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<h3 class="entry-title" style="text-align: center;">Why do I want to feature an inspirational person in my newsletter?</h3>
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<p style="text-align: justify;">I want to feature people like Marilyn who have crossed my path and touched my life, inspiring me toward greatness. Too many of us fail to see greatness in ourselves. Somehow, it doesn’t seem to matter what we have achieved; we often need others to point out to us how we excel. People display “greatness” by their attitude, their lifestyle, their choices, their actions… I want to recognize the people in my life who lead by example.</p>

<h3 class="widget-title" style="text-align: center;">How did I meet Marilyn?</h3>
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</header><strong>What motivates you to exercise?</strong>
I exercise to stay healthy, reduce stress and because it’s fun.  Rigorous exercise also helps to connect the mind with the body – and keep me present and in the moment.

<strong>What activity/workout do you prefer?</strong>
I really enjoy long distance trail running in nature and when I’m not training for an ultra-marathon I like to do fitness classes that combine strength, stretching, short bursts of cardio and core work simultaneously, similar to the workouts that you post on your website and your fitness classes at Vancouver Island University.

<strong>What is your biggest accomplishment?</strong>
Many, many years ago when I was training for a road marathon in Victoria I entered a short 8 k road race, Run for the Cure, a few weeks before the marathon. I was motivated to sign up for the race because of friends who had been recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  I planned to jog the race because I didn’t want to cause an injury by running too fast and then not be able to run marathon.  Unfortunately (more about this later) I felt GREAT during the race and ran like the wind and at the end was surprised to find out that I had placed in the top 3 female finishers.  I was slightly embarrassed as I went up to the stage to accept the medal because there were many women both in the race and audience who had survived breast cancer and were more deserving of being honored publicly for their courage. So as I trotted off the stage with the medal I saw a smiling woman in the audience in a wheel chair, surrounded by her family and friends, all of whom were wearing Run for the Cure T-shirts, and I gave the medal to her.  We were all grinning as I hung the medal around her neck.  Too me that was one of my biggest accomplishments – passing along the medal to someone who was more deserving than me.
And about the marathon – I ran the first 10 k and my calf was acting up (exacerbated by the speedy 8k 2 weeks before) so decided to quit before the injury became incapacitating.   Funny thing, now, many years later I remember the joy I felt giving the medal away at the Run for the Cure race and I don’t remember the disappointment I must have felt when I bailed out of the marathon.
<strong>What is your superpower?</strong>
Finding moments of inspiration in life and passing the inspiration along to others.
What is your favorite dish/recipe?
Lately it’s been home-made salsa verde with fresh ingredients from the garden and oven roasted tortilla chips.
<strong>What is your favorite cheat treat?</strong>
Your question should be ‘what are your favorite cheat treats’?  I have many when I’m training for an event!  Lately it’s been a Dairy Queen ice cream cake (there was a birthday in the house), and if there’s no ice cream cake I like to snack on homemade apple crisp or chocolate zucchini muffins.

<strong>What are your goals and dreams?</strong>
Within the next few years I’d like to run a 100 k trail race if the body is willing.

<strong>Advice for a newbie?</strong>
Keep moving!

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