Before the year is out, Heather Seymour will have run over 24 hours in a variety of charity races. She’s been running all over the map, from New England, and the Outer Banks, to Virginia Beach and back. Races like the “Seaside Shuffle,” the “Wicked Half Marathon” and the “Harpoon 5 Mile,” all support causes from cancer research to schools, local communities and fallen heroes.
Heather started running as part of a fitness regimen aimed at fitting into a little black strapless dress for her brother’s wedding. Dave Conner and Kari Iadonisi provided the inspiration after running their half marathon in support of the Crones and Colitis Foundation. All they did was share their training schedule with Heather and she was off and running…literally.
Heather’s initial goal was to run 100 miles in 2009. When she realized she was well on her way to exceeding that goal, she created a color-coded spreadsheet, in true Estimating style, to track not only her miles, but the exact number of minutes it took to run each race. She calculated the total minutes run so far, anticipated minutes for future races and the minutes still needed to make her goal. This turned out to be the perfect tool for becoming a member of the 24 Hour Club!
Heather is continuously motivated by the desire to keep fit. She also loves getting her friends into the act, helping them train and reach their goals. In her town of Uxbridge, Heather is on the racing committee for the Holiday Square Run that benefits Safe Graduation and the PTO.
She’s already run five half marathons this year. Her next goal is a mini-triathlon and maybe even a whole marathon. In 2010 she’s heading to Miami and to the Grand Canyon for half marathons and she’ll run stairs in support of the Heart Association’s “Stair Climb” in Boston.
For Heather, it’s not just about winning, but she still takes prides in the participation medals she has to show for her accomplishments. “It’s pretty awesome. I used to think it was bogus when everyone on the team got a trophy at my kids’ games, but now I know there’s nothing’s better than getting a medal! And making a difference.”
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