​THE ADDICT

My name is Susanne, and I love representing WA Midwest! (Thank you, Cherrelle, for the invite) I love running longer races, and since I started running, I have run 20 marathon distance or longer races and hope to do many more. I also love to run in new places and do races while on vacation. I just got back from a weekend of running in Leadville, CO, and ran a marathon in Iceland last year and hope for many more new adventures!

1. What led you to an active lifestyle?

2. What Goal accomplishment are you most proud of to date?

I am proud of how far I have come, the new friends I have made, and how much fun I have had along the way!

3. What are your current goals and what WORK are you doing to CRUSH them?

I have 2 big goals right now. My first one is to do my first 100-miler next February and my 2nd one is to qualify for Boston next year. Both are very different, and right now I’m focusing on getting my mileage up this fall and do some long races in preparation for the 100. Once that is done, I will shift focus to increasing my speed for my BQ attempt.

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were a new #workaddict just starting your active lifestyle journey?

Believe in yourself; you can do all these things you never thought you could! Also to trust the training process; if you put in the work you will be ready!

• #workaddict(s) at the Women’s Distance Festival 5K & 1 Mile

   

  It’s been two months since we gathered at a race — so let’s make it happen at the Women’s Distance Festival 5K & 1 Mile on Saturday, Sept. 22.

  The course goes around the Indianhead neighborhood, with the start/finish near Optimist Park. The women’s race begins at 8 a.m., with the men starting at 8:05 a.m. A 1-mile race starts at 9 a.m.

  For more information or to register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/womens-distance-festival-5k-1-mile-2018-tickets-48594783305.

• workaddict(s) Road Trip – 7 Bridges Marathon/Half Marathon

• Weekly Group Runs – Mondays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. at Fleet Feet Tallahassee (Midtown, Tallahassee); Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at Tom Brown Park; Saturdays and Sundays as posted in the group.

• Be sure to visit www.workaddicts.net for any of your gear needs. We have a full inventory of the offered items. If you’re local, you can also visit Fleet Feet Tallahassee.

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• We are growing rapidly, and that is a good thing! Let’s keep spreading the word of our “Do Work” lifestyle to all that may have interest in joining us. We can certainly support them on their way to CRUSHING their goals. And they don’t have to be local – we’ve got members all over the United States. WORK is everywhere!

• Be sure to visit www.workaddicts.net for any of your gear needs. We have a full inventory of the offered items.

​THE ADDICT

Hey workaddicts, I’m Shawn Blessing – the big, hairy guy often seen pushing a stroller. I’m a triathlete, but good luck spotting me at the pool.

1. What led you to an active lifestyle?

2. What Goal accomplishment are you most proud of to date?

My biggest accomplishments thus far in my athletic journey have been: 1. Finishing that half ironman in NC. 2. Winning Tri Ft DeSoto in my category by a margin of 4 seconds because of a perfectly executed race plan. 3. Getting my buddy (and workaddict), Melvin Jones, into the sport and watching the parade of people he has brought into active lifestyles since.

3. What are your current goals and what WORK are you doing to CRUSH them?

For 2018, my goals are to shave another minute off my run splits in my 5k; ride at least 2,500 miles; and work on fixing my swim technique. My plan is to be at a competitive enough level to go to USAT Clydesdale Nationals in 2019 and have a chance to podium in the sprint length.

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were a new #workaddict just starting your active lifestyle journey?

For anyone just starting on their journey into an active lifestyle, I’d give a couple pieces of advice – set realistic, but challenging goals, and if you want to be faster, you’ve gotta practice going fast. They both sound simple, but there’s a lot to those gems when you look more deeply. Look for me out on the race courses; I’ll be the guy that looks like Forrest Gump.

• #workaddict(s) at the CCKC Firecracker 5K & 1 Mile

  It’s America’s birthday, and we’re having a WORK party to celebrate.

  The course circles Cascades Park and ventures out-and-back Franklin Boulevard. A 1-mile run starts at 7:30 a.m., with the 5K following at 8:00 a.m.

  For more information or to register, visit https://www.facebook.com/CCKCFirecracker5k/ or https://firecracker5k.regfox.com/firecracker-5k.
• workaddict(s) Road Trip – 7 Bridges Marathon/Half Marathon

Chattanooga, here we come!

workaddict(s) will go on a business trip this fall to take on the 7 Bridges Marathon & 4 Bridges Half Marathon. The event truly has something for everyone, offering the marathon and the half marathon, a 4-person relay for the full, a 2-person relay for the half, and a 5K. The races will take place on Sunday, October 21, in Chattanooga, Tn., which is approximately 6 hours from Tallahassee. There’s some work to be done there. Come run with Team workaddict(s).

