Student runs from stress toward health

I have never been a big runner. My peak was in junior high P.E. when I struggled through two miles in our running unit. So in August I started a 5K training program, bought new running shoes and began running. When I first began, I could barely run a mile due to my asthma and poorly conditioned state. But as I began to run more consistently, I saw the benefits exercising had in my life. My energy levels improved, and my asthma diminished.

The medal Anna Quantrille won at a 5K race in Climax, Ga., during Thanksgiving break.

Anna Quantrille and family friend, John Fleisher, after finishing their 5K.

I could also tell the differences in how well I studied; I studied better on days that I ran than on those I didn’t run. It also improved my stress levels and mood. I remember one day in anatomy lab I was really stressed and upset and one of my classmates gave me some great advice — leave early and go exercise!

As I started telling my friends and family about how much running was impacting my life, a family friend decided to start running too. He wanted to lose some weight, and he asked me to keep him accountable for exercising and eating well. Over the last few months, he has been able to lose more than 20 pounds by altering his diet and adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Recently, my friend and I signed up for our first 5K to have a goal we could work toward together. I finished in about 27 minutes, which was a big improvement from the first 5K I ran in the fall where it took me 35 minutes.

More surprising than my time, was that after the race I wan’t expecting to win anything and I wanted to leave. Thankfully my friend made me stay to hear that I placed third in the 20-30 age group! It was a bunch of fun.

Now, we both can now run around 5 miles which is a vast improvement from when we could barely run at all! Maybe we’ll do a 6K next…

About Anna Quantrille Anna is first-year medical student at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville. She is a graduate of Bob Jones University where she majored in cell biology.