Tampa Bay Times Personal Best Cover Story
Nov. 2, 2013
Click here To Read the article and see the video
Nov. 2, 2013
Click here To Read the article and see the video
4 You Magazine: Leader Of The Pack
Imagine diving out of a plane at 6,600 feet, reaching terminal velocity, and maneuvering turns and loops. Lynn Gray did it more than 1,200 times as a student at the University of South Florida in the early 1970s. She was trained by MacDill while competing in parachute jumping style with the Golden Knights, an all-male team. You could say she was a bit competitive. “It was very scary, but I was always squeezing the best out of myself,” says Gray, 61. During nine years of competing, she broke only one bone – her ankle. Now she uses that daredevil attitude to propel herself on land. A psychology and global studies teacher at Jesuit High in Tampa, Gray leads Take the First Step, a mostly women’s running group for speed walkers, marathoners and everything in between. Gray doesn’t just lead – she leads by example. She has nearly 90 marathons under her belt and ran her ninth Boston Marathon on April 17. It’s that experience that helped Terry Bishoff, 47, qualify for two Boston Marathons. Bishoff joined Take the First Step about five years ago because she wanted to drop some weight. She lost the pounds and discovered a new active lifestyle. “She sees what level you’re at and doesn’t give you expectations that you can’t meet. If there was no chance I could qualify for Boston, she would’ve told me,” Bishoff says. “But she’s encouraging the whole time.”
Pounding The Pavement
The running bug bit Gray while she was attending Florida State University in 1969. It was a way for her to escape and unwind for a mile. She transferred to USF and kept it up. She met male runners who encouraged her to run farther, and before she knew it, she was eyeing marathons. She ran her first in about 4 1/2 hours. The more races she ran, the more she pushed herself. “I decided I wanted to run faster because I didn’t want to be last,” Gray says. She built up her endurance in the ’80s when few women could pound 26.2 miles. “I started to come in winning, either first or second in my age group,” she says. “I started venturing into races with the idea of winning. It was about endurance. I was never an elite athlete, but I could always win in my age group with hard, consistent training.” So how does Gray do it? It’s all about regular, long-distance training and hard work. She trains five days a week and aims for a new goal every three months. She’s fine-tuning for a half marathon in mid-July. “I love challenging myself, and it keeps me motivated,” Gray says. “I don’t compete against anyone else, I always compete against myself.”
Running Role Model
Gray, a wife and mother of a 27-year-old son, has always doled out running advice, and about eight years ago, a friend suggested she organize a running group. She started with 10 women; she now has over 100 and continuously grown over the years. She’s on call for minor injuries. She creates nutrition plans. She customizes training for each runner. And she even does marathons with runners to help pace them for their goals. Gray has been at so many races that Summer Wolfrath couldn’t help but notice. “I kept seeing Lynn and these women at all these races, and finally I had to ask them who they were,” says Wolfrath, 31. She had never run more than six miles until joining the running group nearly five years ago. “One of the things I always wanted to do before I died was run a marathon,” Wolfrath says. “I’ve done five now.” Wolfrath says Gray always puts her runners first and boosts their running egos. And she knows just how to whip them into shape. “It’s just undeniably very inspiring,” Gray says. “They have lost a lot of weight. The group helps each other, and they’re very supportive. They travel all over the United States. They just came back from Nashville” after running a marathon together recently.
Gray couldn’t be happier.
“If you start with me, I don’t want to ever lose you,” she says. “I don’t want to ever wear you out or injure you. That’s my whole philosophy: I want you to be a permanent part of my teaching life.” Lynn Gray is a recognized RRCA certified running coach who resides and coaches in Tampa, Florida. Lynn has been a runner for over 40 years, an age group winner for 30 years and has completed over 90 marathons, including 12 Boston Marathons. She is also the recipient of the USA Track and Field Masters 5K winner and over 30 years of winning her race age group in distance events. Lynn is the founder and President of a running organization called, the Take…The First Step Club which currently motivates over a 100 or more women and men to become physically active. The Take…The First Step Club is involved in several community projects such as directing 5K benefit races for MADD and assisting with Miles for Moffitt, Inc. and Steps for S.T.E.M. Lynn has been a running coach for over 18 years and has trained hundreds of participants of all ages and ability levels. Her training programs include KIDS© running through the Hillsborough County Schools, Walk to Run© – a training program for coaches, My First 5K© , Cardio Walking for Weight Loss© , Marathon College©, and numerous other programs which help both the beginner and experienced walk to runner get into tip top shape.
