Jamie Snook
Jamie Snook (in the green shirt) out to an early and short lived lead with Cyril Doyle at the 2008 Trapline Marathon.
(larger version)
Let me quickly flash back to high school when I was more of a hockey player and a reprobate. The fall cross country events were always a time of confusion when the very smart kids always seemed to win at this time.
Fast forward 12 years, I was about 35 lbs heavier and one night out at a social function I didn't feel good. It was a mild wake up call. Around the same time I attended an Executive Development Program that stressed the importance of exercise, so starting in August 2006 I started to walk to work. On August 23, I was late for supper so I tried to run home. When I nearly fell apart on that first run attempt, it was another reality check! It was then that I officially started trying to run.
By October 22, I was silly enough to try and run a Half Marathon that was organized by some local runners. I finished it in 2:08:40 and have yet to live it down because Rosemary Roberts caught me in the final 1/3 of the race and beat me. I kept running that fall and by December I had lost 35 lbs pounds.
The local veterans, Eric Skoglund and Cathy Jong I remember always being so supportive and encouraging so I credit them for keeping me interested in running as a sport!
In 2007 I ran steadily but never beyond 21km. Then in September our family got the news that my Grandmother had serious brain cancer and it was decided they would remove it with surgery. Everyone thought the worst I think but she went through the surgery amazingly well! It was a very emotional experience and I remember sitting with her at the Health Science Center watching something on television about Terry Fox. The annual Terry Fox Run was that weekend in addition to the Newfoundland Provincial Marathon and I knew Eric Skoglund was running in the full marathon. I thought, if Nan had the strength that she did and Terry Fox could run a marathon a day for 143 days on one leg, surely I could do one marathon tomorrow.
I mentioned it to my father and I went to register. There were 80 km of wind, many hills and it was freezing that Sunday morning but I finished my first ever marathon purely untrained yet inspired by my Grandmother. I wouldn't recommend completing marathons with this technique in particular. I had extremely sore knees for weeks!
In 2008, I went on to complete the Blue Nose Marathon. When a group of us returned to Goose Bay we decided to organize our own event. That fall the Trapline Marathon was born and the Trappers' Running Club has been fledging ever since! I also completed the inaugural Trapline event.
So far in 2009, I completed the Blue Nose Marathon once again with my personal best time of 3:54:24. I hope to improve on that time in October by at least ten minutes. That being said, I struggle with cramps in the final 10 kilometers and currently recovering from plantar fasciitis. It seems like the Bill Rodgers quote, ". . . if the marathon is a part-time interest, you will only get part-time results", applies to me!
I look forward to meeting everyone soon and running full tilt!
Fast forward 12 years, I was about 35 lbs heavier and one night out at a social function I didn't feel good. It was a mild wake up call. Around the same time I attended an Executive Development Program that stressed the importance of exercise, so starting in August 2006 I started to walk to work. On August 23, I was late for supper so I tried to run home. When I nearly fell apart on that first run attempt, it was another reality check! It was then that I officially started trying to run.
By October 22, I was silly enough to try and run a Half Marathon that was organized by some local runners. I finished it in 2:08:40 and have yet to live it down because Rosemary Roberts caught me in the final 1/3 of the race and beat me. I kept running that fall and by December I had lost 35 lbs pounds.
The local veterans, Eric Skoglund and Cathy Jong I remember always being so supportive and encouraging so I credit them for keeping me interested in running as a sport!
In 2007 I ran steadily but never beyond 21km. Then in September our family got the news that my Grandmother had serious brain cancer and it was decided they would remove it with surgery. Everyone thought the worst I think but she went through the surgery amazingly well! It was a very emotional experience and I remember sitting with her at the Health Science Center watching something on television about Terry Fox. The annual Terry Fox Run was that weekend in addition to the Newfoundland Provincial Marathon and I knew Eric Skoglund was running in the full marathon. I thought, if Nan had the strength that she did and Terry Fox could run a marathon a day for 143 days on one leg, surely I could do one marathon tomorrow.
I mentioned it to my father and I went to register. There were 80 km of wind, many hills and it was freezing that Sunday morning but I finished my first ever marathon purely untrained yet inspired by my Grandmother. I wouldn't recommend completing marathons with this technique in particular. I had extremely sore knees for weeks!
In 2008, I went on to complete the Blue Nose Marathon. When a group of us returned to Goose Bay we decided to organize our own event. That fall the Trapline Marathon was born and the Trappers' Running Club has been fledging ever since! I also completed the inaugural Trapline event.
So far in 2009, I completed the Blue Nose Marathon once again with my personal best time of 3:54:24. I hope to improve on that time in October by at least ten minutes. That being said, I struggle with cramps in the final 10 kilometers and currently recovering from plantar fasciitis. It seems like the Bill Rodgers quote, ". . . if the marathon is a part-time interest, you will only get part-time results", applies to me!
I look forward to meeting everyone soon and running full tilt!