CityView Magazine - Fayetteville, NC
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1201650
26 | Januar y 2020 F E A T U R E JAN. 23 - FEB. 16 Music by JEANINE TESORI | Book and Lyrics by DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE Based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture and the book by WILLIAM STEIG Directed by TIFFANY GREEN Choreographed by SEBASTIANI ROMAGNOLO | Music Directed by DAVID MAGLIONE GET YOUR TICKETS BEFORE THEY'RE ALL GONE! CFRT.ORG OR 910.323.4233 BASED ON THE OSCAR WINNING BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE! A comprehensive guide to health care in Cumberland County and surrounding areas YOUR LOCAL HEALTH & WELLNESS RESOURCE D I R E C T O R Y 2 0 2 0 MEDICAL &DENTAL Cit y Vie w M edi a For advertising opportunities contact jjones@city viewnc.com or call 910.423.6500 B ut here she is on a chilly winter evening, decked out in running shoes and a big smile. As it turns out, running has changed her life. Overweight and going through a painful divorce, she had an epiphany four years ago: something had to change. When some of her co-workers encouraged her to come along on one of their running routes, she was hesitant, but eventually agreed. "ey encouraged me to just come walk, and all I could do at first was walk," Barefoot, 51, said. "Others were much faster, but we would always start together and finish together. And I started seeing results from walking." She began losing weight, picking up both speed and confidence. By December, she had signed up for her first 5k run, Fayetteville's popular Ryan's Reindeer Run. "On race day, I wasn't concerned about my time," she said. "I just wanted to finish. Down 30 pounds since May, I felt better, but it was still tough. I struggled going around a 16- to 17-minute per mile pace. But crossing the finish to collect my medal was one of the most incredible moments of my life. at medal meant everything to me. I had never felt stronger and more determined to improve." She continued to sign up for 5ks and then 10ks, shaving off time with each race and continuing to run several times a week. On many of her runs, she's surrounded by members of Team RWB, which stands for red, white and blue. It's a group represented in large part by those with military connections who have a goal of promoting fitness for veterans. ey've also taken Barefoot and others under their wing, shouting encouragement, taking a ton of pre-run and post-run