I’m a full-time engineer and management consultant, part-time student, and a part-time fitness nut, but really just your average everyday Jane.  I enjoy participating in various challenges and living life to its fullest.  A huge part of this is fitness, and keeping healthy and strong so that I can go and experience things.  I love to travel for instance, and see the world even beyond the places catered to tourists, and I don’t ever want to be held back from seeing and experiencing things because I physically can’t do so.  I’m almost always super-busy, trying to balance preparing for the next physical challenge, a demanding work schedule, and a long-term pursuit of learning through university classes, currently on my MBA, but I’ve been thinking about law school or maybe a PhD, or maybe not, who knows?  Nonetheless, I believe that almost anything is possible, but you need to be truly committed and work for it, as it may not be easy, but it’ll definitely be worth it.

I have run four marathons, a couple 15Ks, numerous 10Ks and 5Ks, and I’ve done one figure show as well.  They’re definitely challenges, but they were for me, and gave me goals to train for, so the accomplishment was on a more personal level, but certainly nothing to speak of in the larger sense of accomplishment.

I guess running is kinda my thing, since it’s always been a mainstay of my fitness regimen.  But I don’t want to overemphasize that, since I spend just as much time in the weight room and on the stairclimber or elliptical as I do on the treadmill (don’t wanna look like a skinny toothpick!).  Running DOES get boring at times, but I love being alone with my thoughts, experiencing the outdoors, and thinking while plodding along.  I’ve been running off and on since high school, but got more serious after college when the college eating and lack of activity really caught up with me, and I started running to drop weight.  Yes, the weight did come off, and though I definitely do many other things now, I just don’t feel right if there’s not a run in my routine every few days.

Just feeling strong and energetic vice feeling weak and lethargic.  I feel so much better after a workout, and that keeps me coming back to the gym.  I like pushing myself to the limit, sometimes a little too far, but I learn a little more about myself every time, every workout, every day.

Hmmmm, this is always a tough one.  With my current work schedule and business travel, it’s been difficult to find a consistent gym for good workouts.  But, there are always the running shoes and the outdoors or the treadmill, along with pushups, crunches, the resistance bands and some plyo.  So, I’m thinking a spring ’07 marathon, maybe.  Long-term, I’m looking at another figure show and an ultra marathon, but who knows when on those yet?

Bottom line, I don’t want to die early or have a miserable quality of life!  I see so many people out struggling to climb a flight of stairs, or even requiring assistance to walk around the grocery store, that I never, ever want to get myself in that condition if I can help it.  The people I’m watching aren’t even old, they’re in their 20’s, 30’s, or even teens, and I just think about the life that they could have (they could hike up that hill without huffing and puffing) if they just tried just a little.

My wonderful husband Dave, who has put up with my crazy tendencies, changing moods, and single-mindedness more often than anyone; he’s been a great source of support when I’ve been down on myself.  He’s not so much a cheerleader though, more like a drill sergeant, but sometimes that’s what it takes to keep me going.

I think that fitness is or should be an ongoing pursuit in life for everyone.  Goals change, your body changes, but you are still in the pursuit of fitness at whatever level or situation you’re in.  There is no easy out or holy grail, just a long journey that, if you’re successful, you get to keep going.  Time is a precious commodity, and we need to maximize the use of it as much as we can, meaning yeah, you may rather head to happy hour after work instead of heading to the gym, but that hour you’ll spend in the gym will make you feel so much better the next morning than the hangover from the happy hour.  We all live stressed-out, overscheduled lives, and fitness kinda grounds you and provides you with an escape from the stress of the everyday.  Believe me, I know.

Cincinnati, OH