Open Run Spotlight: Lynn Decker’s Journey from the Couch to 5K (and Beyond)
Open Run Conference House Park Run Director Lynn Decker
During 2019, we’re highlighting NYRR Open Run participants, volunteers, and groups whose stories and accomplishments have had an impact on their neighborhoods and communities.
In late 2015, Staten Island’s Lynn Decker, now 56, realized she needed to make a lifestyle change if she wanted to maintain her health as she got older. For a number of years, she served as the primary caretaker for her mother, who has since passed away. She also had an office in Brooklyn, which meant a lengthy commute to and from her home in Staten Island. At the end of the day, she found little time to take care of herself after looking after her loved ones and professional interests.
The passing of Lynn’s mother made her realize she had reached an important crossroad in her life and she decided to take control of her situation. She relocated her office closer to her home to cut down on her commute and started running to get in shape. Initially inspired by a “Couch to 5K” training app, Lynn took the initiative to join the Staten Island Athletic Club (SIAC) and was on her way. Through SIAC, Lynn was able to connect with other like-minded runners, each of whom was at a different place on their own fitness journey.
Lynn also discovered and started running weekly with NYRR Open Run at Conference House Park. Open Run, along with her training app and new running buddies, helped her prepare for her first 5K, which she completed in November 2016. When asked if it felt exhilarating to get to her first start line, Lynn recalls, “Getting to the finish line was awesome. The starting line was intimidating, but I was excited, not scared.”
Lynn running the 2018 United Airlines NYC Half
After crossing that first finish line, Lynn remembers, “I got a medal and thought, I can do this.” She hasn’t turned back since. Today, Lynn runs regularly and has lost 30 lbs. She has completed races of various distances, including several half-marathons, and is training for the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon. A true altruist, Lynn has started her own Facebook page, @WomenOnTheRunSI, that aims to help other women start and continue their health journeys by connecting them with running buddies. She has also taken on more responsibility at Open Run, becoming a volunteer Run Director to support her peers.
Lynn’s story is important because it shows that she is a real person who has taken the steps herself. She doesn’t have an overly romanticized view of running and knows how difficult it can be to get going sometimes. “I don’t necessarily love running, but I love the feeling when I’m finished,” she says. “I have no special talents, but I can run. I can call myself a runner and it makes me feel proud.”
There’s no excuse for you to not take the first step today. Just ask Lynn. “If I am running 13 miles,” she says, “there’s no reason you can’t also.”