Leanne (Martin) Whitesides

I have enjoyed reading about all of the adventures of others and have sorrowed over the struggles of some.  It is so important to support one another, because you never know when it may make a difference between resolve and despair.

After high school I attended BYU in Provo, UT for four years and graduated with a BS degree in Health Promotion.  While I was there I was able to run cross country and track and met some lifetime friends, and really enjoyed my running experiences there.  BYU spared no expense in travelling to meets and providing excellent competition.  I even got to travel abroad and be on some international teams, and be associated with world class runners.  I found them to be extremely encouraging as many of them were ten years older than I.  A great experience I had running was in the World Cross Country Championships in Aix le Bahns, France, in March of 1990.  My teammate Lynn Jennings won the championship, and our team had a strong showing.  It was an exhilarating time in my life.  However, the best experience I had running was meeting my husband, Bryan.  He also ran for BYU and had returned from serving a mission for our church, so I did not get to meet him until the end of my first year there.  We dated for a year and were married in April of 1990.  We both graduated in 1992, and moved to San Antonio, TX, where my husband was accepted into the Army-Baylor Physical Therapy graduate program. There we had our first child, Ashley (14).  Having successfully completed his MS degree, the army stationed us at Fort Leonardwood, MO.  He owed them three years for having funded his schooling.  There we had our second child, Lindsey (13).  We had many great experiences in the military, but opted to get out at the end of his obligation, and he found a job in Estes Park, CO.  There we had our third child, Seth (10).  A year and a half later we got an offer in Grand Junction. CO, where we had our fourth and most likely final child, Lance (6).  We have now lived in Grand Junction, CO, for nine years and have really enjoyed our time here.  I feel like it is a little bit of paradise.  Sheila Rumminer Kowalczak lives here also, and was an excellent speech therapist for our son Lance. 

I still enjoy running, and being married to a physical therapist has had its perks.  He is an excellent masseuse!  He is a great husband and father.  I spend most of my time shuttling children from one activity to another, but as our children have gotten a little older, I have had time to coach women in our community.  I have met so many great people, and it has been a really rewarding experience.  I have also been able to be involved with a marathon team that benefits a national running program here called Girls on the Run.

I look forward to seeing many of you.  So many of you have had such a profound influence on me.  Maybe more than you will ever know!  Drop me a line at lbsides@msn.com!

Me

Lance (left) and Seth (right)

Lindsey (left) and Ashley (right)