Fleet Feet Training Programs Change Lives For The Better

Fleet Feet Charleston Customer Tonia McKinnie and her husband Michael are huge fans of Fleet Feet training programs. We asked Tonia if she would share about her experiences so that we could help others know why our Training Programs may be just what they are looking for.

FF CHS: What drew you to Fleet Feet and our programs? 

Tonia: In 2008 while I was living in NC, some friends I met at the local YMCA decided it would be a great idea to try out a women's super sprint triathlon which was making its debut in our area.  I had never dreamed of completing a triathlon and I was in no way prepared...I could barely even swim.  But, my friends were excited to try it and the Fleet Feet in our area was offering a swim-bike-run triathlon training, so we all signed up.  That was one great decision!  We had such a fantastic time and we learned everything there was to know about how to prepare for your first triathlon.

The training sessions were in groups yet the training was also personalized, giving everyone the confidence we needed. I appreciate Fleet Feet so much for helping me reach a goal that to me seemed unreachable. 

FF CHS: What distance program did you start with? Tell us about your experience.

Tonia: My first running program was the No Boundaries 5K training.  In 2011 a family member saw that a women's half marathon was coming to our area. Armed with confidence, I convinced my sisters and my mom to form a relay team with me and we signed up to participate in the half marathon as a relay team.  My leg of the relay was five miles... except I could not run five miles and probably never had before.  But, a friend told me that Fleet Feet had a No Boundaries class and we both signed up for it.  The coach graciously modified my training plan so that I could participate with the 5K class and still be ready for the five miles of my relay.  Participation in that training was a turning point for me.  I gained so much confidence that I started training for my first half marathon.

After the relay, my friend and I both caught the running bug and we have been signing up for races and training together ever since.  My husband so graciously supported me during the relay by running alongside with me, and since that time he and I have incorporated running together as part of our quality shared experiences. 

My sister and I still run races together, and my children run with us too.  Many friendships and running meet-ups were formed during that No Boundaries training.  But, most special for me was the unique experience I was able to share with my family; we ran the relay on Mom's 70th birthday and our family enjoyed a beautiful celebration with her.

FF CHS: What would you tell a person considering signing up for the upcoming No Boundaries or Half Marathon training programs?

Expect to meet other people just like yourself, and expect to make new friends!  The Fleet Feet coaches are so supportive and they take great care of the participants.  I've had that same great Fleet Feet experience here as I had in NC, making new friends and being fully prepared for the race events. It's so neat to be out on a weekend run and see people you've trained with in the past at Fleet Feet. 

It's also something my husband and I can do together, even though he trains at a different pace, because the classes allow you to train with others that run as fast or as slowly as you.

If you could sum up Fleet Feet training programs in one sentence, what would you say?

Fleet Feet training is about training, but it's also about support, education, and community.