By: Stephen Prudhomme | Photos By: Jami Brannen

Libby LeTourneau has never done a marathon, yet her life remains a series of challenges that she has attacked with the strength and determination of the runner she is and bodes well for her if and when she takes on the 26.2-mile distance that marks the ultimate achievement for many pursuing the same avocation. As it turns out, the road back to running featured many steps and, fittingly, started with some steps at LeTourneau’s Rincon home. A native of Woodbury, Ga., LeTourneau, 47, is the Panel coordinator and DFCS liaison for the Chatham County Juvenile Courts. She is also the mother of a teenaged boy and girl who play travel soccer. LeTourneau, though never a soccer player herself in school, did well competing in basketball, softball, tennis and track. Possessing excellent speed, she ran the mile and two-mile distances in track and still holds her high school records for both distances. LeTourneau discontinued her athletic pursuits while attending Georgia Southern University. She developed an eating disorder toward the end of her sophomore year after a comment was made about her weight. Initially, she lost some weight but then it became a game of how much could she drop.  After losing about 20 pounds, LeTourneau said she could not stop and eventually had to drop out of school for a short time due to hospitalizations. She returned, however, and graduated on time.

Shortly after graduating with a BBA, LeTourneau was again hospitalized due to weight loss, bottoming out at 64 pounds. Following another hospitalization and treatment, she began a slow recovery and gained weight.  Strong enough to leave treatment, LeTourneau got a job and moved to Savannah, where she met her future husband in 1996. They married in 1998 and moved to Rincon. Busy starting a family and career, she did little exercising and continued to battle her eating disorder on and off. In 2010, LeTourneau, concluding she needed to do something to reduce her “agitation,” started running the stairs at her home until her husband bought her a treadmill. With encouragement from her husband, she signed up for her first 5k, the Daniel Defense Run 5K in Pooler, and finished in around 24 minutes. That awoke her inner athlete, and for the next year LeTourneau stayed in shape by running the steps or treadmill at her home until her husband suggested she enter some more races. The improvised stair master workouts paid off the following year when LeTourneau placed in her age group at the Daniel Defense Run. She had rediscovered the pleasure of running from her youth. “I found something I enjoyed,” LeTourneau said. “I enjoyed the social aspects of the training and the races. It also helped with my eating disorder. I learned for me to do well I had to eat properly so I could run.” LeTourneau continued to run for the next three years and compete in races, but she still dealt with her eating disorder. Generally, she would place among the top three in her age group. LeTourneau remained on the fast track until 2013, when she had her first running injury, a stress fracture in her tibia, and had to stop running. LeTourneau, upon recovering from her injury, hit the ground running and hardly missed a beat; in fact, few in her age group could beat her in local races. She inspires fellow runners.

"Libby is an amazing master runner," said Brittany Dino of Richmond Hill. "Not only is she climbing the top to final five finishing woman, but she improves each race. With her full-time job and getting her high school kids to their traveling games, it is impressive the way she handles her training. It's a true honor to run aside this speedy mama and always try to chase after her during races."

LeTourneau's fast pace caught up with her once again in 2016. She had three stress fractures that derailed her training on off that year, yet, in the true style of the dedicated runner she is, LeTourneau continued to train and race and turn in fast times. It was also during this time she realized that perhaps she needed to change her eating habits. A big help in her recovery has been the people she has met through running.  Le Tourneau stated, “I’ve learned that no matter my size or how fast or slow I run, they are always there cheering me on.” She has a couple of close friends, Pam Howe and Leanne Irivine, fellow runners who know about her eating disorder and, without realizing it, have helped her greatly in her recovery. Through such friends, LeTourneau noted, she’s learned food is fuel for her body and it’s okay to eat a cookie or whatever that she’s craving at that moment.

 “My days use to be consumed with what could I eat or could not eat today,” LeTourneau said. “Now my days are about my family, friends and when is the next run. My husband, kids, neighbors and running family have really been the recovery I’ve needed all these years. It took me sometime to realize food was okay and not a punishment for me.”

 It may be hard for those who have never struggled with food to understand, LeTourneau added, but for those with eating disorders, whether it be anorexia, bulimia or binge eating, food is punishment and is something that you use to control things you otherwise can’t control. Although it’s taken a while, LeTourneau has come to accept her body as it is and said without she could not run like she does. 

Libby's older sister, Linda Bell, watched her sister battling an eating disorder and the misperception she was overweight. Following years of doctor and hospital visits, she noted, Libby received some crucial help through a program in Columbus, Ga. Bell recalled her sister running up and down the steps when she was staying at her home and graduating to runs in the neighborhood and is not surprised by her impressive racing resume'. She said Libby has always been competitive and she tends to set goals for herself to reach and I never doubt she will reach them all. Her competitive nature, she added, always makes her work harder every day, and as long as she continues to set goals for herself she will continue to succeed.

"Running gives Libby time away from the daily stresses in life and she loves being able to break through the tape at the finish line," Bell said. "All of this running does take a toil on her body and she suffers with plantar fasciitis and some joint pain but because is tough and has the strongest will power of anyone I know she will continue to push herself every day. I know that Libby has accomplished great feats in racing, but I think beating the eating disorder is the one I'm most proud of because I get to still have my little sister in my life. "

 In December, LeTourneau ran a 21:07 to place third overall among the women in the Savannah Bridge Run. By placing in the top three overall in that race, she fulfilled a longtime goal of making it to the podium as a top three female. “I’m getting faster,” LeTourneau said. “I don’t know what’s going on. I’m a short, fast runner. The 5K is my race.” LeTourneau’s husband, Craig, deserves much of the credit for bringing his wife back to running. Quick to admit he doesn’t like the sport, perhaps the result in part of being left behind when the two ran together, Craig focused on supporting his wife and getting her to tap in on her physical and mental skills and knowing when to apply the brakes. “She’s so driven,” Craig said. “She had to learn not to run all the time. That is what led to injuries. Now she does the elliptical and spin bike. Libby’s learned to listen to her body.” Following the birth of her son in 2005, Libby, upon the suggestion of her husband, started running the steps at home until she “wore them out.” She progressed to a treadmill and stayed with that for about a year before deciding to do her first race. Her performance convinced Libby she wasn’t too bad at running and, 15 years and many steps later, she’s outrun the eating disorder from her college years and shows few signs of slowing down. “Libby’s come a long way,” her husband said. “She’s self-motivated and very competitive. She has to win at everything - board games, running and watching the kids play soccer... That’s her release.” Craig said he has no doubt Libby could run a marathon and do quite well. He is advising her against it, however. “The 5K is really where it’s at for her,” Craig said. “I’ve told her that if she wants to be successful to focus on the 5K. Running a marathon is opening herself up for injuries.”

Denise Burdick has lived next door to LeTourneau for 15 years. The mother of three does not do races but runs several miles a week for exercise. She marvels at LeTourneau's willingness to help other runners while working and parenting.

"She works full time, has two beautiful kids that are active in travel soccer and still carves out time to run, either on her own or in races throughout Savannah," Burdick said. "In the 15 years I've known her, she has encouraged countless people to start running.  She is the "Gusteau" of the running world who truly believes ANYONE CAN RUN. Her love of running pours out when you need her advice on training or even beginning your running journey. She took my son to a 5k when he was about nine years old and he was hooked.  He currently runs for South Effingham's varsity cross country team.

Describing LeTourneau as small but mighty, Burdick said her success is based on her determination and quest to be a top runner.

"Libby's her own biggest critic," Burdick said. "She has had several injuries that have kept her from running but once healed back she’s at it again ready to run and ready to win. She always wins. I am in complete awe of her perseverance."