Meet Linda Moreau, A Baltimore Women's Classic
Linda Moreau first learned of the Baltimore Women’s Classic 5K in 2006 when her daughter, Sara Proescher (pictured together at right), decided to run the race.
Interested in running marathons and becoming a triathlete, Sara signed up for the Baltimore Women’s Classic as her first 5K — a race that would become the foundation for her future athletic goals.
In 2007, Sara encouraged her mother to give the Baltimore Women’s Classic a try. Sara’s belief in the BWC, herself, and in her mother would change both their lives. As Linda explains, “I wanted to do [the race] and make [Sara] proud of me, but I had serious doubts. After all, I was 66 years old, had no athletic ability, had never run, and was not engaged in any exercise. I halfheartedly agreed to try.” Linda’s decision to begin running became more meaningful after being diagnosed with extreme adrenal fatigue and Hashimoto's hypothyroiditis, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys the thyroid. Linda remembers that she “was completely without energy” and filled with an uncertainty that she could complete a race of any distance.
A naturopathic doctor and nutritional counselor, Sara began her mother on a nutritional program, and was there for continual emotional support. Both Sara and Linda signed up for the Baltimore Women’s Classic together, and Linda’s training began on a treadmill at home.
Endurance is making possible that which at first seemed impossible
Linda has a vivid recollection of that first race morning: “When race day finally came, I was so nervous.
I kept telling myself, ‘JUST FINISH!’ but as I started running, I thought, ‘WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?’”
Then Linda remembered the motivational quote that Sara had given her —
“Endurance is making possible that which at first seemed impossible.”
With courage and determination, Linda put one foot in front of the other, finding encouragement along the entire route; “It was exciting to hear someone call out my number and shout, ‘Good job!’ ‘Keep it up!’ ‘You’re doing great!’” Linda’s only focus was to make it to the finish line, taking walking breaks as she needed them along the way. To her joy and surprise, Linda placed third in her age category!
“I was shocked and couldn’t have been happier had I won first place,” she recalls. “I did make my daughter proud.” At the finish line, Sara presented her mother with a gold 5K charm that Linda has worn every day since. The Baltimore Women’s Classic 5K is a race that Linda says she would highly recommend to all women, encouraging them to “challenge themselves to a new level of fitness.”
What Linda likes best about the BWC is that the race is “about women and for women. It is well-organized, well run, and loads of fun.” Women of all sizes, ages and abilities take part in the race, all of them there to challenge themselves. Linda heralds the Baltimore Women’s Classic as the perfect race, in particular because of the closed course and enthusiastic volunteers, and it is because of the Baltimore Women’s Classic that Linda continues to run today. The best motivator of all? A healthier mind and body.
Linda is strong in her convictions: “Did I face hurdles? YES! Was deciding to get on that treadmill every day easy? NO! Was I rewarded for doing it anyway? MOST DEFINITELY! In the process I became healthier, stronger, and gained a decent dose of self-respect and pride in my accomplishment.”
In January of 2008, Linda found herself facing yet another physical challenge — that of a broken arm. To help keep her going as she began training again, Linda placed a form of inspiration in front of her treadmill — a photograph of the Pride of Baltimore II under full sail with the caption, “You may not be able to direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails.” Linda hopes to motivate other women by her story. “It would mean a lot to me if I could encourage other women to ‘adjust their sails’ and sail across the finish line of the Baltimore Women’s Classic [in] 2008. You will be glad you did.”
Thank you all for joining us this year. We hope you, like Linda, are glad as well.
“At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable.” — Christopher Reeve