RIF #191 Kristy Escue
This week’s Run It Fast – The Club profile is Kristy Escue #191. Kristy is one of our newest members. She recently decided to transform her life and she joined Run It Fast – The Club get motivated to push herself even more and to learn all she can from other members and be inspired. I find her story pretty inspiring too.
Meet Kristy:
INFO
Name: Kristy Escue
RIF #: 191
Blog: Flying With The Unicorns
Twitter: @Kristy_Runs
STATS
Years Running: Consistently 1. Since the end of Sept 2011. 5+ years prior I would just walk/slowly run around my neighborhood to clear my head, try to lose weight & stroll my youngest son around. I was never consistent with it because I didnʼt know anything about pacing, distance or proper hydration. -An idiot runner really.
Favorite Race Distance: So far, 13.1
Favorite PR: GreenLine Half Marathon Oct 14, 2012. PR 1:59:11. My 1st Sub2. 😀
Favorite Race: Well I have two. The Germantown Half Marathon March 2012. That was my 1st race ever. Finishing that was a huge accomplishment for me. I set a semi-high goal of 13.1 because Iʼm very competitive with myself & wanted to see if I could actually do it. I did it in 2:12:57. I love proving things like that to myself. My other favorite was Elvis Presley 5k in our Memphis hometown. I ran it with my 15 year old son Joey. He beat me by 5 seconds lol, but it was a lot of fun. It was his first race & my first 5k. That was a great day.
Favorite Bling: Germantown Half Marathon
Next Race: St. Jude Marathon (1st marathon) December 2012, then Swamp Stomper 50k January 2013.
What Makes You FEEL Fast?: lol Ridiculous music, crowd cheering, & sometimes funky color shoes.
FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS
Who inspires your running and why?
A lot of people Iʼve met on Twitter have really helped inspire & motivate me, but I think my family & myself are the main inspiration. I want to be healthy & fit – Not just for myself, but for my kids, my husband & the future. My original goal was to lose weight & get active again. So far Iʼve lost 53 pounds & am finally feeling good about my size again.
Which of your running routes makes you the happiest and why?
Running trails makes me the happiest. Nature, water, birds cheering me on, challenging terrain. I donʼt know… itʼs a great time to reflect. I love trails.
What is the thing you splurge on after a race?
I donʼt really splurge on food anymore, but I always have my chocolate whey protein shake.
Why do you race?
To push myself faster & farther, to set & reach a new goal, to inspire others who think running is impossible. I used to think the same thing until I learned itʼs not about speed, miles, or time, itʼs about the journey & accomplishing something for yourself. For me, the journey has completely changed my life.
What was your biggest “donʼt” of a race?
Never start out too fast.
Whatʼs your pre-race routine?
I always gather clothes & gear to have ready the night before. After Iʼm dressed I sit outside a few minutes, sip my coffee, appreciate the day & reflect on my goal. A small pep-talk to myself usually happens. Sometimes Iʼll have a banana or small bowl of oatmeal. I know some say oatmeal pre-race is a no-no, but it works for me.
What running moment are you most proud of?
Finishing my first Half Marathon this year was a BIG deal. Iʼd never raced anything before. Iʼve been on a relentless lifestyle change & was losing weight consistently, but still felt 13.1 might be a little out of reach. Iʼm learning to stop doubting myself because I know I can do just about anything I put my mind to.
We asked Kristy if there’s anything else she’d like the rest of the club to know and she had this to say:
If I were asked to give one piece of advice to a new runner or a ʻwanna be runnerʼ it would simply be to never give up. Just because you donʼt know ʻhowʼ to run, or ʻthinkʼ you canʼt, doesnʼt mean you physically canʼt.. it simply means that you just have to find a way to make it work. Walk then run, walk more, run more. Get out there & stop making excuses why you canʼt. Stop worrying if people are judging you because of your size, age or speed… no one cares about any of that. Itʼs between you and yourself. If you want it, go get it. You CAN become the runner you want to be.
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I loved this interview with Kristy. We can learn so much from all the club members who have run dozens of marathons and ultras but some of the best lessons/reminders come from those who have just started their journey. Kristy has a lot of great lessons in her interview like “itʼs about the journey & accomplishing something for yourself” and “Stop worrying if people are judging you because of your size, age or speed”. I love this quote the most: “Iʼm learning to stop doubting myself because I know I can do just about anything I put my mind to.” That is one of the best lessons you can learn from running. Running is empowering and gives you confidence to do things you never thought possible. You can see that Kristy really believes that too because not only did she sign up for her first marathon but her first ultra too! You go girl!
Congratulations on all you’ve accomplished so far Kristy! Thank you for taking the time to share with us and good luck at St. Jude!
If you’d like to join Run It Fast – The Club or would like more information about it, please click this link:
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[All photos submitted by Kristy Escue]
