Name: Jackie Saratella Olmsted
Age:47
Married: to Eric Olmsted for almost 22 years
Children: 2 – Brian 16, and Matthew 3
Fur Baby: 1 dog; Butters
Occupation: Stay at home Mom
NYS licensed Esthetician
Residence: for the past 17 years Massapequa; before that Bayside Queens
Let’s see where to begin. First off I am not originally from Long Island. I grew up in Bayside Queens, more specifically Alley Pond Apartments. Yes, I’m a queen’s chick. Always. You can take the girl out of queens but not the queens out of the girl. LOL
Ok, so I did attend NYC Public schools – when it was safe back in the 80’s. And let me say right off that I was not a huge fan of gym class. I hated everything about it. I was the girl who forever had her monthly time. Just to get out of gym and to run the mile. In fact in high school I was even kicked out of a gym class for not participating and mouthing off to the teacher, but that’s a different story. LOL
My childhood was not easy. I’m the youngest of 4 – 2 older brother and 1 older sister. Sadly I just have one sibling alive. Sister passed away at the age of 21 in 1988 from complications of Lupus, then 2 years after that my dad passed from lung cancer. In 2006 my eldest brother who has always been in and out of trouble with drugs and other things passed away from AIDS (drug related) and then 8 weeks later my Mom passed; two weeks before xmas due to heart issues. So, now it’s just me and my other brother who lives in Colorado.
Highlight: I met my wonderful husband Eric in the summer of 1991 at a Bar/club called Gil and Ernies. Two days before Xmas of 1993 he proposed and the summer of 1995 we got married. 5 years later my wonderful son Brian was born and then 13 years later Matthew. Yes, I get the huge age gap. Brian was diagnosed with Autism when he was 3 so we really focused on him and his needs. So as many of you have guessed I’m a big advocate and supporter of all things Autism related.
Ok, so he’s my running story. I started going to the gym while I lived in Bayside. My favorite class was and still is Step. But I was always interested in running. So one day in 2005 I decided to try this running thing. I set myself a goal. I would run/walk. Mostly walk. We live about 1 mile back and forth from the Massapequa Train station. So I decided that each time I would run I would run to the end of the block, walk a block. Run to the stop sign, etc. Then by the end of the month I was able to run to the train station and back. Granted it took a long time. But now I was hooked. I decided to do my very first 5K which was the Massapequa firecracker 5K. I don’t remember my time but I finished and that was my goal. I did take a two year running hiatus. At 43 I got pregnant with Matthew and my doctor didn’t want me running just to be on the safe side and then after he was born I had some complications. But when he was almost a year I decided to get back into running and signed up for the LI Marathon 5K in 2014 and I’ve been back out there ever since. More 5K, 10K and even a couple of half marathons.
For me running is a therapy. It’s really the only time I get all to myself. When I need to work things out I just put my headphones on and run. Sometimes I think but mostly I just zone out. It recharges me to be a better person and mommy.
I have to thank one special person for this. Ali Delwin our very own gear girl. I met her last year while volunteering at a race and we instantly hit it off. She kept telling me about these Selden Hills. Well, she finally got me out there last August and I’m so grateful she did. I have made the most amazing relationships that I know will last a lifetime. Plus it turns out her hubby Jeff and I knew each other in a roundabout way. We went to the same JHS, HS and know all the same people from the Hood.
Go Rangers, Giants and Yankees!!!