Jeanne Hartman is a regular in group exercise classes, has worked with CHI Saint Joseph Health physical therapists at the C.M. Gatton Beaumont YMCA, and can often be found on an outdoor run – anywhere from a few miles to 19 recently! – for fun or competing in a local race. She might even pass you on the indoor track. She’s strong, active, and vibrant – but, she says, this new lifestyle is like living in a dream.
Jeanne joined the Y as her daughter, then a pre-teen, was interested in having a space to exercise and run. It was a place for them to spend time together, but Jeanne hadn’t yet found her own favorite movement. “I spent a chunk of my adult life with a weight problem,” she shares. “Ultimately, I had bariatric surgery and during that whole process, the Y was here for me. I had the surgery on a Friday, and I was back on a Monday to at least get a little walking in.” Under the guidance of her medical team and in partnership with Y staff, Jeanne used those first critical steps as a launch into a new life: first, achieving a full mile on the indoor track, to joining a run club, and ultimately facing her intimidation of group exercise.
Not only did she overcome it, she’s often the greeter to new participants now, ensuring that others feel welcomed and like everyone belongs.
“I needed the combination of medical intervention and the Y. I couldn’t have done one without the other,” she emphasizes. “If you had told me three years ago that I would run a mile, I wouldn’t have believed you. But the fact that now I’ve run 19 miles at one time feels like a dream. Now I’m going for a full marathon.”
We’re grateful that Jeanne joined our community and connected with several of our Y team as she pursued her own health and wellness journey. Jeanne: we’re cheering for you and will always be here for you in the ups and downs of training, building strength, staying in community - and at every finish line. You inspire us and we can’t wait to see what you do next!
