Ten years ago, if you would’ve asked Romain Vidal-Michel, Sr. Production Engineer/Operations Manager at Monument, what his fitness routine looked like, he wouldn’t have even said running — he’d tell you he jogs.

But that was then. Now, he’s clocked hundreds of competitive miles throughout his more-recent running career — from 10-milers, half marathons, fulls, and more. That impressive resume includes this past weekend, when he finished The Chevron Houston Marathon in 3:52, crushing his previous time of 4:18.

“Despite being a chilly, dreary race day, the Houston crowd was awesome,” Romain shared. “And I always look forward to that. I saw one sign that read Pain is the French word for bread. As a Frenchman who loves bread, it couldn’t have been more perfect. Gotta love a good laugh to ease the pain!”

Every runner’s story starts with that one thing that got them going. For Romain, it was his wife. “When I met her, she had already run a couple of races and was really into it, so I knew it was part of the deal when we started dating. She was part of a running club that I eventually joined, and over time, I developed that runner’s high everyone's always talking about. Once you do your first race, it’s hard to quit.”

Their shared love for competing has taken them all over too. “We started using races as an excuse to travel. Before we had our two daughters, we ran in 4-5 races a year all around the US — in New Orleans, San Antonio, Memphis, Nashville, and more. It’s definitely a lot harder to train with kids, so now we just make sure to compete in one big race each year.”

While his wife enjoys the social and team aspects of running, Romain loves how therapeutic it can be. “I enjoy running on my own because it gives me time to let my mind wander and work through different problems. I used to swim a lot, but now this is my escape. And I like having a goal to work toward. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of crossing that finish line when you’ve put in the work.”

So what’s his advice for colleagues and friends with their own fitness goals?

— Build a schedule. I'm not super organized, but it’s easier to hold yourself accountable when you put something down on paper.

— Stick to it. There are some days you will feel great, and other days, you’d rather be doing anything else. But skipping those workouts can be a slippery slope. At the end of the day, you’ll feel better that you pushed through it.

— Cross train. It’s important to switch it up so you don’t burn out or get injured. There are some runners who can go 4-5 days a week, but that’s not me. I like to do strength training or stretching because it not only helps me become faster and stronger, but it also allows me to look forward to the days I do get to run.

— Have a goal. I’m motivated by having something to work toward. If I have a target in mind and can plan for that, my workouts are more meaningful.

Next for Romain: triathlon season! And with both his running and swimming experience, he’s two-thirds there. “I did a small triathlon last year and did really well in my age group in those two categories — but my cycling needed work. So that’s my next focus.”  

And we obviously know what happens when Romain puts his mind to something.