Name: Becky Dettmann (or as my friends call me Forrest Gump)
Number of Years Running: 2.5 years
What got you Started Running? “Hey I’m thinking about getting a group together to run on the Great Wall in China.” These were the words uttered to me by one of my good friends and I thought that be cool. There was a Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K literally right on the Great Wall – I thought to myself what a cool experience…why not. I started training for the 5K because previously to that I never ran before. I was and always will be first a dancer. I was trained extensively in ballet, tap, and jazz – I thought sure I can run…its only 3.1 miles. I trained rigorously during my busy season, with an estimated 15,000+ stairs on the course – the stair climber was my best friend. I successfully ran the 5K in 2015 and then after that I stopped running till I moved to Montana from Wisconsin. I was looking for a way to meet new people so I joined the Running 101 class and then the Running 102 class. Next I found myself training for the Missoula Half Marathon with the Jeff Galloway Program…in July 2017 I successfully ran the Missoula Half Marathon and went on to run 3 more half’s that same year. The rest is history.
What’s your favorite thing about running? For those seconds…minutes…miles…I am thinking about nothing but the pain of running. With each footstep, breath, and turn, it’s just about me – running. It doesn’t matter what happened 5 minutes ago or what’s coming – for those minutes I am free from my thoughts and worries. There is just something so perfect about that.
What is your best running memory? Every time I see that arch of the finish line, no matter if it’s a 5K, 10K, or Half Marathon. The sense of accomplishment from when my foot crosses that rubber ramp for the chip timer to that last burst of energy that I thought was long gone miles ago. The most memorable finish line crossing was of course at the Missoula Half in 2017. It was my first half marathon and running the bridge with people lined up on both sides…people cheering, cowbells ringing…I still can close my eyes and see it, there are no words.
What goals do you have for this next year of running? Some of my goals include improving my speed, double my running miles from 2017, and beating my previous year’s Missoula Half Marathon time.
What keeps you getting out the door everyday? Sunrises and sunsets…if I can time my run just right – there is just something so magical about these when it involves the mountains surrounding Missoula.
Thanks Becky! Good luck beating your 2017 1/2 Marathon time, we will be cheering for you!
