Theresa (second from the right) and her colourful group of friends.
Theresa Ridgway lives life in the fast lane. She's the ambassador at our Newburyport, MA showroom who has run 3:04 not once, but twice. (She also was the first person to answer all our interview questions.) Theresa doesn't do yoga for a couple of reasons - one is that it means she has to put on the brakes. Luckily for us, she slowed down enough to share a bit of her story.
the road to boston with theresa ridgway
Who inspired you to start running?I was the combination of my father, who was generally athletic and loved the outdoors, and my mother, a very quiet but strong woman. The gifts they gave me combined into a love of endurance running. I would say my twin brother Tom, but no matter what he says, I started running first.
Friends make the miles go by quickly (Theresa, left, with friend Amy)
Why Boston?
The first time I ran it, I did it mostly because I qualified. It was just something everyone I knew did: if you qualify for Boston, you go run it. I kept saying I wasn't going to run it again but I quickly realized that it is such a huge part of the running culture that I wanted to be a part of it. Boston is special that way.
What’s your goal for the race?I want to feel as good at the end of the marathon as I did last year. As far as time, my PR for Boston is 3:15 so I would like to beat that time. I have run 3:04 twice. I would love to beat that - maybe go under 3 hours - but Boston can be a tough course. With that said, I'm coming off seventeen weeks of speed work and intense hill training so, you never know.
What has yoga done for your running regime?
I don't do yoga, actually.
Seriously? Why not?Well, lots of reasons. I haven't found any instructors I really like since I did it in the late 90's. I like to be active and I find that yoga is usually too slow for me. I do TRX and spin (if I can) and I am busy with a full-time job. As a single mother I don't have a lot of spare time. I do what I love with the time I have - I run.
When you’re not training you’re…
Spending time with my beautiful 6 year-old daughter, Maria, reading, writing and working. I also have a great network of friends. We're lucky enough to enjoy each other even when we are not running.
Theresa & Maria
What’s next for you after Boston?I am registered for my first 100k, Where's Waldo, in Oregon in August. I also registered for my first triathlon, Title 9, in Hopkinton, MA, of all places. I want to do the Transrockies Challenge but I need the right partner for it. You simply can't do it with just anyone...
visit us in boston
There's no shortage of fun to be had in Boston. Get all the details on the Prudential store’s Facebook page.
want more?
- Apply to be an ambassador. Stop by your local store or apply online.
- Take your training up a notch. Gina did it with yoga.
- Run longer. Get tips on building your endurance.
- Be at the race next year. Here are some tips to get you started.
Do you find yoga balances your running? Theresa's probably not alone out there. We crave it after a few days of training but it's not for everyone...yet.
