Heather Sailer

Nominated by Heather Lund

Everyone needs that one workout buddy who won’t let them quit. For the past 14 years, that person has been Heather Sailer.

Heather and Heather (😂) met at the Dick Beardsley running group, and somewhere between early morning miles and sweaty post-run high-fives, a friendship was built. Since then, Heather has been many things. Training partner, motivator, cheerleader but most consistently, she’s been inspirational.

If there’s one thing about Heather, it’s this: she never gives up. She pushes herself. She pushes others. And she truly believes that showing up, especially on the hard days, is what makes the difference. At a cycle class once, she told a fellow rider to just keep coming back because the work would pay off. That rider still shows up today… now multiple times a week. That’s the kind of impact Heather has.

She lives what she encourages. Heather is a regular at the gym, runs multiple events each year, and somehow balances it all while being a devoted mom, supportive wife, active church member, and full-time cheerleader at her girls’ sporting events. Busy doesn’t slow her down. Tired doesn’t stop her. She just keeps moving forward.

Her perseverance stands out most. No matter how packed the schedule is, she shows up. For workouts. For long runs. For long swim days. For life. And if you try to back out of something challenging? Not on her watch. She’ll say yes for both of you.

The mantra is simple: one foot in front of the other. Forward progress. Just keep moving.

Heather also brings joy to the miles. She’s known for her arms-overhead “raise the roof” woohoo. She’ll gladly throw on a sparkle skirt or a costume for a race. And if you happened to see inflatable flamingos cheering at Grandma’s Marathon. That was her, fully committed.

If Heather were a running shoe, she’d be a Brooks trail shoe. Comfortable but gritty, ready to handle whatever the terrain throws your way.

More than anything, Heather makes the people around her better. She motivates. She supports. She shows up. And she reminds her friends that the hard stuff is always worth it.

Thanks for always keeping me motivated and showing up for the hard stuff!