Spotted on the Streets of BK: Kaitlyn Hamilton
We are SO excited for Finish Line PT patient Kaitlyn Hamilton, who finished her first 5K ever – the Brooklyn Pride 5K on June 14 in Prospect Park! Before coming to FLPT, she hadn’t run since 6th grade… and, well, she caught the running bug.
What got you interested in running again?
The positive, pro-running energy at Finish Line is totally contagious. If you had asked me when I started coming to Finish Line 2 years ago if I would ever enter a race, I would have very confidently told you, “No way!” But I think that as time went on, and I watched so many others around me train for races and celebrate afterwards, I eventually wanted to join the club too!
What inspired you to sign up for a 5K?
In order for me to stick with running regularly, I knew I needed a concrete goal to work towards. Completing a 5K felt like a challenging, but also very reasonable first goal. The FL tagline “What’s your finish line?” actually really resonates with me because it highlights and celebrates the idea of having a fitness goal that meets your individual needs. I take issue with the idiom “a walk in the park” because for me, that’s a big deal!
How did you feel during the race? And what was it like crossing the finish line of your first 5K?
The race felt really good overall! I was a little bit concerned at the beginning because the furthest I had ever gone in one training session was 2 miles, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from 3.1, but in the end it totally worked out! I think I paced myself well (I did a program of 5 minutes jogging/1 minute walking) so I was able to cross the finish line with a lot of energy and a smile.
What’s your next goal?
My next goal is to enter another 5K and to improve my time! It’s funny because one of my first thoughts after finishing was “I bet I can go faster!” I can see how so many people get sucked in…
How did Brynn & Finish Line help you throughout this process?
I was very tentative at first about the idea of starting to run again after 10+ years, but as soon as I told Brynn she was incredibly supportive and enthusiastic. As I told her after the race, maybe I could’ve done it without her… but I don’t think I would have. Brynn’s message to me all along was that she wanted to keep running fun for me so that I would be more likely to stick with it long-term, and I think we achieved that goal! The rest of the staff was amazing as well. I really felt like everyone was excited for me and rooting for me which gave me a lot of energy and confidence. It was (and still is!) awesome to feel so supported by such a great community of people.
