Melody Dow Relies On Running Through All Of Life’s Ups And Downs

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Today’s guest is a lady that probably needs no introduction, at least for those of you that are part of the Facebook group.

She is transparent in her running journey, sharing her wins and struggles all while supporting and encouraging others in whatever way she can.

It’s my pleasure to be able to shine a little spotlight on Melody Dow and go a few easy miles with her today.

Catching Up On Lost Time

Melody Dow didn’t find running until later in life.

She admitted that she is jealous that she didn’t find the sport when she was younger.

Melody grew up in Montreal and attended an art school that had very little focus on athletics.

The only time she ever ran was when she was forced to for basketball.

Fast forward to when she was an adult and married, Melody found that she had gained what she refers to now as “marriage weight.”

Melody and her husband Chris wanted to get healthy not only for themselves but for their daughter as well.

They both got Fitbits and began their journey to improved health by walking more.

This all began 5 years ago and much to Melody’s surprise, she has become a runner in that time.

Making Progress

While on a family walk, her daughter said that Melody could run if she wanted to.

Melody was hesitant to try and it would be almost a year later before she finally ran.

She took her first running steps in January of 2017 with plans to run her first 5k a few months later in March.

Melody followed the Couch to 5k plan, but other than that she had no idea what she was doing.

Looking back, she realized that she was probably running too fast too often.

Running too fast led to Melody injuring herself and viewing pain as a normal part of the sport.

Pain Is NOT Normal

It took Melody a period of time before she realized that if she was experiencing pain there may be a problem.

Denny came into the picture as Melody’s coach around the same time she was dealing with injuries.

Her husband Chris was already working with Denny as his coach and suggested hiring Denny as well.

Between having a coach and going to physical therapy, Melody was on her way to pain-free running.

Melody wants to be able to run for as long as she is able.

In order to achieve that goal, Melody has learned how to listen to her body.

Learning how to slow down and run easy along with adding in strength training are just a couple of the things she has changed.

The Most Magical Place on Earth To Race

Melody had always loved Disney, but she didn’t realize they held races there until her husband signed up for one.

Her first experience at a Disney race was as a spectator while her husband ran The Dopey Challenge.

She fell in love with the atmosphere and wanted to run her first half marathon there.

Her husband surprised her at Christmas with the Disney Princess Half Marathon for the following year.

Melody committed to doing a 10k the day before the half as a part of the challenge that weekend.

She trained and prepared for a year leading up to that weekend, but what she couldn’t prepare for was the unexpected heat.

The Disney Princess race weekend fell on a hotter than average weekend which affected many of the participants negatively.

Melody successfully completed her first 10k and half, but not without struggling with the heat.

2020- The Year Of Refocusing

At the beginning of each new year, Melody starts out with a plan, and often that includes having races on the calendar.

Having races to look forward to really make a difference for Melody.

With races few and far between in 2020, Melody was forced to find other ways to motivate herself.

She made a choice to use 2020 as the year to refocus on how to become a better runner and be more intentional with her goals.

Melody is getting back to her “why” and in doing so is making herself a priority.

She wants to work back up to the half marathon distance and is also putting a bigger focus on sleep.

There was a point not too long ago, where Melody questioned if running was for her.

She answered that question once she realized that running is the one thing she can count on and the social support associated with it carries her when times are rough.

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Mentioned In This Episode:

• Couch to 5k
• RunDisney

Stay connected to Melody Dow by following her on Instagram.

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Melody Dow shocked herself by becoming a runner. Over time it has not only become something she does but it is also who she is. Click To Tweet

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As Always, I’d Love to Know What Stood Out to You From this Episode! Let Me Know Your Takeaway in the Comments Below!

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