The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Other Sports

August 11, 2010

Arthritis and weather can’t stop Maynor

By Dave Morrison Register-Herald Sports Editor

BECKLEY — Heather Maynor had always been a runner. She had always been a person who enjoyed getting in a good run, whether competitive or not.

So much so, that she was more than happy to serve on the Glade Springs Charlie Williamson Memorial Triathlon committee last year.

She enjoyed the camaraderie with the other runners — at least the runners who would compete in the  5-K run on the rolling hills at The Resort at Glade Springs.

The event will take place this year on Saturday. It will involve a 5-K run, a 750-meter lake swim and a 12-mile bike race, beginning at 8 a.m.

There will also be a separate 5-K run.

While serving on the committee, Maynor was diagnosed with rhumatory arthritis.

Not only did it look like her competitive running days were over, but also her leisurely runs as well.

“It was hard to deal with at first, just the thought of it,” Maynor said. “I’d always been pretty active, so it was like a shot.”

Only thing is, she fired back.

She served on the committee.

She watched the runners. But she also took note of the biking and the swimming.

And the thought crossed her mind: “If I’m ever able, I’d like to compete in this event.”

A year later, and she is doing just that.

“It took me until January to get straight with all my medications, find the ones that worked,” Maynor said. “I saw the athletes in the event, I saw what great shape they were in and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it. And Dr. (Wassim) Saikali has been phenomenal. He advised me to do all the physical activity I could do. The more you move the better you feel. Where else can you get more overall body movement than in a triathlon.”

All she needed was to hear her doctor’s go-ahead. And she was off.

And if rhumatory arthritis couldn’t stop her, certainly two feet of January snow wasn’t going to get in her way.

“I swam at the YMCA and I joined spin (stationary bike) classes that were phenomenal,” Maynor said. “It was great pre-training for the bike before I could get outside.”

As soon as the weather turned, she bought a bike and started her training routine outside.

“It’s a lot different doing it outside, I have to say that,” she said. “But at the same time, I didn’t feel like I was starting out cold turkey. But it was a lot tougher.”

As much as she entered the event for the competitive side — she said she hopes to finish the course in 1:45 — she also realizes the therapeutic advantages.

“The swimming is great, and the bike isn’t as impactful on the knee,” she said. “You’re not just getting a run in, it’s a total body workout.”

Maynor said she plans to race with her brother Jon, who lives in Huntington. He has come up and the two have navigated the course together.

And several of her friends, standing staunchly in their friends corner, have bought “Team Heather” T-shirts they will wear Saturday.

“It’s been fun, I’m getting a lot of support and I can’t wait to see how it goes Saturday,” she said.

Cost of the event is $60 and $90 for he relay. For more information or to register visit: www.trifind.com/re_12205/GladeSpringsCharlieWilliamsonMemorialTriathlon2010.html

Cost of the 5-K is $20.

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