Lizzy is one of those people you meet who is just BEAUTIFUL!  Her soul, her smile – everything!  She’s just a kind, sweet gal, and when I heard the words out of her mouth “I want to do a half marathon” – I was SO excited!!!!!!!!

If I asked Lizzy if she LOVES to run or if she LOVED it before doing this half marathon or even now – I’m not sure the answer would be a blazing YES (which is like most SANE people), but that is what makes her story amazing…  Lizzy picked a goal that she knew was reachable but still a challenge to her and something a bit outside of her comfort zone.  I mean, if that doesn’t deserve a WOW then I don’t know what does!!!

I met Lizzy back in my BBC days, and one of her best friends – also a former client and an avid Megan Conner BBC 5:30pm class attendee when I used to teach – Mary Raines Johnson – did the half with her, and supported Lizzy all the way.  Mary Raines – also another AMAZING human being is one of those people if she says she’s gonna do it – she does it!!!  And SHE DID!!

These gals had their training plan mapped out from day 1, and they stuck by it.  Here’s a picture of the girls on an early morning Greenway run.  Look at those smiles!!

Lizzy was a champ when it came to getting her long runs in which I stressed were THE most important of all.  After her solo 11 miler – I knew she had it in the bag!  Their run was in Carmel, CA and I was on the edge of my seat the that morning waiting for updates and pictures and to hear that they finished.  I got all of the above!  Lizzy and Mary Raines had fun, enjoyed each other’s company and accomplished a huge goal together!!

What I love most about this spotlight is Lizzy’s advice to other people out there trying to reach or even set goals.  These gals are examples of real goal getters, and I’m blessed to call both of them friends!  Thank you, Lizzy and Mary Raines for letting me be a part of your journey and goal getting!  You both are incredible women!

I asked Lizzy a few more questions about her first half marathon experience, and here’s what she had to say –

-What is the biggest thing you learned through the process?

Running is more mental than anything! I can run long distances I just have to be sure not to let my mind get to me. It also helped me realize that I am capable of setting a high physical goal and achieving it.

-How did you feel when you crossed that finish line?

Shock! It is crazy to imagine the fact I just ran 13.1 miles, but I was so proud of myself and the accomplishment. I remember crossing the finish line and thinking ‘oh my gosh, I did it! They did not pick me up or reroute me…I am getting a medal!

-What kept you motivated?

I had a great support team! Between scheduling runs with Megan, Mary Raines, and having my boyfriend Clayton make sure I was staying on track, I was able to hold myself accountable. The weekend before I left for the race I signed up for a 10k. I had never run a 10k before, but my training program suggested I sign up for one. I set a goal of 1:30 to finish and ended up running it in 16 minutes faster than my goal. It really helped boost my confidence leading up to the race.

-What was the most important part of your training?

The long runs for sure! And just getting the miles in. I could not run every long run all the way through but finding out the distances and pace really helped.

Also, switching it up! Barry’s was a nice break from straight running and allowed me to get the miles I needed during the week along with a side workout. Also all the runs I did with Megan really helped prove to myself I could keep running when I wanted to stop. I heard her voice the entire 13.1 miles for sure!

-What advice would you give to others who want to reach a goal like this?

If I can do it….you can do it! After running this it made me realize that I may not ever finish a race in the top of my age group or even run a 9 minute mile, but I am out there trying hard to accomplish a goal. It is also okay to walk, not all the time but little rewards will help motivate you.

Make an event out of it! We picked pebble beach because it was a fun get away and we had a lot of time to vacation and enjoy ourselves before the race.

Do it with a friend! Mary Raines was a big supporter. She pushed me and forced me to keep running when all I wanted to do was quit. I am a total mental person, so having someone to break me out of that mental block really helped me.

-What are your goals going forward?

Have fun with working out! I want to maintain the progress and endurance I have created and use it towards other workouts around town. It was a great accomplishment and I see myself training for other half marathons with friends later in life, but right now I think I will stick to running in fun runs like 5k, 10k, and maybe even try a 15k. ​