Suffolk News-Herald

Brow furrowed and eyes straight ahead, Dorothy Wise remains focused as she steadily pumps mile after mile on the treadmill.

It’s a typical weekday workout for the Suffolk Public School speech/language pathologist, who is gearing up for the Virginia Beach Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon, a grueling 13.1-mile trek along the oceanfront on Aug. 31.

Wise, a runner for the past six years, racks up about 40 miles a week, most at the Suffolk YMCA. On Saturdays, she trades the treadmill for the roads around her Kings Fork Road neighborhood.

&uot;I usually run about five or six miles on the weekends,&uot; said Wise. &uot;I run for one – no, maybe two – reasons: I can eat whatever I want, and I can still remain healthy and stay in shape.

Although she has tried other types of cardio-training, Wise says she prefers running.

&uot;It’s exhilarating. It’s like a huge surge of Adrenaline to the body,&uot; she said. &uot;It just makes you feel good about yourself all day.&uot;

This will be her second year running in the Labor Day Weekend event. This time, she will have her best friend running at her side.

&uot;My sister, Rebekah, is going with me this year,&uot; said Wise. &uot;I talked her into it. She also runs but this is our first opportunity to run together.

&uot;She’s from Northern Virginia and we see each other at least every two months. She’s a lot of fun and her visits are always special, but this one should be especially fun.&uot;

Wise’s husband doesn’t run with her. In fact, she said, he’s seldom seen her run.

&uot;He’s just not into it,&uot; she said. &uot;He tells other people about my marathons though, so I know he’s proud of me.

&uot;He’s more into surfing. I don’t surf either… I just lie out in the sun and watch him have a great time.&uot;

Name? Dorothy Marie Wise

Age? 28

Hometown? I was born in Suffolk and I live in the Kings Fork area.

Family? My husband is Joe, a grocery manager at Farm Fresh, and we have two dogs, Callie and Vinnie. My parents are Teresa and Don Thompson of the Bennetts Creek area and my sister, Rebekah, lives in Northern Virginia.

Education? I graduated from Nansemond River High and I have master’s degree from Old Dominion University.

Career/Occupation? I am a speech/language pathologist for Suffolk Public Schools. I’m in my fourth year of working with children. I love it.

Why did you pursue your career? I enjoy working with children and I like the art of speech.

Favorite thing about your job? Working with the children. That makes it so rewarding.

Least favorite thing about your job? The mountains of paperwork.

Volunteer activities? I don’t do any volunteer service right now; however, I was a member of the Pilot Club of Portsmouth until my grandmother moved to Nags Head. I would like to become involved with Pilot again because the organization does so much community service. I am a member of Nansemond River Baptist Church.

Favorite thing about life in Suffolk? I like the fact that it’s a growing city but still maintains the country atmosphere. People here are just friendly.

What accomplishment are you most proud of? It would have to be the 26-mile Marine Corp Marathon I ran in Washington, D.C.

Who or what motivates and inspires you? My sister, Rebekah. We have a special bond with each other and she’s such a joy to be around.

Favorite way to spend your free time? Running, lying on the beach, reading, and I like TV, especially Court TV and Fox News. I just can’t stop watching Court TV, but it’s only in the summer when school is out.

What words of wisdom would you like to share with others? Make time for family and friends. That may not sound like the wisest statement, but it is the most important thing in life.

What ingredients are in the recipe for a good life? Good friends, a healthy lifestyle and God.

We all have our &uot;15 minutes of fame.&uot; How would you spend your time in the spotlight? I would like to develop a new speech therapy technique that would help children.