Joyce Lee
ABOUT ME: For the first half of my life, the only sports I did was swimming and gymnastics; I had zero interest in running. Even in college, I spent my summers teaching private swim lessons and coached a few kids before they graduated on to joining a swim team. I had needed another form of exercise after closing up four seasons of swim teaching, so I turned to running since it seemed like a simple way of getting in some cardio. I didn't own any running shoes so I just wore my gym shoes and set out to run for an hour in my hilly neighborhood by Mission Peak. I had no idea how far I went, or what my pace was; the goal was to just keep moving. This was just before September 2003. It was tough at first but I ran /shuffled along 4-5 days a week and eventually worked my way up to what I found out was approximately 5 miles by the time it was Halloween. Fast forward to 2010, I ran my first chip-timed race training on my own- The Nike Women's Marathon. This was supposed to be a once-in-my-life thing, but the challenge of this distance so intrigued me while the passion of the running community pulled me in after I experienced them for the first time at the race. From then, I resolved to become a stronger marathoner and eventually worked my way up to an Ironman triathlon in 2015 and 100-mile ultra marathon in 2017. Since then, running has become an essential part of my life and I haven't looked back!
CAREER RUNNING HIGHLIGHTS: Some of my proudest running highlights are not what I think most would consider a "personal" accomplishment in running performances but rather a reflection of the impact the running community has had on me. The first would be the charitable contributions that my running streak has created the opportunity for. The "change" from my race-themed party contributions go towards my favorite charities. With my employer matching the contributions, the donated dollars were able to reach $7k USD! This illustrates the power of passion and power in numbers. I may not be the fastest runner, but my passion for running has attracted many like-hearted runners with whom together we are able to create this kind of impact. The sum of our forces are indeed greater than each of ours individually. Here are a few select highlights- - Boston Marathon Finisher: 2016, 2017, 2018 - 2018: Run de Vous Ultra 50 Mile - 1st Overall, Badwater Cape Fear 50k - 1st Female - 2017: Run de Vous Ultra 100 Mile - 2nd Female, Vibha Dream Mile Marathon - 2nd Female - 2016: Ironman 70.3 All World Athlete - 2015: Mermaid Half Marathon East Bay - 3rd Overall, Super Hero Half Marathon - 3rd Female, Ironman Arizona 140.6 Finisher - 2013: Started my running streak on January 1 and it's still going!!
WHY TEAM OS1st? I've tried a lot of different brands and was introduced to OS1st by Catra Corbett a few years ago. The plantar fasciitis socks were a new type of sock to me and the compression was life-changing! These really helped reduce fatigue and shin splint discomfort. My other go-to products are the calf sleeve which I use for my longer distance runs and races; and the compression bracing sock which is a fantastic recovery sock and great for improving circulation when stuck in long flights. I really appreciate that OS1st not only makes effective and durable bracing systems, the price point is reasonable which allows more people to discover the benefits for themselves.
FAVORITE QUOTE: “Running empowers the individual, engages a family and unites a community.” - Deena Kastor