My running career got off to a start in 1983 after my family doctor recommended I begin doing some sort of cardio exercising. This suggestion was all I needed, because my father had died at 39 from a heart attack and I had my own concerns for my children growing up fatherless. I consistently ran over the following years and, during that time, joined the Grand Strand Running Club shortly after its formation. Ultimately as I had feared, I had a heart attack myself, requiring open heart surgery to perform 6 coronary bypasses. I was thankful I had followed my doctor’s advice 20 years earlier; the outcome could have been much different. Afterwards, my running escalated to a new level as I took on the marathon and greater weekly mileage as new goals. In 2012, I was elected the president of the GSRC, serving in that capacity for the next 5 years. I remained involved with the GSRC in an advisory capacity until the opportunity to serve again as president presented itself this year. Many claim I have inspired them to run in spite of their challenges. We have so many in the club whose stories and lives are much more motivational than mine and that inspires me. I love how the GSRC has become a family which continually lifts each other up.