A Client’s First Marathon

Michael French completed his first major running event – Virginia Beach’s Shamrock Marathon—on March 20, 2011 after less than one year of training!

“The winds were high, which made it more difficult,” Michael wrote in an email, “but I finished the 26.2 miles in 5 hours and 25 minutes. I am now part of the 1 percent of Americans who have run a marathon!” Michael is equally proud of wife Lynda who not only ran the race but also beat his time by 19 minutes, an experience, he says, “keeps me humble.”

Baseball, softball, and basketball were activities that Michael enjoyed growing up. Like many adults, he gravitated away from playing organized sports. “I wasn’t in bad shape,” says Michael, “but I wanted to find something I could do on a routine basis and get in better shape.” Meanwhile, Lynda had taken up running and was enjoying it. Recognizing that this was a sport they could do together, Michael started running. It was April 2010, just six months after his 50th birthday. By September, Michael completed his first running event, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach (13.1 miles).

As people of faith, Michael and Lynda have been inspired by a particular passage from the Bible – Corinthians 6:19-20. “We believe our bodies are ‘temples of the Holy Spirit,’” says Michael; “we need to honor God by taking care of our bodies.”

Like other athletes, runners experience injuries, so when muscle pulls started to slow him down, Michael turned to Bon Secours In Motion Physical Therapy-Virginia Beach. A running analysis determined his specific weaknesses, and physical therapist Sue Parks designed an exercise program for him to stretch and strengthen particular areas to prevent injuries. In addition, a dietary analysis nudged Michael toward eating more nutritious lunches and “marathon” foods. “My diet wasn’t bad,” he says, “but I learned, for instance, the importance of eating protein for muscle recovery within 45 minutes of running a long-distance race.”

Married 27 years, Michael and Lynda truly enjoy running with church members and friends. What’s next? The couple’s next race is going to be the inaugural Freedom Half Marathon in Norfolk on Veterans Day weekend. Funds raised from this run benefit the Wounded Warrior Project and the Norfolk Office to End Homelessness.

“It’s about good health, good camaraderie, and good spirit. It keeps it fun and motivating.”

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