Katy FIT – Chapter Coaches

After many years of unhealthy sedentary life, I threw away excuses, listened to my wife’s recommendation and started to walk. This was the start of a new journey that later I came to realize would never end. My first goal was to run a half marathon to completion. I started walking 6 miles almost every day and then gradually introduced one mile runs until completely running all 6. This set me up to successfully reach my goal. After a few halfs, I set a new goal, and that was to run a full marathon. This is when I joined USA FIT Katy, as I knew it would be hard on my own. I was introduced to speed and hill work and learned many things regarding the sport of running. After completing my 6th marathon, I became a Coach for the Full marathon group. This created a new goal for me and that was to help others train to successfully and safely go through their journey as well as meeting their goal of completing a full marathon. After my seventh marathon 2019, Mark and I were asked to be Co-organizers of the USA FIT Katy. Even though my journey has been the same for many years, my goals have changed and now it is to help our coaches guide their members through their journey and to meet their goals. I have met and set bonds with some awesome runners at USA FIT Katy during these many years and I look forward in meeting many more. Know your Journey … Change Your Life!

I’ve run 11 marathons and my running history isn’t much different from many other runners.  I ran a few marathons before my kids were born and didn’t get back to committed running until after the kids had grown up and left home.  During my first marathons, I largely trained on my own and I wasn’t aware of such things as wicking running gear or Gu (if they existed at all back in the day).  I’ve run 7 marathons as a member of Katy Fit and, to me, I get equal satisfaction from the workouts/exercise as well as from the social interaction with my fellow runners, many of whom are good friends that I would not have knowns if I hadn’t joined Katy Fit.

I went through my high school and early adulthood - like thinking fitness was for suckers and I was pretty happy being a lazy smoker. It wasn’t until my son began sports that I discovered that I could barely run across the field, and I decided that my fitness level was something I needed to address.

After a few months of getting into the whole running thing, I ran my first 5k and I discovered I really enjoyed the whole race day experience. A few 5K’s and 10K’s later, I set my sights on completing a marathon. I began my training on my own and one day stumbled across KatyFit in the park. That day I went home and signed up online.

Since then, I have completed five full marathons and numerous half marathons. The support of being a part of KatyFit has allowed me and many others to stay focused on the training and helped make running a part of our lives.