Hope my story will be inspiring!
I was happily married for 25 years, worked with my husband 21 years at our Ralph Rottens Candy Shop, had a beautiful 12 year old daughter and our hobby was breeding & showing Bichon Frise…when my life changed forever in November 2006! My husband suddenly passed away.
After 3 years of putting the pieces of my life back together , I needed and wanted a change. I wanted to run!!!
My friend Donna, told me to get a pair of running sneakers and start slow. Before I knew it, I was running a mile without a problem. Donna said, set a goal…sign up for a 5k. Paul & Sue Bonnani shopped in my store for years and when they saw me that Christmas, and saw that I started running, Paul told me to join GLIRC!!!
My first 5k was in Smithtown in March 2010. I finished that race & was exhilirated! Ran a few more races during that summer in Sayville and then decided to run a 10K. I picked Cow Harbor!!! Well, that was one tough 10k, but I ran it & finished. That was when I saw Lou’s little blurb in the back of Glirc’s magazine about a “challenging” 10k run in Selden & I contacted Lou. He was very welcomimg and I met him & Maryann in Oct. 2010 to run the Selden Hills! WOW!!! I don’t know how I finished, but I ran the whole course. Lou and Maryann never lost sight of me and cheered me in as I completed the 6.2 “challenging” miles!!!
The rest is history! For almost a year I had run alone. I am never alone these days! I have made so many friends on the Selden Hills. I have since run 2 half marathons and Cow Harbor 4 times, with faster times every year!
RUNNING is my therapy
RUNNING helps me make decisions
RUNNING has changed my body
RUNNING brings me joy
RUNNING has brought so many new and special people into my life!
Thank you Lou and Maryann, my Thursday AM Girls – Nancy, Caryn &Mary
and all The Selden Hills Warriors!!!
I also want to thank my daughter Sammie and my boyfriend Fred, for their never ending love & support!