Debra Johnson
Debra Johnson – Purple Group Assistant Coach
Marathons Completed: Mt. Desert Island (2007) ING Pace Team (2009)
Half Marathons Completed: St. Jude – Memphis (2007), Berry Half (2009)
Background and Experience: Debra got involved with Get Fit after volunteering at the Mile 21 waterstop at the Inaugural ING Georgia Marathon. As she watched the
various participants pass, she thought to herself, “If those people can do a marathon,
I can do a marathon.” After an Internet search of marathon training programs,
she joined Get Fit and found a group of people with whom she enjoyed hanging out
with every Saturday morning. Debra had attempted to run off and on at various
times thoughout her life, but never got to the point where she experienced that
“runner’s high,” so she would give up and sit on the couch again. When she joined
Get Fit she was miserably slow, and in spite of her best effort, ended up in the Purple
Group. Little did she know, she had found a home and a coach that helped her
achieve the goal of a marathon and gain tons of confidence. She looks forward to
becoming a legal racewalker in the summer and averaging a 13:00 mile pace in her
next half marathon.
