Dr. P can tell you the exact day she became a runner, July 23, 2007, at age 52. Considerably over weight she had agreed to join her son and his wife for a one hour walk at a Relay for Life event in Corona, California. When her son, Vincent, who had become a marathon runner a few years prior, said, “Hey mom run with me a bit.” Dr. P thought he was crazy. She replied, “Oh Vincent, I can’t run!” He encouraged Dr. P try and run up to a specific person on the track. “See the lady in the yellow shirt? Just run up to her.” This coaching continued until before she knew it she had run, if you call a 16 min mile a run, 4 miles. Dr. P was shocked, amazed and totally hooked. She can do this!
Dr. P ran her first half marathon in August of 2008, which has led to the completion of 43 half marathons with a few 5k, 10k and triathlons tossed in. Her greatest running pride comes from running her first marathon in December 2010, which led to qualifying for the Boston Marathon in December of 2013. She ran the 2015 Boston Marathon the day after her 60th birthday, and re-qualified for Boston 2016. That began the Six Star Journey. New York Marathon in 2017, Chicago Marathon 2018 and Berlin Marathon 2021. The London Marathon this October 2022 will be Star #5 in the quest to run all six Abbott World Majors. Only Tokyo to go!
Dr. P is now 66 years old, running slower with a few more aches and pains, but always remembering running changed her life. It has changed her. It changed her physically, but more importantly it changed how she views life. Running allowed Dr. P to believe in herself, to push herself outside her comfort zone, and to accomplish goals she would never have thought possible.
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