Tim: I have never really thought about this before. I like food period.

RD: I'm with you on that. I eat pretty healthful food, but I love my chocolate cake once in a blue moon too! LOL!

RD: Are you a lone runner or do you run with some buddies? What do you like about each?
Tim: I am mainly a lone runner. 95% of my running is done alone in the wee hours of the morning. I like the flexibility of being a lone runner since I can then go when, where, and however far or fast I want to. I do really enjoy running with my kids as well though and running with a running group at least once a week. This is all fairly new though in the past year, and the group runs in the past couple months. I like the group runs because you tend to get outside your comfort zone and push a bit harder than by yourself.

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RD: What’s the funniest or oddest thing that’s happened to you while on a run?
Tim: I could tell (and have told) a lot of stories about this so it is hard to find just one. Two years ago I was just coming off of setting a new 5k PR in the toughest course I have ever run. I was hoping to set a new PR and hopefully drop under 21:00 in my upcoming race the second week in June 2008. I lined up near the front and was ready to go. The gun went off and I started, but didn't get far. Less than 100 yards into the race I was tripped while in mid-stride and went down hard on my shoulder and head. After getting up it didn't take long to find that I had broken my collar bone in multiple places. 8 months off from running and multiple surgeries later I felt like I was almost starting over. The next year when I ran that race I wasn't anywhere near setting the PR much less getting anywhere near the 21:00 time. I was also a bit nervous running the first time back, but I was running it with my daughter so I had a bodyguard. :)

RD: Ouch! Good comeback man!

RD: For the good or the bad, how has running affected you personally?
Tim: It has changed my life completely. It is one of the main driving factors in my life. It has given me a way to help lose 90 pounds and more importantly a way to keep it off. It has brought back energy that I had lost for so long, and it has given me something to pass along to my kids and others that know me personally, through my blog, or through any other social media. It is truly one of the best feelings to be told that you were the inspiration for someone that is running, eating better, or just living a healthier life.

RD: What’s your biggest running accomplishment? Why?
Tim: My biggest running accomplishment would be my first 5k, because without it I would have never had the desire, drive, or ability to continue on to run that 26.2.... the second biggest accomplishment. My first 5k I came in dead last in the race, even being beat by someone running with a hernia, but that race was the stepping stone that I needed at that time to keep going and keep trying.

RD: Do you have a favorite brand of running shoe? Which model? Why?
Tim: I have run in NB 767, 768, 769's exclusively until these past few weeks. I had good luck and didn't want to change. I was recently sent a pair of Pearl iZumi SyncroFuel XC's and have been running in them a lot lately as well. If I had to choose right now I would choose the Pearl iZumi's.

RD: Cool. I'm pretty loyal to a shoe once I find one that works well for me too. I'm lucky in that I get to test-drive lots of different shoes for various shoe companies and recently I test out a pair of the SyncroFuel XC train shoes and the road version too. I was impressed with them as well.

RD: What’s your favorite race distance(s)? Do you have a favorite race you run each year?
Tim: My favorite race distance is probably the half marathon, but of course only if I have been training for it. If I haven't been training for it, it is just 13 miles of torture and .1 of pure bliss..... or at least just really slow. My favorite race though is a 5k, specifically the 5k I mentioned above. It is the Saratoga 5k Fun Run. It is a very small local race that is run in a neighborhood without closing any roads. It was the first race I ever ran in, and the race that I finished dead last in. What makes it even more special was that it was also it's very first running. Only myself and one other runner has run it every time for the 4 years it has been run. Even though I came in dead last the first year, I finished second overall the second year (no, I am not that fast, it is just a very small race) The added benefit is that this is the hilliest course I have ever run and where I still hold my 5k PR.

RD: If you were speaking to a group of non-runners or runner wannabes and trying to encourage them to run, what would you say?
Tim: Take it slow at first. Don't expect to run very far the first time, or even for a while..... and that is OK! Build it up slowly and don't try to go too fast (while running, or while building up to a mile and beyond). Take the time and the money and go get fitted for some good running shoes, without them you may not be running long, or may be running in more pain and doing more damage than you need to.

RD: Open Mike: Share anything you‘d like about your running experiences, past accomplishments, goals, dreams….anything you haven’t previously shared.
Tim: If you have ever read my blog you know I am not known to be short winded but let me give it a shot. As I mentioned earlier, I started running while losing weight. More specifically I let myself get horribly out of shape after high school and put on close to 100 pounds of unneeded blubber. I finally had a doctor tell me I needed to lose weight at the end of 2006, so decided to make it happen starting January of 2007. Running was a key part of the 90 pound weight loss I had that year. Running has also changed my family tree. None of my kids would have been interested in running since we lead such a sedentary lifestyle, but because I am now a runner all of my kids have taken up the sport. One of my daughter's just finished her freshman year in high school where she ran varsity on XC and ran in state. She also was very competitive in track where her older sister joined her in running. They are both currently training for XC in the fall. My 8-year-old son has run with me off and on but is still trying to find the love that his older sisters have. Following my first marathon I took some time to back off the miles a bit. I have plans to run at least one marathon in the fall and may start training for an ultra sometime after that.

Thanks Tim for sharing your story! I can't wait to eventually read the recap of that ultra!! You truely are an inspiration to runners, Dad's, and familys everywhere! Be sure to check out Tim's blog—26.2 Quest.