Author: Amy Begley
Published on: October 21, 2016
A healthy dose of competition can be a powerful motivator. It can even be a driving force to help people overcome incredible odds.
One of the training program participants I coach at Atlanta Track Club, Kyle Klenke, suffered a hip injury as a child. He went through a series of leg braces, full lower-body casts and even bed rest all by the time he was in fifth grade. Even then, Kyle’s doctors warned against testing his limits in football and baseball despite his competitive nature.
Kyle hated running as a child because he wasn’t able to run like his friends could. He viewed it as more of something he had to practice for other sports. But as an adult, a co-worker noticed how competitive Kyle is and dared him to join him for the AJC Peachtree Road Race. Kyle ran Peachtree numerous times, but trained very little before the big day.
In 2014, Kyle realized he needed a training program to hold him accountable. He says that is when his definition of running was redefined. He found a group of people he could have fun with and even compete with, all while getting in shape and working towards a goal.
Now Kyle is a volunteer run lead for our In-Training programs. This year he signed up for a meal preparation service, which has helped him lose 55 pounds and set new personal bests in every distance he has run. Kyle even found others in the training programs to compete with in both weight loss and finish times. However, he is also one of the most caring run leads. He has been known to run races and then immediately drive to training sessions to run the last half of the workout with other participants.
It’s good to allow your competitive side to push you along, as long as it’s a friendly competition. At the end of the day, it’s clear that Kyle is striving to be the best version of himself while encouraging others to do the same.
