Herald Mail, "50 miles for 50 years for Williamsport woman"
WILLIAMSPORT — Lynne Kline, a nurse practitioner at The Center for Advanced Orthopaedics-Parkway Division, advises her patients that an active, healthy lifestyle can help them as they age.
"I am a firm believer that we're all going to grow old, but nobody has to get old," said Kline, who lives in Williamsport and enjoys her home's close proximity to the C&O Canal.
So to practice what she preaches, Kline is running the JFK 50 Mile for the first time Saturday, in celebration of having turned 50 in August.
The event takes participants from Boonsboro to Williamsport along paved roads, the Appalachian Trail and the C&O Canal towpath.
The 1985 Williamsport High School graduate admits that her running has been "sporadic" at best over the years. At the beginning of February, she decided she was going to start running and stick with it.
"I talk to people every day about staying healthy and trying to exercise the best you can," Kline said.
That's when she decided to commit to running the JFK 50 for the first time.
A Williamsport native, Kline said she grew up with the race and this time wanted to do it herself. Her brother, Joel Baker, has run it at least three times.
Between working at least 40 hours a week and taking care of her family — she and husband Drew have two children, Ava, 12, and Will, 10 — Kline has gotten creative with ways to squeeze running in during the day.
She runs with co-worker Emily Young, a physician assistant at the same practice, at lunchtime when their schedules permit.
They run from the office on Western Maryland Parkway to Cedar Lawn Cemetery, averaging two to four miles, depending on how many patients they have in the afternoon.
Kline also runs while her children have practices for their travel volleyball and soccer teams. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, her goal is six to 10 miles. Saturday and Sunday are reserved for longer runs.
Kline enlisted the help of a running coach in February. She said that's made a big difference, keeping her accountable for her training.
Lauren Cramer of More Miles Personal Training and Coaching provides online assignments several times a week. Cramer can track Kline's progress through her Garmin GPS device.
Kline started increasing her mileage in August, but a back injury late in the month resulted in a two-week layoff, putting her a little behind in her training.
She has trained for several 5Ks and planned to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October, but wasn't able to compete due to a scheduling conflict.
Kline's goal is to finish the race without injury. She said working in an orthopedic practice, the staff sees injured JFK 50 Mile runners the Monday after the race.
"So I know what happens. I don't want that to happen," Kline said.
She has been advised to keep a steady pace and not to fall on the Appalachian Trail, where many competitors hurt themselves.
Kline said she'll probably walk the majority of the trail to prevent injury.
A positive attitude is also key to Kline.
"It's not 'if' I finish, it's 'when,'" she said.