Jennifer Wurthner has always looked for ways to squeeze exercise into her busy schedule, even if that exercise is a 26.2-mile marathon.
For the past several months, the La Pietra-Hawaii School for Girls high school teacher has been working toward her third Honolulu Marathon. Three times a week, she runs 6 to 7 miles and does weight training on alternate days. On the weekends, she goes hiking with her family or bodyboarding at the beach.
"Cardio and diet are important, but developing muscle mass is what helps me burn the fat," she said.
She is a self-taught marathoner and doesn’t train with any particular group. "I looked up training tips on the Internet," said Wurthner, 40.
During last year’s Honolulu Marathon, her strategy was to run 7 miles, then walk a mile. She finished in a personal best time of 5 hours, 1 minute and 38 seconds. Wurthner said she’s hoping to shave a few minutes off that time at this year’s race, set for Dec. 14.
"This year I plan to run longer before taking walk breaks," she said.
A flare-up of plantar fasciitis, a painful inflammation of the heel and bottom of the foot, after her last marathon made Wurthner realize the need to increase her stretching time. She likes to freeze a bottle of water and roll it under the arches of her feet for relief.
Wurthner has always tried to maintain an active lifestyle. She ran cross country and track in middle and high school, and running was part of the conditioning workout when she paddled for St. Francis School.
| JENNIFER WURTHNER
» Age: 40
» Proudest fitness achievement: Joining an all-male paddling team at a two-day event in Key Largo, Fla., in 2001, when one of the crewmembers had to drop out.
» Best marathon time: 5 hours, 1 minute, 38 seconds
» Marathon advice: "Pace yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you need to take breaks."
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When her kids were small, Wurthner used a jogging stroller. Later, she found ways to run and do strength-training exercises on park jungle gyms and school facilities while her children took part in extracurricular activities. Her 12-year-old son Logan plays violin and soccer, and 10-year-old daughter Leylia participates in musical theater and soccer.
On more than one occasion, Wurthner said, she has received calls from their coaches because she underestimated the time it would take to complete a run and was late to pick them up. Although it’s a bit embarrassing, she said she realizes the importance of committing to a healthy lifestyle.
"Sometimes the kids will join me," she said. "They’ll do situps and challenge each other."
The potential for hereditary ailments has been a source of motivation for Wurthner. She also watches what she eats. On weekdays, she tries to follow a vegetarian diet, saving meat for the weekends.
"We have both diabetes and hypertension in the family," she said. "And in my 20s, I found a lump in my breast, which needed to be removed. Diet and exercise are preventative measures."
Six weeks prior to a marathon, Wurthner starts trying to drop some weight, about a pound a week.
"I really watch my portion control," she said. "That way, I’ll be carrying around less weight.
"It doesn’t help that the marathon is right after Thanksgiving."
After the grueling event, she usually takes a month off from running to recuperate. But then she’s back at it again.
"I know how hard it is to exercise with kids," Wurthner said. "But I see old people working out and overweight people running. I really have no excuse."
ON THE NET:
» honolulumarathon.org
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