If you had asked Stacy Reichert six years ago whether running a marathon was part of her bucket list, she probably would have laughed.
Stacy, who works at the HealthPartners Lino Lakes Clinic, was a busy working mom who barely had time to work out, let alone train for a marathon.
Not to mention, she hated running.
That changed, though, after Stacy’s fellow Lino Lakes colleagues encouraged her to join Moms on the Run with them.
Moms on the Run is a fitness program for women of all ages who are looking to get into shape. Participants can choose to train for a 5k or marathon, improve their speed and endurance or stay motivated in a walking routine. virtuwell, HealthPartners Sports Medicine and TRIA are all sponsors of Moms on the Run this summer.
A group of women pose for a photo during a Moms on the Run event.
“I thought that maybe I could do it to help lose some baby weight. My baby was 3 years old!” Stacy said, laughing.
“At first, I was one of the slower runners. It was hard to try to keep up with everyone else but I didn’t give up,” she continued. “The coaches and other moms were so encouraging and motivating. They were always cheering us on.”
After 18 weeks in the program, Stacy was comfortably running for 35 minutes straight. By the end of the year, she had lost 50 pounds.
Stacy holds up a medal she earned from a running race.
“I was smaller than I was in high school and it felt great! I had more energy for my kids and I didn’t feel like I needed to take a nap after work or on the weekends anymore.”
Earlier this spring, Stacy ran Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth.
“I never thought I would run a marathon,” she said. “But, I beat the odds and actually felt really good and I finished the marathon with a great time, considering it was my first. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard and it was hot. But I stayed confident that I was going to finish.”
The best part? More than 20 of Stacy’s fellow Moms on the Run were cheering her on at the finish line.
It’s a Summer of Run
Today, Stacy is a coach for Moms on the Run, and helps encourage and motivate other women who are just beginning their running journeys.
Stacy’s success story is one of the many reasons why virtuwell, HealthPartners Sports Medicine and TRIA sponsor Moms on the Run.
The sponsorship is also part of virtuwell’s Summer of Run campaign, which aims to help people stay healthy and running all summer long.
virtuwell is giving away free race registration to three different races this summer, so be sure to encourage your friends to enter for their chance to win!
A group of women pose for a photo during a Moms on the Run event.