Evelyn Smith, 46
School Counselor

I've been running for...

3 years.

I started running because...

Walking seemed to take too long to complete the distance.

If I could no longer run I...

Would become a biker.

My favorite run is...

A fall run while looking at the fall colors...running while the snow falls and running in the rain.

My favorite thing to do after a hard workout is...

Relax, think about the good and bad of the run and enjoy the fact  that the run is over for the day.

I like to run with...

Visual stimulation from the change of seasons or the auditory sounds like running water or birds singing. The sights and sounds relax me.

The strangest place I've ever run is...

A race where the course took us through a shooting range and there was shooting at the time. I was worried and stayed watchful. I was glad when the race was over.

When I'm not running I like to...

Bike.  I read, write poems and I do a bit of artwork.

I am inspired by...

Runners and athletes who have overcome physical  limitations.  They help me to see that my temporary discomfort is minor in contrast.

The local runner I most admire is...

Larry Swanson.  I have never seen anyone so excited by a trail run.

To push myself on a run I...

Focus on my breathing, say positive affirmations or think of the days when I couldn't run due to my  health (high blood pressure) and weight.

When I weighed 296 pounds, I felt disabled and helpless.  It seems odd, but when someone tells me I did a good thing by getting off the couch,

I feel like it was nothing.  I guess it's  because I was holding myself back, unlike the people who lose a limb, etc. Those are outside influences and a bit harder to accept, overcome and rise above.

The high blood pressure and what it was doing to my body was my inspiration.  At first, I was angry and overate even more because I was on medication.  I bought a book on high blood pressure and began a walking program. I think that made all the difference. I began to feel better about myself and I lost about 25 pounds at first. The doctor said that if I continued to lose weight, he'd take me off the medication.  A year later, he did. That's about the time that I began my walk/run program. 

Even a small start is big. The walking helped me to feel so good about myself that I didn't let anything stop me.

Running has allowed me to accept my body as it is.  There were times when I first began to run where I felt I was being stared at because of my weight.  I saw myself as obese still.  Those thoughts are not with me as much now.  Running helped those thoughts to leave my head.

My greatest running accomplishment was...

Finishing the Literacy Council Half-Marathon. That race gave me the confidence to run  more half-marathons and then the Hobo Run 25K.  The Hobo Run gave me the confidence to run a marathon.

My next goal is...

To join the 50 states and DC marathon club.

I plan to run until I...

Qualify for and run the Boston Marathon. At my PR marathon time, I will be in the 75-79 age bracket by then.

I look at each day I run as a gift.