Meet Lisa!
Lisa is one of the athletes I coach, and we have been working together since March. She is such a joy to coach and so dedicated to getting her workouts in! I love this picture of her with her dog, and I love that she takes a picture after every run she does with her pup.
Here is a fun Q&A to get to know Lisa a little bit better, and I’m glad she was willing to share the random bits of information–even I learned a few new things!
Tell us a little about yourself: family, work, where you’ve lived, etc.
My name is Lisa Gray. I grew up in southern Maine and, after living in New Hampshire during college and grad school, I now live in the same town I grew up in…in a house I built next to the house I grew up in! My husband, John, and I live with our six-year-old golden retriever, Henry, and 12 hens. For the past fourteen years I have been teaching tenth grade at our local high school. During my downtime I enjoy cooking, reading, spending time with friends and family, and, of course, running!
How did you get into running?
Approximately eight years ago, my cousin invited me to join a women’s running group/bootcamp class she had started attending and I LOVED it.
Highlight a few races with times and how they went.
One race that stands out in my memory is, of course, my first race. It was a 5k and I was blown away by the energy of the event. I knew right away that I wanted to continue participating in similar events. I finished in 34 minutes and 28 minutes. Another race that stands out in my memory is the one and only half-marathon I ran back in 2012. I experienced such a wide range of emotion during this event. I was super nervous about it when I arrived that morning. I had never, ever done anything like it before and really had no idea how it would go. I had three goals for myself: 1. I wanted finish the race. 2. I wanted to run the whole time. 3. I wanted to enjoy the experience. I can honestly say that I met all three goals, especially number three! The scenery was breathtaking, the people were so supportive, and I found myself constantly smiling. Tears came to my eyes has I approached the finish line. I was truly proud of the work I had put in to training and that I had met such a big goal. I finished that race in 2 hours and 23 minutes.
What motivates you in your running?
I am motivated to run because moving my body and working hard brings so much to my life. It is healthy, it gets me outside, it gives me time to myself (important for the introvert I am after a long day of teaching teenagers!!!), it helps with stress, it gives me a feeling of accomplishment. I could go on and on!
What are your running goals?
Right now I’m thinking about how I’m going to continue running through the deep snow and cold temperatures the Maine winter will bring! I also think I would like to run another half-marathon.
What was the strangest/coolest/weirdest thing that has happened (or that your saw) on a run?
Well, the most recent memorable moment has to do with an aggressive dog. Almost every time I ran by a certain house on one of my favorite running routes, this dog would chase me. Well, one morning the dog’s owner finally came out and did something about it. However, to make matters more interesting, the owner (an older, larger lady) came rushing out of her house in her very, very short nightgown. I haven’t seen the dog…or her since.
How do you reward yourself after a hard run?
Rest. Maybe a little something extra yummy for dinner. 🙂
What are your upcoming races?
I signed up for the Seacoast Road Race Series this summer and have two more races. This past Saturday was the Fox Point Sunset 5 Miler and at the end of October is the Great Bay 5k.
Thanks so much, Lisa for sharing your running journey with us! I’ve had some spots fill up on my wait-list, and right now it is about a 1-2 month wait if you are interested in working with me. I hate having a wait-list, but I need to give my current athletes the time and attention they deserve.
