To put it simply, being an "active" member in the community has changed my life. Throughout my childhood and into my adult years, I was sporadically active (high school athletics, etc.) but never fully committed to living an active lifestyle.
In 2010, and after many failed attempts at diet and exercise, I committed to losing weight (was 232 pounds at the time at 5’ 10’’) by running 2 miles a day, 5 days a week. It was HARD, and I didn’t much care for it at the start, but as my endurance grew and my weight decreased, my confidence and love for the sport began to flourish.
In 2011 I trained for and ran my first half-marathon at Kalamazoo in the spring, and I WAS HOOKED! I trained alone for and ran the 2011 Grand Rapids Marathon, before stumbling across the AMAZING running community in Kalamazoo through the Borgess Run Camp. I have since run 16 marathons and made countless great friends along the way.
Anyone who spends time with me in my personal or professional life knows my passion for running and living an active lifestyle, and I do what I can to share with and inspire others to achieve their goals.
