Jody Lynn MacDonald, a 39-year-old mother of three from Waterloo, Ont., completed her first marathon last year. Reaching the finish line of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon was "life changing," says Ms. MacDonald, who works in the physical resources department at Wilfrid Laurier University.
When did you start running?
When I was 16, I made the under-16 Ontario field hockey team, and running was part of the training. I've been running pretty much ever since, although I stopped running when I was pregnant with my kids.
Do you run alone or in a group?
When I did the Scotiabank I was with Runners' Choice as a group. It just helped a lot.
Did you like running in a group?
It was motivating. It kept me going, for sure. Now, I want to run in a group but I'm having an issue finding the time. My son plays football. He's training on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and the Thursday time commitment overlaps with the marathon group. I'm hoping to make it out once or twice.
What do you like about running?
It's about me. Nobody's going to go from A to B but me. It's up to me to put my shoes on and get it done. And I certainly like the feeling of accomplishment. Finishing the Scotiabank was pretty life changing. You look back on it and think, I completed a marathon, I can pretty much do anything now.
This interview has been condensed and edited.