A fellow Calgary Roadrunner and friend of mine went on an incredible journey this last summer. Jen started running about the same time as I did, in 2000. She has worked hard to overcome her asthma and this year used her amazing talents to fundraise by running not one, but several Ultra races. Check out her inspiring story here.
All Downhill From Here 
What an inspiration! Thanks for passing that along!!
By: Nancy Toby on November 24, 2005
at 8:13 pm
This is a great story, Karen. My wife has severe asthma and cannot really exercise strenuously. Its a cyclical thing, the less she exercises the worse shape she gets it the less she is able to exercise. She used to do step aerobics and tai chi before our son was born (she continued tai chi up to the day she went into labor) but she has since gone back down.
After I finished the marathon, a brochure came in the mail from Team in Training she actually said she thought she might want to try walking a half to raise money. I know the asthma worries her, but this story might be inspiring enough to help her try it.
Thanks for posting this, Karen!
By: Jon in Michigan on November 25, 2005
at 8:24 am
PS
Did anyone else notice something odd about the picture? There’s no trail! Psychotic Calgary trail runners run without trails. They just race through the mud and ice and snow and fields! Crazy. 🙂
By: Jon in Michigan on November 25, 2005
at 8:25 am
I hope Jen can inspire lots of folks, asthmatic or not, to have hope about exercise.
3 foot wide, wood-chip/gravel/crumbled red clay groomed paths are for tourists. Our XC Race Directors are sadistic and stake their surveryor-type flags along single-tracks through unavoidable muck.
Upside? I have developed some awesome stabilizing muscles in my ankles and knees 🙂
By: karen on November 25, 2005
at 12:15 pm
Wow. And here I am moaning about a little motivation slump. Sometimes we need to hear about a hero to straighten us out!
By: Ellie on November 27, 2005
at 8:48 pm
Great story, AND great picture!
IF I could stand the cold, without CRYING and freezing into a statue, I’d enjoy one of these trail-less trail runs! LOL!
By: *jeanne* on December 2, 2005
at 1:16 pm