More details will be posted in the coming weeks – from training groups/runs (starting SOON!) to travel/meal planning. For more information about the races or to register, visit http://sevenbridgesmarathon.com/ or http://sevenbridgesmarathon.com/faq/. Contact Erik or Worth for the workaddict(s) group discount code prior to registering.

• Weekly Group Runs – Mondays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. at Fleet Feet Tallahassee (Midtown, Tallahassee); Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at Tom Brown Park; Saturdays and Sundays coming soon.
• Keep an eye on the Facebook group page for more events, meetups, and workouts.

• We are growing rapidly, and that is a good thing! Let’s keep spreading the word of our “Do Work” lifestyle to all that may have interest in joining us. We can certainly support them on their way to CRUSHING their goals. And they don’t have to be local – we’ve got members all over the United States. WORK is everywhere!
• Be sure to visit www.workaddicts.net for any of your gear needs. We have a full inventory of the offered items.

​THE ADDICT

1. What led you to an active lifestyle?

To say I was “active” growing up would be a stretch. I did dance, tap, ballet, jazz, pointe, etc., growing up but ultimately outgrew it as I wasn’t intending to make a career out of it. I tried out for softball and volleyball in high school, but I’m sure my fear of the ball showed and held me back! When I was 24/25, I had some acquaintances who ran, so I’d occasionally join them. At one point, running turned into an escape to get some peace from the awful relationship I was putting up with; then, when I met my husband, it was a way for us to bond, as he at the top of his running game due to the Marine Corps. We still laugh at how awful I was at running!! I went to sign up for my first 5k and was [easily] talked into the 15k option…I guess that’s where it all began.

2. What Goal accomplishment are you most proud of to date?

Since I began running, I’ve accomplished so many things I would have never dreamt of, so it’s too hard to pick one. I also think that’s one of the things I like about running; there are so many ways to feel accomplished, whether it be time, distance, fueling, or not using the porta potty during a marathonJ.  I’ve received 2^nd place in my age group for a whole series – the Grand Prix Series Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C. I wasn’t the fastest, but I showed up and put in Work at every race. More recently, I’ve gotten 3 PRs in the past 2 months, shaving 33 minutes off my marathon, 7 minutes off my half marathon, and 1 minute and 30 seconds off my 5k.

3. What are your current goals and what WORK are you doing to CRUSH them?

Currently, I’m chasing PRs (5k <26:30; 10K <59:00; half <2:05) and trying to stay consistent. Running with the workaddict(s) has been an integral part of crushing goals this past year, so I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I run at CCR (Midtown) on Monday and Thursdays and have recently started with the speed intervals at Leon High on Wednesdays. An additional 3-4 days a week I do weight training at the gym. In addition to the physical training, I try to fuel my body through meal prepping for the week.

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were a new #workaddict just starting your active lifestyle journey?

Don’t be afraid! Get out there, try new things, and meet new people! Quit worrying about being too slow, and just run! I would tell myself you have to find what works for you! There are tons of training plans and exercise advice out there, but if you don’t like it or if it doesn’t fit your schedule, no matter how great it is, it will not work.

• Midnight (Neon) Run – Friday 12/22 beginning at Capital City Runners (Midtown) for 3-4 miles of fun through midtown Tallahassee (https://www.facebook.com/events/551704895179303/)

• New Year’s Day WORKSTRAVAGANZA – Meeting at Cascades Park at 8 a.m. to begin the New Year Working with teammates. This event will include both running and biking. The run will be between 3-5 miles, and the bike will include an out-and-back ride covering an hour in the saddle. Brunch is a possibility. (https://www.facebook.com/events/1988081334780305/)

• workaddict(s) #OwnTally – Tallahassee Marathon/Half Marathon (https://www.facebook.com/events/1857118574603417/)

• workaddict(s) Road Trip – Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville, FL (https://www.facebook.com/events/321248598350904/)

• Weekly Group Runs – Mondays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. at Capital City Runners (Midtown, Tallahassee).

• Keep an eye on the Facebook group page for more events, meetups, and workouts.

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• Happy holidays to everyone in workaddict(s) family!
• We are growing rapidly, and that is a good thing! Let’s keep spreading the word of our “Do Work” lifestyle to all that may have interest in joining us. We can certainly support them on their way to CRUSHING their goals. And they don’t have to be local – we’ve got members all over the United States. WORK is everywhere!
• Be sure to visit www.workaddicts.net for any of your gear needs. We have a full inventory of the offered items.

We traveled to Columbus, GA, with a mighty crew to take on the Soldier Marathon & Half Marathon. There was so much WORK crushed in the preparation for the race by the group… We faced the challenge and returned home victorious in our test. We even brought back a few PRs!

