Headfirst Magazine’s first athlete of the month is Cynthia Heady.

 
Not only has Cynthia accomplished many things in her athletic endeavours, she has been an inspiration to everyone around her while doing so.  She always has a smile on her face and a kind word for anyone around.  After a race when most people are talking about what went right or wrong in the event Cynthia is telling stories about all the people she met along the way.

In late February of 1999 Cynthia approached me and asked if I could help her.  She said she had seen this thing with the Lukemia Society and signed up to run a marathon.  When I asked her when it was she said June 21.  My next question was about how much she was running now.  Her response was “none, but I quit smoking.”  Here was a 37 year old smoker of 22 years that had never ran who wanted to do a marathon in four months.  I always enjoy a challenge so I agreed to help (It didn’t hurt that she was cute).  To make a long story short, by the end of that year Cynthia had run 3 marathons, qualified for Boston and completed her first 50 miler.  She is proof that you can do anything you set your mind to.

Now at 49 years of age Cynthia has ran everything from 5Ks to 100 milers and thrown in a few Ironmans just for fun.  Although she is formittable on the road she really shines on the trails.  In the past couple of years she has won the women’s division in three 50 mile trail run and placed 2nd in a 100 miler all against much younger competition.  Her main goal for 2011 is doing well in Ironman Louisville.

As co-owner of Headfirst Performance Services, Cynthia is truly the heart of many of the local races.  She is the Race Director for Louisville Lovin The Hills 50K.  When she took over the event she made homemade soup for all the athletes who participated.  As the race grew she refused to stop making the soup, because everyone liked it so well.  The facts that the race would be more profitable and it would be much easier on her not to do the soups do not matter.  If the athletes like it she will make it.

For many people training as much as she does and working with all the races would be enough to do.  Cynthia is also a full time emergency room nurse, and has been known to paint a mural in her free time.

In the intrest of full disclosure for anyone who is not aware Headfirst Magazine’s Athlete of the month is the athlete of my life and my wife.