We have been hearing quite a bit about “forty and fabulous” this year. Fifteen minutes of cosmetic application can transform our nearly forty or forty-something faces into more like twenty-seven year old ones. Last August I was amazed that the lip-gloss and eye makeup I had applied with great fervor to mimic the USA’s 2012 Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team palate was still on after I ran over six miles in ninety degree weather. So looking good when you run is great, and looking great while running sub seven minute miles is even better, which is what South Glastonbury runner, Jennifer Tripp does. Recently I befriended Jennifer who is “sick fast”, nearly matching my own division I collegiate times from the 1990’s in her recent races. Jennifer became a working mother in 2008 when she married a widower with two young daughters. Jennifer took up competitive running in 2010 after she turned forty, and after she became a stay at home mom of two teen step-daughters and my daughter’s new friend, now two year old Abby. After working in the hospitality industry for nearly twenty-five years, Jennifer began her career as a stay at home mom the day after giving birth to her daughter. Taking care of a family of five is more than enough work, but Jennifer needed something for herself, and that something ended up being her becoming a top age-group and overall female athlete in road racing. With her husband Jay, a former college runner the son of a long-time college running coach, as her personal coach, Jennifer completely transformed her physique through competitive running. Although she was always a petite person, Jennifer found herself swimming in her old clothing. Can you say shopping spree? We both took part in the 2013 Glastonbury River Run to benefit the Glastonbury High School Crew Team. Jennifer was the second female finisher in the race. I volunteered registering athletes that morning and managed a respectable 7:34 mile for the 5K run. Here is Jennifer posing with her prized oar and my daughter Annie after the race! Way to go Jennifer.

I am looking forward to writing about my friend Peggy next month who is fifty and fast in the mile and two mile swimming distances. I have known Peggy since I moved to Glastonbury back in 2006, and I always look forward to seeing her and her family at various Hartford Marathon Foundation events and at other activities in our town.

Having a mother who takes endurance sports seriously differs greatly from having a mom who simply exercises to stay in shape. As a child you learn that being a mother is also about being physically strong and mentally tough enough to ignore pain in the pursuit of victory, even if that victory is only to beat one’s own personal best time. I continue to be inspired by all of the mom-athletes in my life.