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Deaf Brea woman develops passion for running - News - The Orange County Register
It wasn't long ago that Linda Maglione, deaf since age 2 from spinal meningitis, recoiled at the thought of lacing up running shoes and hitting the trail.
As the 49-year old mother of three prepares for the Surf City USA Half Marathon on Sunday – Maglione's fifth 13.1-mile race – she can't imagine life without running.
She credits her trainer, Matthew Wedin, 27, of Placentia for helping change her mind.
Maglione was a 14-year-old in Northern California when the high school track coach said she couldn't participate: She wouldn't be able to hear the starter's gun.
"It was very upsetting," Maglione said.
She went on to marry her college boyfriend, Edward. She had three children.
She didn't exercise.
"When I gained weight, I didn't like it," said Maglione, who works for Disney, helping performers and other employees at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure get their proper uniforms.
In early 2008, she joined join 24-Hour Fitness in Brea after seeing a contestant on the TV show, "The Biggest Loser," succeed with a personal trainer.
That's where Maglione met Wedin, a trainer there, and he helped her lose 35 pounds.
Maglione still had no interest in running. Then, Wedin invited her to watch a team of runners from 24-Hour Fitness compete in the 2008 Surf City Marathon.
"When I saw the runners, I wanted to jump in," she said.
Said Wedin: "She never had that support and somebody pushing her and telling her she can do it. She had just been discouraged in the past.''
Maglione's type of hearing loss affected her balance, so Wedin worked on strengthening her muscles to improve her balance.
"Sometimes, I just want to stop and throw in the towel," she said. "So I decide to use my head to day-dream, mental-plan, talk to myself, imagine and look for an interesting object along the way."
On Sunday, Maglione will run the half-marathon with a girlfriend.
Her trainer sees bigger things for Maglione.
"Without a doubt, within a year, she will be running her first marathon. She doesn't have a choice," he said playfully.
It wasn't long ago that Linda Maglione, deaf since age 2 from spinal meningitis, recoiled at the thought of lacing up running shoes and hitting the trail.
As the 49-year old mother of three prepares for the Surf City USA Half Marathon on Sunday – Maglione's fifth 13.1-mile race – she can't imagine life without running.
She credits her trainer, Matthew Wedin, 27, of Placentia for helping change her mind.
Maglione was a 14-year-old in Northern California when the high school track coach said she couldn't participate: She wouldn't be able to hear the starter's gun.
"It was very upsetting," Maglione said.
She went on to marry her college boyfriend, Edward. She had three children.
She didn't exercise.
"When I gained weight, I didn't like it," said Maglione, who works for Disney, helping performers and other employees at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure get their proper uniforms.
In early 2008, she joined join 24-Hour Fitness in Brea after seeing a contestant on the TV show, "The Biggest Loser," succeed with a personal trainer.
That's where Maglione met Wedin, a trainer there, and he helped her lose 35 pounds.
Maglione still had no interest in running. Then, Wedin invited her to watch a team of runners from 24-Hour Fitness compete in the 2008 Surf City Marathon.
"When I saw the runners, I wanted to jump in," she said.
Said Wedin: "She never had that support and somebody pushing her and telling her she can do it. She had just been discouraged in the past.''
Maglione's type of hearing loss affected her balance, so Wedin worked on strengthening her muscles to improve her balance.
"Sometimes, I just want to stop and throw in the towel," she said. "So I decide to use my head to day-dream, mental-plan, talk to myself, imagine and look for an interesting object along the way."
On Sunday, Maglione will run the half-marathon with a girlfriend.
Her trainer sees bigger things for Maglione.
"Without a doubt, within a year, she will be running her first marathon. She doesn't have a choice," he said playfully.
