Valentine FIT COUPLES #1

Leading a healthy lifestyle in our society is not always easy, but having a supportive partner helps tremendously.  Sharing fitness with your lover is both added fun and built-in motivation. When you add work and child responsibilities, it's not always a smooth road, but always worth it.

In celebration of Valentine's Day, I'm going to introduce some of my favorite FIT COUPLES... and give you the opportunity to share your fitness love story as well!  I applaud those who are determined to live healthy and be a role model for their children and communities.

First, I feel the need to add a disclaimer: It is OK if you and your partner are not both fitness freaks. I am lucky enough to have a husband who loves and supports me in my adventures, however crazy they may seem. However, our interests and hobbies don't always match up. Just because I like to run, spin, swim, cycle, live at the gym... does not mean he will. It's taken me awhile to be okay with that. Am I slightly jealous of all those couples who workout together? Yeah, a little bit... but it's just not for us. The hubs has tried and I give him credit for that. Last year, he ran a 5k every month (no pre-training!), as well as his first half marathon (never again, he says). He will travel with me to race all 50, cheer me on, maybe even run the 5k, but he's perfectly happy sleeping-in on weekends rather than getting up at sunrise to "go long".  With young children in our house, it works. I get my time away to reload and return happy to be wife/mother once again.  We may never be the poster model of a "Fit Couple," but we somehow make it all "fit".

Introducing FIT COUPLE #1 - the sassy Stephanie and her always smiling hubby...

Running together is something we rarely do (because Joe is way too fast for me)... but it's a common lifestyle we share.  We wouldn't have it any other way.  It gives us mutual understanding for time management, for spending money (races, running shoes and gear), for injuries and frustrations, and for goals.  We have seen each other grow so much through running, and overcome personal issues and struggles because of it.  We are each others' biggest supporters.  We give each other positive peer pressure... so much so that we even have a competition with each other for 2013... who can get to 1000 miles first.  So far Joe is winning... not by much!

The photograph above (on the right) is from the finish line of the Quad Cities Marathon 2012. Stephanie completed her first marathon. Joe completed his second and waited an hour and a half for Stephanie to cross the finish line. Thank you Karen Dehne for capturing one of the best moments of our lives.   ~Joe and Stephanie

Are you a FIT COUPLE? 

Showoff your Valentine and you could win a cool blue Heart Runner Girl tank top from Milestones Sports Jewelry & Apparel.  Here's how to enter...

• Email 1 photo of you and your love (fitness theme preferred) to runwithjess@comcast.net.

• Include 2-3 sentences about your fitness love story... meet at the gym? run together? whatever your story is... Keep it brief please, so I don't have to edit it. Thx!

• I will post all photos in one album on my Facebook the morning of Feb. 14. You are welcome to tag your photo. Tell your friends and family to vote. The photo with the most LIKES at midnight on Valentine's Day wins the cool blue tank top below.  All photo entries must be received no later than 10:00pm CST on Wed, Feb. 13.

WIN THIS TOP!
courtesy of Milestones Sports Jewelry & Apparel