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Training Programs CAN Change Your Life!

Looking to change your life?  Check out this (and many other!) Training Program Testimonial
  • Name Brian Rudel
  • Favorite Post Race Food Pizza/Gatorade
  • Favorite Piece of Training Equipment or Apparel Good shoes
  • Favorite place or time to run? Favorite Place to run - any race;  Favorite Time - Mornings
  • How have training programs and running/walking/triathlon changed your life?  About 7 years ago I was standing at the top of a waterslide at Emerald Island, NC. I headed down the slide, a long one, and hit the water. When I hit the water my back reminded me that I wasn't 20 years old anymore. For the next 4 years I battled a bad back, visited many doctors, physical therapists, underwent x-rays, and tried various exercises to relieve the pain. I also tried various pain medications and traveled with a small pillow that I could use when sitting down. Needless to say, it affected my attitude and was truly a pain in the back! And then Fleet Feet entered my life. I accompanied my wife, Sheri, to a Family Night for No Boundaries at Old Salem. I was unaware that I would be running that evening and didn't even have appropriate shoes, I was wearing generic Sperrys, but I ran anyway. Right away, as I began running, I realized that I was in it to win it. I was aware that this was just a family night, but in my mind, that didn't really matter. It was not long after this evening that my boys and I cheered Sheri on as she finished her first 5K race, the HomeRun Fun Run in December of 2011. By this time, I was well aware that I wanted to be a part of this running thing myself. Not long after this, however, my wife's mother became very ill and eventually passed away so we did not do any running, but it was still in the back of my mind. About a year passed and I convinced Sheri to sign up with me for another No Boundaries class. I loved it! Both the competition and doing something together with my wife. I ran my first 5K, the Hospice Hope Run, and even placed 1st in my age bracket. I then signed up for No Boundraies II and ran in more 5K races. As my interest grew, so did my own sons, and they have participated in No Boundaries I and II as well. Somewhere during this process I realized, as did my wife, that my back problems had gone away. I no longer had to take pain medications, no more expensive visits to the physical therapist, no more little round pillow with me everywhere I went, and no more painful, hurting back. I joined the Fleet Feet programs originally as a way to fuel my competitive spirit, but there have been so many great benefits to come from this. First, and probably foremost is the pain-free back I now have. Second is the impact that Fleet Feet has had on my family. First, my wife joins, then myself, and now even my 2 boys join the running programs. It has become a family thing. My oldest, Connor, was mentored by John Ciacca, who encouraged him to join the track team at his high school, and he did. This spring Connor actually beat me in the Hospice Run, which he loved, but I did not. I truly must thank Fleet Feet for offering these programs for people such as myself. I plan on continuing to run, of course, with Fleet Feet's help and guidance!

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