Please welcome Julie and Eric to the Anchorage RunFest Half Marathon! Here is Julie’s runner story.
Julie Wyngaert-
In high school, I was the ultimate gym class dropout. Armed with a doctor’s note saying I couldn’t run, I did everything I could to avoid running a single lap. If you had told me then that I would be completing half marathons in all 50 states I would never have believed it.
My mom passed away when she was just 50 years old. As my own 50th birthday approached I knew I wanted to do something big – and what’s bigger than running a marathon? It seemed like a spectacular idea—except for the minor detail that I didn’t actually run.
At the encouragement of friends, I started a Couch to 5K program. From there, I signed up for a half marathon, then my first full marathon. I quickly found my people. I joined the local running community in Georgia including She Runs This Town and The Atlanta Track Club.
I soon joined Half Fanatics, 13.1×100 and eventually I joined the 50 State Half Marathon Club as my next crazy goal took hold.
It’s taken 11 years while juggling family, working full time as a nurse, training and logistics to get to the finish line of this massive goal. I am incredibly excited to be running my 49th state in the 49th state, Alaska!
While hitting state number 49 and lifetime half marathon 90 is a massive milestone, the best part is my son-in-law, Eric, has chosen to tackle his very first half marathon with me!
Going from gym class dropout to crossing finish lines and making friends across America has been the journey of a lifetime, and I’m so grateful for every mile.
