Q: How long have you been a runner?
Roma: Let me qualify the question, as a runner who signs up for races since 2010. I signed for a 10K in 2010 with no experience in training for a race. I was supposed to run it with a colleague from work, who chickened out a couple of months before the race. I didn’t want to back off hence trained on my own, believe it or not, I used to run around a 400 mt track and count the laps to ensure I ran 10K every couple of days a week. That’s how inexperienced I was! And I can’t even begin to tell you how I felt when I lost count! Didn’t have a Garmin watch either, those were good times!
Q: Why did you start running?
Roma: My in-laws were visiting one year when I lived in Dubai, my ex father-in-law (who is an avid runner) told me about a group of runners he ran into on one of his morning runs. This group ran the perimeter of a Park close to where we resided. The group of runners met twice a week and each runner jotted down a time they would complete a full loop around the park in, think it was about 2 miles or so. And the person who came closest to their stipulated time would win a bottle of wine. I was sitting up by the time he finished his sentence. That was a bit of useless trivia…but the long and short of it is I started running to drink wine and of course it was my best stress buster!
Q: How did you find BWRC?
Roma: My very dear friends (who I met through a run group) Christine and Tina told me about Jim and Amanda and how amazing their group was, asked me to show up for one of their group runs. Rest is history!
Q: Why did you join BWRC?
Roma: Why wouldn’t one join BWRC! This is an amazing group of people who motivate you every time you show up. They are all passionate about running and I love the philosophy, no one gets left behind!
Q: Why do you run?
Roma: Running helps me to stay healthy, clear my mind and refocus my attention on important things in life.
Q: Do you have any upcoming races or goals we should know about?
Roma: I am signed up to do Soldier Field 10 miler.
Q: What does BWRC mean to you?
Roma: You mean my running family? That’s what BWRC means to me. I have met wonderful people like Laurie, Rick, Amanda T, Jim, Amanda, Lauren, Emily, Peggy, Mary, Judith, Katherine, John and his wonderful daughter Jess…the list is endless. All I want to do is run and BWRC helps me accomplish that.
