Amy Foy Williamson
Age 42
Married to Lou Williamson
3 children….Brianna 19, Patrick 16, and Logan 8
I did not write this in advance, so coming from the heart, may be long, so grab a cup of coffee.
I grew up in Patchogue, my Mom worked at LILCO and my Dad was a police officer turned detective in the 80’s. There was just my sister and I although I always wished I had a brother too. I was the youngest. We are total opposites. I was a tomboy growing up ,probably until jr.high. I loved to play outside, climb trees, play in the dirt with bugs, have a catch with my Dad. I was always active my entire childhood. I started dancing when I was 3 and continued all through high school, where it was my passion at the time. I played soccer and basketball in jr. high , rode my bike everywhere, would stay out all day and play with my friends in the summer.
My first experience with running was in elementary school in the fifth grade. I was pretty fast, being that I was probably a heads length taller than everyone and had long legs. I used to be teased and called “Big Bird”. I remember running around the entire school field in gym class and beating everyone even the gym teacher. I won the Presidential Fitness Award and most athletic female that year. We had a little track meet we did up at the high school, I couldn’t even tell you how I did, I don’t remember.
Fast forward- Loved growing up in the 80’s, I was very artistic and loved to express myself through my clothes, hair and makeup. (I did get best dressed in jr. high and high school). School was ok, wasn’t as smart as my sister where everything she did was an A, My favorite subjects were gym and art, I took as many art classed in high school as I could. I was passionate about dance, I was supposed to go to the school of performing arts in I believe Syosset, auditioned ,made it , but too many theater friends heard about it and my school then wouldn’t send me, I was crushed. I taught dance my senior year and worked for a dance costume company in the summers modeling, and helping with the photo shoots. I graduated high school and always wanted to audition for the Rockettes, or dance in an MTV video, but my boyfriend at the time(who is now my ex-husband ) shot my dreams down.
After highschool I worked in a salon in Southampton for eight years started as a receptionist and then assistant manager, in that time I got married and had my first two children. After having my second child I quit my job to stay home, but after two years I was lost, and depressed, my marriage was failing, I couldn’t be myself , I felt trapped. Got the guts to get a divorce, and work 3 jobs to make ends meet. In 2003 I met my current husband Lou and it would forever change my world. He was total opposite of my ex, but has a great personality, funny and supports me in whatever I do. We got married and had Logan. ( I promise I am getting to the running part)
Months after having Logan I just didn’t feel myself. I was lithargic and just standing up from the couch I was exhausted. I went to the dr. and they tested me for lymes disease but came back negative. Still struggling and knowing my own body I went back to the dr., at this point I was struggling to get my words out, tongue tied, and I would be in the middle of a sentence and could not remember what I wanted to say. (It still happens alot). So the dr. tested my thyroid and sure enough I had an underactive thyroid by 3 times what it should have been and Hoshimotos diesease. So now I am on medication.
I struggled with my weight, something I never had to deal with I was always active and thin. I was friends with June and we were out one night and I asked her what she was doing, because she looked great. She said she started running and so I figured I would give it a try. I went to the gym, did weights and started in the treadmill. Then June asked me one day if I wanted to run a 4 miler race in Sayville, so I said sure, I will give it a try. It was such a humid day out I was hot, and thinking what did I get myself into, but I finished, and felt great I did.
After that I started to run more and decided to do a half marathon, I go big. I didn’t really train much, had no knowledge of running, wore the wrong sneakers, struggled towards the end, but I did it. My toenails paid for it! I also had a hard time walking for days too!
Running was and still is an out for me, love my time to clear my thoughts or just put me in a better mood.
June then asked if I wanted to put my name in the lotto for the 2011 NYC Marathon, I said sure. I remember the day of the drawing, I watched it live on my computer and was so excited. Our names were never called, but I still wanted to be a part of it, so I entered through a charity and decided I’m in! I went to the library and read some books about training, printed out my Hal Higdon marathon beginner plan and checked off each day like it was a mission accomplished. I was a lone runner and would go out as early as 4 a.m. in the dark to get a run in, but I loved it, had a lot of time to think about a lot of things on those long runs. The day came and I was filled with excitement. I was actually running a marathon,( I used to think people were crazy to run that long). I finished in 4:51:17!
The first person I called was June to tell her I did it! I think we were both tearing up! I couldn’t believe I did it! My next call was to my Dad! He was so proud.(Growing up I was always Daddy’s little girl, my Mom and I are like fire and water, and she is still very critical of me, probably why I have issues with my self image and confidence that I lack)
In 2012 I signed up once again to run NYC for the Liver Foundation, this time I was running for my Dad who was diagnosed with cirrhosis. I trained again by myself all the way till the end, and then Hurricane Sandy hit, no marathon, so I decided to run the following year. This time June signed up to run for the Liver Foundation too, and we started training runs along with Rich who was training for the Rock and roll marathon in Vegas and Joe and Danielle who were training for Marine Corps Marathon. So we all ventured out on the road together, I didn’t know how I was going to do with a big group, I was so used to running alone, but after a few runs, I never wanted to run alone again.
I will try to end this , that’s what happens when you don’t write it down first.
We all ran our marathons and now I am not as motivated to run alone anymore.
This year I decided to change it up and go big once again, I signed up for the Timberman Half Ionman, yes sounds good, but I have yet to do one tri. I have a lot of work to do , but I am inspired by many of you, and have met so many great people along the way.
You are all lucky I didn’t have my coffee yet, because it would probably be twice as long!!