Running for Her Health: Teresa’s Story
Teresa Vincent was told by doctors she’d basically be bedridden by the age of 40, due to chronic pain from an injury sustained in the military and a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Teresa served in the Air Force from 1988 to 1996 and the Navy from 2003 to 2005 before being medically discharged. She’d been a runner since childhood and a sprinter in high school, yet she was now at the point where she could hardly walk.
It’s a heavy message to take in — that you won’t be able to move and will need to be dependent on medications — and Teresa fought back. She began with gentle stretching, foam rolling, and massage. She started walking, half a mile, then a mile. She researched nutrition and began shadowing a running streak Facebook group, drawn to the idea of running every single day. She tried running one day a week, telling herself, “I’m going to do this until it doesn’t feel good anymore.” Yet what she noticed was that running made her feel better all day long. It boosted her mood. And it challenged the messaging that she would be immobile and had no say in the matter.
She decided she’d start running every day, even if it was just a mile or two.
On June 8, 2015, Teresa’s daily run streak began. She’s now over 2,800 days in! At first, running more than a mile required training, and now her longest run so far is a 37-mile ultra marathon. She’s now working her way through running a half marathon in all 50 states.
Finding the time to run every day has its challenges — there have been numerous parking lot runs at 3 AM when she’s traveling. But for Teresa, her run streak is about more than just running — it’s pain management, it’s feeling good both physically and mentally, and advocating for herself after her injury.
Teresa’s running was a solo endeavor until she saw some red shirts at a local race. After researching the Eagle, she joined Team RWB and was contacted by the local Chapter Captain who offered a “we run on weekends” welcome. For Teresa, running with strangers was outside of her comfort zone. But at her first event, everyone was welcoming, she heard some great stories, and even met another running streaker. She found she could be as social as she wanted to be, and truly enjoyed running with the group.
Even with her incredible running accomplishments, Teresa applauds those who run a mile at a time. To her, all movement has value. Her journey to this point has changed her viewpoint of what running is. To sustain her streak, she had to be flexible and adaptable. Some days she runs loops inside in her pjs and running shoes. And those living room and parking lot runs have given her immense appreciation for running outside on a beautiful sunny day.
For those thinking about beginning their own running journey, Teresa encourages you to just start! It doesn't have to be pretty or perfect — starting is a huge accomplishment and your individual running schedule, distance, and location can all be adjusted along the way.
Here’s Teresa’s running schedule for inspiration:
Mon and Fri: 1 to 2 miles
Tues and Thurs: 3 to 4 miles
Sat and Sun: a race day or 5K/8+ miles
Running with a buddy can be a great way to begin, like the Team RWB Running Activity Group. It’s an encouraging running community, where you get advice, support, and can keep up with Teresa’s running streak!