SOLDIER MARATHON (VIRTUAL HALF)

Two weekends prior to the trip, a group of workaddict(s) that were not able to travel this year completed a virtual half marathon starting in St. Marks and running an out-an-back course on the St. Marks Trail. That was a lovely morning full of good times with friends. A few others also completed the virtual half marathon on their own.

1. What led you to an active lifestyle?

I’ve always had this interval drive to be an athlete, to workout, to run, lift weights, etc… It’s hard to say where it came from. I played baseball, football, track, and ran cross country as a youth. I played racquetball competitively in college. Did my first triathlon in 1984 and was hooked. I thought it was so cool that you could combine 3 different sports into 1 sport: triathlon.

2. What Goal accomplishment are you most proud of to date?

I try not to let ego or pride drive my train. So I don’t really have a most proud accomplishment. I was thrilled to finish my first Ironman distance triathlon in 1994, finishing top 10. Have also won lots of duathlons and triathlons over the years. Used to run pretty fast too. 4:44 mile, 17:20 5K, 37 min 10K and 3 hour marathon. Those days are long gone. Now I get really thrilled helping others accomplish their goals!

3. What are your current goals and what WORK are you doing to CRUSH them?

Long term goal is to remain healthy, enjoy running, biking, and swimming and compete at an age group level as long as I can. Smart consistent training is the road to success. Some of the older folks in our sport really inspire me. Short term goal is to podium at the Augusta 70.3 triathlon in September, and possibly another go at Ironman Florida in November, shhh don’t tell Ann.

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were a new #workaddict just starting your active lifestyle journey?

Consistency over time is the key to success. Be smart with your training, be patient, stay healthy and positive and you will succeed.

​This is the area of the company that will focus on supporting the communities that we call home. Be on the lookout for the first fundraising initiative in the next few weeks.

Do Work.

HQ

• ​​We are growing rapidly and that is a good thing! Let’s keep spreading the word of our “Do Work” lifestyle to all that may have interest in joining us. We can certainly support them on their way to CRUSHING their goals.
• Be sure to visit www.workaddicts.net for any of your gear needs. We have a full inventory of the offered items.

​THE ADDICT

My name is Deirdre McCarthy, my friends know me as Dee Fry. I’m 37, married, have 5 year old twins, 2 dogs and I work as a Research Scientist at FSU. Originally from Ireland, I moved to Boston in 2002, and to Tallahassee in 2011.

1. What led you to an active lifestyle?

I need to be completely honest with this answer, although I truly hate to advertise my nasty habits! Exactly 2.5 years ago I finally kicked my horrible smoking habit, thanks to my husband. He enforced so many rules to make it more and more difficult for me to “enjoy” a cigarette and quite cunningly, brought my kiddos in on his plan. Each time I smoked a cigarette, they would tell me I was stinky and ask why I was having another one! I never really had a good answer for that one. So I finally quit the habit and it’s been one of my biggest accomplishments in life. I turned to exercise, started out with yoga and then I found Insanity through a work friend, who then brought me to my now running friends, who in turn introduced me to Work Addicts!

2.What Goal accomplishment are you most proud of to date?

Oh, I have so many! Does it really have to be one?? Being an ex-smoker and crushing some awesome goals tops it all, but the list includes crossing the Tallahassee Half Marathon finish line in under 2 hours (even with a few minutes to spare), completing Tough Mudder Atlanta in 2016- that was one of my all times favorite things ever, and finishing the Cookies 5km 2016 sub 30 minutes pushing my two biggest fans in the stroller, while strangers cheered me on; that was awesome. In a nutshell, the fact that I voluntarily get my butt out of bed, on a Sunday morning, (previously unheard of) to go RUNNING!

3. What are your current goals and what WORK are you doing to CRUSH them?

My current work is on the trails of Tallahassee and at Insanity (for my full body workout). My goal is to complete all 4 Summer Trail Runs without dying in this heat and humidity. Next goal will be to beat my half marathon PR (thanks to Laura!), Insanity twice a week with Kisha, yoga for some stretching on Thursday, GWTC long runs on Sunday with WA crew, and then a few solo short midweek runs. Erik and Laryn are dropping hints – saying words like Full Marathon! Not right now but hopefully one day guys; some day before I turn 40!

4. What advice would you give yourself if you were a new #workaddict just starting your active lifestyle journey?

I would advise myself to go outside of my comfort zone and try something new. You never know what you could be missing out on until you at least give it a try. I would remind myself, that it might suck to begin with, and no one likes being “Billy no mates” but if you persevere, you will thank yourself for the rest of your life, and in my case, so will your family. And by doing so, you find another family!