I graduated college in 2012, I expected to go straight into grad school and then into a PhD program. When I applied to grad schools I got into ODU's Masters of Exercise Science Program, I wasn't sure if this was really what I wanted to do, I have a bachelors in Exercise Science that I can barely do anything with what the hell would I do with a Masters. So I declined the acceptance and took a year off. I wasn't exactly happy about this but I did what I thought was best. In that year off I continued working as a lifeguard and started working on the Spirit of Norfolk as a Deckhand in September of 2012. After a while I was beginning to question, what am I doing with my life? why am I here and not in school? why am I working jobs that have nothing to do with my college degree? why am I not getting the jobs I have applied for? I just didn't understand, I am a highly motivated person, but yet I had begun to slip into the comfort of being home and being complacent. In December, I decided to start volunteering with Southeastern Physical Therapy, if I can't get a job as a tech I will at least volunteer! So that is what I did. Interesting thing is that it eventually led to a job in March, a tech (Gage) at the Spine Center was going into surgery and they needed a tech to take his shifts. SCORE! I GOT THE JOB!! This eventually led me to decide I would like to take the path to become a Physical Therapist, so I am now taking classes to get into PT or PTA school, I will apply fall of 2014. I have such great support at the PT office, without the push from them I wouldn't have started eating better or exercising more as well, I think all these people defiantly came into my life to help me improve in areas I lacked and to help me decided on a future career. I only hope that somehow I too have made a positive impact on their lives as well.
Also, that December while working on the Spirit of Norfolk I also met Chad, little did I know that this would change my life as I knew it. As he stood next to me greeting the people as they came on the ship people kept telling him how fast he was, how he killed PT stuff...so he ran, how cool so we talked about that and how I was training for my first marathon. He told me about the Hampton Roads Runners, I said I'd check it out. I ended up doing that but ran like a bat out of hell with the faster people and slowed down and got lost (I didn't know that they took a different route that the other runners so no one ever came up behind me). Kind of embarrassed I did not return to that group run until February. They didn't care about the last time, it was just me and over thinking things. They were such nice people and I loved it! I ran Shamrock Marathon and was back out at the Ghent Run the following Wednesday...which is where I then met Dennis. Everyone was talking before the run and Dennis told me to be careful because I may feel fine but my legs probably weren't ready to run like I thought...yeah right I thought, my legs are good and I am ready to go! About 1.5 miles into the 6 mile run I thought well man, he was right. I turned around and only "ran/walked" 3 miles that day. I waited for everyone to come back and talked with Dennis and David after. We all talked about the Shamrock marathon and training, apparently Dennis coaches runners, which I thought was cool. Later that night I looked it up on Facebook and "liked" it haha, Dennis messaged me about how it was nice meeting me and how he can really help me achieve my goals. I started coming out to the groups that he led (the ones I could at the time with my work schedule).
Dennis started really training me back in May/June after I was fully recovered from my marathon. Once I started going to the Monday night track workouts I realized how slow I was, how much faster literally everyone was than me. It sucked, I hated it, but I had to remember that these people did not start out this fast and they have also been working with Dennis for a while now. So I stuck with it, I kept going to practices and pushing myself! It was hard and there were days that I still felt slow or felt like less of a runner than the faster people. The important thing in life and in running is that you can't compare someone else's journey to your own, they have their path and you have yours. The important thing is to be the best YOU can be, to put in a days work and move on with it, "you have done what you could". Since starting with Dennis I have PR'd in my half marathon for the first time in two years and feel strong.
I am probably in the best shape of my life right now, I feel fantastic. I am really happy for the first time in a while, not everything is perfect, not even close, but I have such a great support system. I have had the opportunity to join several groups that all me to help others and make a positive impact on children. I have met several people who have made me realize that you can't let things slow you down or put you down in life. I know that I am where I am suppose to be right now and that everything will work out, I cannot stress over the what-ifs in life...they will always be there and I will drive myself crazy if I keep doing that.
Also, that December while working on the Spirit of Norfolk I also met Chad, little did I know that this would change my life as I knew it. As he stood next to me greeting the people as they came on the ship people kept telling him how fast he was, how he killed PT stuff...so he ran, how cool so we talked about that and how I was training for my first marathon. He told me about the Hampton Roads Runners, I said I'd check it out. I ended up doing that but ran like a bat out of hell with the faster people and slowed down and got lost (I didn't know that they took a different route that the other runners so no one ever came up behind me). Kind of embarrassed I did not return to that group run until February. They didn't care about the last time, it was just me and over thinking things. They were such nice people and I loved it! I ran Shamrock Marathon and was back out at the Ghent Run the following Wednesday...which is where I then met Dennis. Everyone was talking before the run and Dennis told me to be careful because I may feel fine but my legs probably weren't ready to run like I thought...yeah right I thought, my legs are good and I am ready to go! About 1.5 miles into the 6 mile run I thought well man, he was right. I turned around and only "ran/walked" 3 miles that day. I waited for everyone to come back and talked with Dennis and David after. We all talked about the Shamrock marathon and training, apparently Dennis coaches runners, which I thought was cool. Later that night I looked it up on Facebook and "liked" it haha, Dennis messaged me about how it was nice meeting me and how he can really help me achieve my goals. I started coming out to the groups that he led (the ones I could at the time with my work schedule).
Dennis started really training me back in May/June after I was fully recovered from my marathon. Once I started going to the Monday night track workouts I realized how slow I was, how much faster literally everyone was than me. It sucked, I hated it, but I had to remember that these people did not start out this fast and they have also been working with Dennis for a while now. So I stuck with it, I kept going to practices and pushing myself! It was hard and there were days that I still felt slow or felt like less of a runner than the faster people. The important thing in life and in running is that you can't compare someone else's journey to your own, they have their path and you have yours. The important thing is to be the best YOU can be, to put in a days work and move on with it, "you have done what you could". Since starting with Dennis I have PR'd in my half marathon for the first time in two years and feel strong.
I am probably in the best shape of my life right now, I feel fantastic. I am really happy for the first time in a while, not everything is perfect, not even close, but I have such a great support system. I have had the opportunity to join several groups that all me to help others and make a positive impact on children. I have met several people who have made me realize that you can't let things slow you down or put you down in life. I know that I am where I am suppose to be right now and that everything will work out, I cannot stress over the what-ifs in life...they will always be there and I will drive myself crazy if I keep doing that.