On Being Awesome

Pre-race with Coach & Jess

Having a great attitude will get you much further in life than talent, skills or potential.Talking about a great attitude, allow me to introduce you to Vicky Hopper. If you have been reading our newsletters, checking out our website, or reading our Facebook page, you will probably recognize Vicky. She has been training with us for over 3 years and we love featuring her smiling face. I first met Vicky in 2011 through a mutual friend who had recommended our half-marathon training program to her. The first things I noticed about Vicky were her sunny disposition and her outgoing personality. I quickly learned that Vicky has an awesome attitude and enjoys competing, no matter how fast or slow she finishes! Vicky is one of the most inspiring athletes I have had the pleasure to train with! Here is her story…..

Vicky was born and raised in the United Kingdom. In secondary school (high school), she was very athletic and loved sports. She played as many sports as she could. She was on the rounders (an English sport similar to softball) team throughout high school and enjoyed swimming! After leaving school and starting work, her participation in sports fizzled out. This is not unusual and many of you reading this are probably nodding your heads and thinking, “Yes, same here”. The stresses of work, the responsibilities of being an adult, and her new ‘non-student’ lifestyle meant she left behind those childhood activities that she had so enjoyed. Life went on. Vicky’s work life progressed. She became a Mum (Mom), and gradually the memories of the sports activities she once loved started to fade. A few years later, she met and fell in love with the man who was to become her husband (and he still is). After getting married, Vicky and her daughter, Emma, moved to the United States with her new hubby, Dave. After moving across the Atlantic and leaving behind all her friends and family, Vicky was kept busy raising Emma (who was still very young) and building a new life in this strange land. She settled into her new life well. She made friends, found a job, and the years passed.

It wasn’t until almost 20 years after leaving secondary school, when her daughter was in high school, that Vicky decided to trade her sedentary lifestyle for a more active one. She tried a few different classes and activities like Jazzercise, Insanity and PX90. Some were too easy; some were too hard; some were too boring and none of them inspired her. She woke up one morning and decided to try running. She laced up her shoes and off she went. She never looked back. Vicky had found what she was looking for. She was in love with running! 

1st Marathon Medal-Go Vicky!

Unfortunately, not long after starting to run, Vicky injured her knee. The injury made running too painful so she started to walk instead. This turned out to be a rather serendipitous injury as she discovered that she enjoyed athletic walking even more than running! It was around this time that Vicky was introduced to the WalkAthlete half marathon training group and began her journey to becoming a WalkAthlete. She joined the Saturday morning training group. She enjoyed the camaraderie of group training, the educational sessions, and the ongoing support of the coaching team. Most importantly, she became a huge fan of post-training breakfasts! 

Vicky continued training for races. She finished 2 triathlons, numerous 5k races and a few half-marathons before deciding to train for a full (26.2 miles) marathon. In January 2013 Vicky accomplished that goal by completing her very first full marathon: The Clearwater marathon! Vicky was a superstar at that race. She walked the entire distance, she finished last, and she kept smiling until the bitter end! 

Not long after this incredible achievement, Vicky started to experience problems with ankle pain. Her doctor discovered a couple of bone spurs on her ankle and recommended surgery. She had the surgery in the fall of 2013. For a few weeks prior to her foot surgery, Vicky had to wear a ‘boot’. Remember that great attitude I mentioned earlier? On the day before her surgery, she participated in the “Run for the Fallen” 5k while wearing the boot! She might not have been fast but she was awesome!

Second Marathon Medal!

It took Vicky a while to fully recover from the surgery and, unfortunately, she lost some of her fitness and gained some weight. Not to be beaten, she worked hard to bounce back, regain her fitness and lose weight. She started walking, swimming, and doing PiYo (a combination of Pilates and Yoga) to strengthen her ankle, increase her cardiovascular fitness, and get her muscles working again! After a few months of consistent workouts and completing a few 5K, 10K, and half marathon races, Vicky started training for her second marathon. 

She earned her second marathon medal in January 2015! She wasn’t done yet though. She went on to complete two more half marathons and a triathlon in the following few months. She is currently training for another triathlon and is registered for a few races in the fall.

I asked Vicky quite a lot of questions as input to this article. Most of her answers I wove into the body of the story. Some of her answers are better shared just as she wrote them. Here they are:

Q. Did any event, person or situation motivate or inspire you on your journey?
A. When I started I was my own motivator and my internal motivation got me a long way. Coach Leenie has become an important external motivator for me. She is an inspiration; she is out there everyday training others and putting in the miles herself. She has actually done all the things she tells you to do so you know that she knows what she is talking about.

Q. What is your proudest achievement so far?
A. Finishing a marathon was an incredible achievement. Once you have become a marathoner, no one can take that away from you. It is something I will always be proud of!

Q. What do your friends and family think about your achievements? How supportive are they?
A. My family and friends think I am a little nuts but then I always have been so they probably don’t expect anything different from me (haha). My family and friends are very supportive of my goals, often ask questions about how my training is going, and are a great cheer team at my events.

Q. What advice would you give to someone contemplating starting a new fitness or healthy lifestyle program?
A. Just DO IT! If you are already thinking about it then you are half way there. All you need to do is start. After that first day the rest will be much easier. The hardest part is making a commitment and getting out there on day one. Then you just have to keep going.  A coach will help you train smarter and a training group will make your workouts more fun!

With Dave, Emma & friends        Holiday Halfathon           RFTF 5k in a boot!

Vicky has most definitely mastered the art of 'Being Awesome'! She has not achieved it by being the fastest runner, walker or swimmer. She has achieved it with hard work, a positive can-do attitude, a sunny disposition, and her willingness to get out there and give it her best shot—even when she thinks she might come last. Vicky finishes what she started, no matter how tough the journey or how long it takes her to get there! We love you Vicky!!