Angie Thomas, co-owner of Title Boxing in Lawrence, Kansas gets ready to hit it hard!
This is the second spotlight on inspiring runners. If you know a runner who is doing great things in his or her community, let me know so I can feature them!
RUNNER:
Angie Thomas
Co-owner—
Title Boxing Club, Lawrence, Kansas
KIM / POWER OF RUN: When I first started running, you were my inspiration. I remember how awesome you looked, and I remember thinking, “Wow. If all my hot friends are running, I need to too.” What made you start running?
ANGIE: Honestly, another friend that we worked out with was training for a half marathon. As she would run, I would run on a treadmill beside her. I had been a little bit of a runner years ago but never seriously. One day my friend told me that I should train to do a half with her. I was nervous, but it gave me something to focus on and i did it! 
KIM / POWER OF RUN: You are so great at encouraging people who are new to fitness and running. What advice do you have for someone who is just getting started?
ANGIE: Put one foot in front of thee other. You CAN do it. You DO have time for yourself, and the rewards are SO great. Take your time, and slowly start adding speed and distance. Some days do faster runs but shorter distances. And some days do long endurance runs, but slow down your pace.
KIM / POWER OF RUN: No matter how hard I try, you are still faster than me! And you just keep getting faster. What is your trick to picking up speed?
ANGIE: To get faster, challenge yourself to increase the speed for a minute or for 1/10 of a mile.. Gradually go up in speed because you do not notice it as much. Some days, I jog a half mile then sprint for a minute. I totally believe in weight training and Crossfit training so you can build up your legs to become a stronger and better runner.
KIM / POWER OF RUN: You run fast, and you can do long distances—yet you do a lot of cross training. What are your favorite activities besides running?
ANGIE: I do a Boot Camp class on Thursdays. It is different every week. I love when my body gets “shocked” because it doesn’t know what’s coming next. We do a lot of drills which are fun. One of my new favorite things is boxing.
KIM / POWER OF RUN: You and your husband Jim own Title Boxing Club in Lawrence. Tell us about a Title Boxing workout and how that fits into your overall fitness goals.
ANGIE: A Title Boxing workout is an hour of SWEAT You get your heart rate up for the first few minutes by doing lots of drills—burpies, high knees, running, push ups, etc. The next 30 to 40 minutes is with gloves on. You punch a 100 pound heavy bag and it is HARD, but fabulous. Not only do you physically change, but mentally you feel strong and empowered. The last 15 minutes is core and stretching. Everyone needs to try it. I feel like the boxing I do weekly, along with my running and Crossfit training, has made me in the best shape I have ever been in.
KIM / POWER OF RUN: What’s your favorite distance?
ANGIE: My favorite distance is probably 5 to 10 miles. I can still go faster if i don’t do quite so many miles, but I play mind games as I run. i need to do at least 5 to feel like I have gotten a good run in
KIM / POWER OF RUN: What keeps you running?
ANGIE: The calories I know I’m burning!
KIM / POWER OF RUN: I know exactly what you mean! As you know, I lost a lot of weight once I started running. It was like the pounds just fell off.
ANGIE: I know that running is so great for you and it keeps my heart healthy. If you quit, it is a process to start back up again.
KIM / POWER OF RUN: You are incredibly fit, a great athlete, a wonderful mom, a business owner… and are always out there motivating people and helping them reach their goals. If there is one thing you hope people remember from this interview, what should it be?
ANGIE: I want people to know that they can do anything as long as they set their minds to it. So much of what I do is not because it comes easily, but that’s where the mental part comes in. I tell myself that I can do it, and I am worth the hard work that I put into it. Anyone can improve their fitness and get in the best shape of their lives. Like anything, you have to take that first step!
KIM / POWER OF RUN: I think that is a fantastic message! Thank you so much for sharing your story. Keep hitting it hard!
If you know of someone I should interview on the Power of Run blog, let me know by sending an email to POWERofRUN@gmail.com