Lynn Gray has published the following books: Run Fit and Faster – 100
Workouts for Walkers and Runners, Cardio Walking for Weight Loss,
and Conquering the Marathon.
Teaching Experience
Lynn Gray, M.S. has been a teacher for over 28 years. She taught 18 years in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties and 10 years at Jesuit High School. Her major studies have been in political science, geography and American History including Advanced Placement, advanced, and regular levels. Lynn and her students traveled overseas many times and within the United States to investigate the world they studied. Trips to Europe, Washington D.C., and the Florida Keys were part her teaching curriculum. She has formally taught grades 5 through 12, as well as college level and adult learning. She was nominated Teacher of the Year, once in Pasco County and twice in Hillsborough County. She was also Hillsborough County Peer counselor of the Year. Her range of teaching goes from the effective to the affective nature of the student, thus the Peer counseling award. She has also taught teachers to be teachers. It seems the desire to teach never stops for those of who stay in this occupation! In February 2013, Lynn taught Hillsborough County Public School elementary teachers how to help train their kids for running. Various running lessons were given plus development exercises and stretches to help kids learn how to run properly. Lynn has been teaching the sport of running to all ages for the last 15 years. In 2009, she opened Take…The First Step Training Center to train individuals of all fitness levels. Training individuals for running includes going to various locations such as the track, corporations such as Miles for Moffitt, Inc., and personal training. Lynn also began a Certified Coaching Program to instruct runners how to train others from walking to running. This Certified Coaching Program began in February, 2013.
Lynn Gray, M.S. has been a teacher for over 28 years. She taught 18 years in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties and 10 years at Jesuit High School. Her major studies have been in political science, geography and American History including Advanced Placement, advanced, and regular levels. Lynn and her students traveled overseas many times and within the United States to investigate the world they studied. Trips to Europe, Washington D.C., and the Florida Keys were part her teaching curriculum. She has formally taught grades 5 through 12, as well as college level and adult learning. She was nominated Teacher of the Year, once in Pasco County and twice in Hillsborough County. She was also Hillsborough County Peer counselor of the Year. Her range of teaching goes from the effective to the affective nature of the student, thus the Peer counseling award. She has also taught teachers to be teachers. It seems the desire to teach never stops for those of who stay in this occupation! In February 2013, Lynn taught Hillsborough County Public School elementary teachers how to help train their kids for running. Various running lessons were given plus development exercises and stretches to help kids learn how to run properly. Lynn has been teaching the sport of running to all ages for the last 15 years. In 2009, she opened Take…The First Step Training Center to train individuals of all fitness levels. Training individuals for running includes going to various locations such as the track, corporations such as Miles for Moffitt, Inc., and personal training. Lynn also began a Certified Coaching Program to instruct runners how to train others from walking to running. This Certified Coaching Program began in February, 2013.
Testimonials
At 54 years of age the thought of running a mile without stopping was unthinkable.
I was the person that would run 10 seconds and walk two minutes, huffing and puffing the entire way. In March 2012 I joined some co-workers in a running clinic for Miles for Moffitt and was introduced to a person that would change my life, Lynn Gray. Lynn’s upbeat and positive attitude provided the motivation I needed to “take that first step.” Even now she is always there to give me that extra boost of confidence, especially on days when I might not feel in the
mood to run. She makes you feel like you can accomplish anything! I feel truly blessed to have Lynn as coach, mentor and friend. She is an inspiration to all she meets. About that one mile….I reached that goal months ago!
Kathy H. Barnes, M.S.Ed., University of South Florida
Lynn Gray and the entire team at Take the First Step are patient, positive and persistent. Making the decision to take my first class at Take the First Step was definitely a step in the right direction and I haven’t looked back. They have made learning to run fun!
Christy Sacco
How do you convert the thinking of a 56 year old who has always said she hated running? The answer is find a coach like Lynn Gray. My decision to go to the expert and learn how to properly approach this sport one year ago was one of the best decisions I have made. Lynn uses her knowledge, skills and talent to get the best out of everyone she works with. I have accomplished more in the
past year than I had thought imaginable with Lynn’s proficient guidance.
Charlene Penick MS,RN
The class was great and I look forward to doing this challenge and getting fit, feeling better.
THANK YOU so much for all of your efforts to provide such a great opportunity for us to learn how to walk/run correctly.
I needed this class to get a jump start on my walking again. Lynn is so knowledgeable and such a great motivator.
I so appreciate all that you do!
THANK YOU!
Have a great day! J
Lisa
Great program, Deb! Love it! So excited!
Thanks!
Cindy Kelly
