Running Celebrity – Kathy Dunderdale

The East Coast is known to be easygoing, laid back and friendly, and Premier Kathy Dunderdale exemplifies that reputation. The 59-year-old Newfoundland and Labrador politician makes you feel like you’re talking to a good friend or your friendly aunt. While her friendliness comes as no surprise, her successful personal battle with weight loss has become an inspirational story over the past year.

Dunderdale is used to media attention, but she was shocked about the amount of interest in a more personal aspect of her life. It came as a result of a major transformation, a lifestyle change that was clearly visible everyone around her. After her husband died, she became wrapped up in a busy political life and had tendency to eat emotionally. But Dunderdale wanted to get healthy again. She was always a walker and hiker, and loved the outdoors. She just needed the motivation to get up and going.

Dunderdale found a healthy food plan that gave her almost immediate results. After the initial weight loss, she began to walk through the warm months, but it was only in the winter that she started running. Dunderdale would work out regularly at Memorial University’s gym, arriving early each morning. She also spent time with friends walking around the indoor track. Thinking perhaps that they would prefer to be running, she decided to give it a try. The first attempt, she says, didn’t go very well, but before long she was able to complete 3K without stopping. Dunderdale wasn’t satisfied, however, and wanted more.

The next goal was to do a 3.7K loop of the nearby Quidi Vidi Lake. One lap turned into two, and then with increasing confidence and strength, she considered four laps – suddenly the famous Tely 10-mile race in St. John’s became within reach. Last July, Dunderdale had herself in shape for the challenge. She thoroughly enjoyed herself in the race, she says, and felt like she had become part of a new family.

“I wish I could have connected with this earlier in my life, [but] I think I have a deeper appreciation coming to running later in life.” She believes in leading by example and her advice to others who want to become active is to “carve it off in small pieces,” and “do it for yourself.”

Still a little vulnerable and anxious about her new found healthy lifestyle and running success, Dunderdale shed 100 pounds and perhaps just as valuable, earned a place in the running community. The added energy and stamina likely helped her in her vigorous campaign last year when she became the first female premier in the province’s history. She’s currently thinking about adding some longer runs to her program, returning this year in hopes of a faster Tely 10. And, like a real runner, she says, she has more trouble taking days off than she does getting out the door.

Noel Paine is a writer and runner from Ottawa/Hull. He writes a blog called “A Runner’s View” at runningmag2.wpengine.com