Three generations of women. Three lives brought together in their love of running and for each other. Sole Sisters has brought out the best in one family of tough women.
Sharyn Armstrong, her daughter Aileen Thomas and her daughter Lyndsay Thomas have always been tight. But it took training for this year's Sole Sisters to make them realize what they really had in one another.
"I always knew they were there for me, they picked me up when I was down. But then came the running. Well, that is just one more thing we can do together as a family. I am so grateful."
Sharyn, 64, was always pretty active, but was pushed some more, nicely though, by her daughter.
"Aileen told me she really wanted me to start running and do a race together. I thought about it for a second and then said, hook me up."
Aileen laughs when describing her relationship with her mother.
"We always were able to talk to one another ,but this training has given us more appreciation,more understanding.When you run there is no age, no boundaries."
The Thomas family live in Lawrencetown and the Armstrongs live near Windsor. But the distance has not hurt them. They check in more often to monitor each other's progress.
"Running has opened my eyes to a lot of things," says Lyndsay, a Grade 12 student at Cole Harbour High. "I am thankful for my family. And being healthy is not about being skinny. It is about being fit. I recognize that."
Aileen has always recognized her mother for strength.
"Mom was a teenager when I was born and did a great job through a lot of struggles. She taught me how to keep going, set goals and be myself."
At work, Aileen has full support of her employer, The Dominion Insurance in Burnside. So that has helped in her training.
"Here at work they have given us use of a room to exercise and have involved the staff in an online wellness solutions program. You can check on your progress and stay on track health wise."
Lyndsay, 18, has played soccer since age 4 . She will be attending ST.F.X in the fall.
"I am passionate about health but think society should change its attitude on having that picture perfect body. That can be dangerous to many in our world today."
With each woman at a different stage in her life it is great to see they have running in common, says Sharyn.
"Sole Sisters will be so much fun. It is the first race for all three of us. This will be something else to put in our memory box together as a family."
joanneoostveen@accesswave.ca
The Weekly News is a proud sponsor of Sole Sisters 2013!
The 2013 Sole Sisters 5K race sold out five months before race-day! But you can still be involved! They still need at least 100 volunteers and encourage women to sign-up to support the 2,500 Sole Sisters in the race. Volunteer sign-up: https://www.events.runningroom.com/applications/volunteerregistration.php?raceId=8203&vrindex=3
