Athlete: Kevin Ott
Kevin Ott - In the summer of 2009 I decided that I had enough of sitting around being overweight and out of shape. Although I had never received any type of formal training, I decided I was going to run a half marathon. I searched on the internet and found a training class so I called the instructor, Marisa Pirih. I was apprehensive because I was a complete novice and was sure I would struggle to keep up with the class. Marisa assured me that my inexperience would not be a problem and that the class was structured to ensure that runners of all levels and abilities would achieve their goals at their own pace. She immediately put me at ease.
The first run with the class I chose a route that was less than 3 miles. Even at a very slow pace I had to walk some of it and was absolutely worn out. Needless to say with my half marathon race 15 weeks away I was not sure I was going to be ready. Marisa however knew better. She has a lot of energy, great enthusiasm and a genuine desire to help everyone reach their goals. Some of the topics we received instruction on were nutrition, stretching, running form, pre and post run meals, fueling up during long runs and injury prevention. She constantly communicated with us to provide encouragement, motivation and direction. By following her training program I went from not being able to run 3 miles to running 13.1 before the end of her 4 month course.
The real accomplishment however is the change in my life that has occurred since meeting Marisa. I lost 25 lbs., lowered my cholesterol by 62 points and my triglycerides by 85 points. My clothes now fit, my cholesterol is no longer at a high risk level, I have more energy during the day and I feel a whole lot better about myself. Without Marisa’s knowledge, commitment and dedication to help me succeed I could not have done it. She sincerely cares about the health of others and is truly a great person. If you want to improve your well being, level of fitness, or just your PR, Marisa will help you achieve your goal.
