Rhythm Run Finisher Inspired to Go After Next Race
Julie Bitely
| 3 min read
If Tenisa Frye can do it, she wants you to know that you can too.
“I am not a runner, let me just tell you,” she said.
Tenisa Frye
(Courtesy photo)
(Courtesy photo)
Still, that didn’t stop her from completing her second Rhythm Run, a 5K race that took place at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Grand Rapids on Aug. 15. The event is put on by the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute (GRAAHI). Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan was a sponsor of the event.
“I did all 3.1-miles in a combination of jogging, walking, and a nice fast sprint at the end,” Frye said. “I really pushed myself at the end and it felt great. I’ve decided that no matter the obstacle, my size or age, I owe it to myself to just go for it.”
The former daycare owner is transitioning into work as a community organizer. She’s been involved with the Rhythm Run for four years, the first two on the administrative side getting people from her church to sign up and helping, then participating in the run for the first time last year. She walked the distance her first time and said this year, her goal was to incorporate more running.
“This one, it’s called the Rhythm Run, so it’d be nice to actually run,” she joked.
Tenisa Frye with her children and members of Inner City Community Advocates. (Courtesy photo)
Frye trained for the race with members of Inner City Community Advocates, a group she’s on the board of. She said training with other people pushed her out of her comfort zone and made her feel brave enough to give running a try. Exercising, whether it’s running or Zumba, another favorite healthy activity, energizes Frye and serves as an effective stress reliever.
She and her husband have three children, ages 12, 14, and 16. She said staying active is not only important to her health, it sets a good example for her kids.
“I feel like we have to lead by example,” Frye said. “They’re a lot more active when I’m active.”
After her success at the Rhythm Run, Frye is researching races she and her family can participate in this fall. There will be no break, and that’s just fine with her. She said “training starts this week.”
The mission of GRAAHI is to “promote health care parity in the Grand Rapids community” through education, advocacy, and research. Learn more about GRAAHI here.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:
Photo credit: Lindsay Ensing
