Becky Clark - Gazelle Sports Activator

Growing up, I definitely was not a runner! I have flat feet and thought it was simply something I could not do. I wasn't a sports kid at all either. It wasn't until 2006 that I started playing rollerderby because I had some friends that played and it sounded like a good stress reliever from pharmacy school.

Fast forward a bit....I moved to Kalamazoo from Arizona. I found the local Kalamazoo rollerderby team to join. I had my son Aiden in January 2008. When he was about a year old, I was frustrated I hadn't lost all the baby weight and had heard about Borgess Run Camp. I had a couple friends that were into running. Now as I had said, I didn't think I could run.....but I signed up for 5K camp anyway! Gazelle helped me find shoes that worked great for me. And I had fun! I spent that summer doing a bunch of 5Ks, even 10ks. Then a friend of mine from AZ  (a runner) put the bug in my ear about a half marathon.  I thought she was nuts. But in November 2010, I did my first half marathon!! 

Now I am up to over 40 half marathons and have done 4 full marathons! I love it. For me, it is mostly about the social aspect. I love talking with my friends and meeting new runners during a race. I also started getting into triathalon and have done a handful of sprint distances and one Olympic. I hope to conquer a half Ironman in the near future. I love the local running and triathalon community.

The most unique part of my running journey just happened over this past year. I found out in December 2017 I was pregnant!! My 10 year old son and I had already signed up to do Borgess 5K run camp (he was just starting to run and I loved getting to do this with him!) So, I did run camp and spent the summer doing 5K's with Aiden (and little baby on the inside)! I even paced Gazelle Girl at 21 weeks pregnant. And I cried when I finished. I continued swimming and swam on a sprint triathalon relaying June. It was all a very new and exciting experience.

On July 31st, Audrey Jewel came into the world! I'm slowing getting back to running, biking, and roller derby. I am excited for what my movement journey will be now that she is here. As long as I keep moving forward, I will consider it a win!!!