2015 TCS New York City Marathon Race Report: Victory

I have tried to write this post since Monday but the enormity of it all has left me at a loss to where to start.

I'm overwhelmed with gratitude that I was able to do this race.

The night before the race my friends Linda and Charlie came to stay with me (read Linda's report here). This was pretty great. Linda and I have been friends for a long time and we've dreamed of doing the TCS New York marathon together for quite a few years now. A few years ago we got to run in Central Park together for a fun run and then 2 years ago we ran the "Dash to The Finish Line" 5K that takes place the day before the marathon and ends at the same finish line. During both those runs we wondered, "what would it be like to do the big one?" And lucky for us, this year we'd find out.

I woke up at 3:45 AM excited. My running hypnotherapy worked, I felt ready for this race! I got dressed, checked the weather (yes! good weather!) and we got under way. By 5AM Linda, Charlie and I hopped the buses from the Meadowlands to head out to Staten Island. I kissed my husband and son goodbye and told them that the next time I'd see them, I would be a marathoner. 

Arriving at Athlete's village at 6AM!

We arrived at the athlete's village and the buzz in the air was awesome. Channel 7 news was set up in our village and people from around the globe were getting ready to get their "New York" on. Interestingly, I saw plenty of people catching some sleep. SLEEP!? I know we had hours to kill but I couldn't have slept if I was placed on a cloud of pillows and angels were singing lullabies in my ear! I marveled at these people who could catch a doze so close to running this epic race.

My running buddies and training partners this whole time finally arrived too! Ann, Jen and I have spent hours together doing long runs. They both were in the "Orange" village and Ann could've started earlier but we decided we wanted to run this thing together. I was excited about that. I wanted to run together too. :)

Running buddies Jen, Ann and new friend Megan chilling pre-race

So finally it was our time to head to the corral. We head on up and wait, excitement growing by the minutes and then finally... The cannon booms and we hear Sinatra crooning his iconic, "New York, New York." I choke back tears and we get going. 

The bridge was a blur and then we were in Brooklyn. Brooklyn was phenomenal and I enjoyed every minute of high-fiving kids and thanking strangers who called my name. I ran many miles trying to play "pace police" to my two running buddies, Ann and Jen who were starting off pretty fast for what our training was. I was afraid that the speed so early would burn us out. I struggled to keep up so I just did the best I could. They were having fun and I didn't want to be too much of a drag.

I think this is at the start line :) 

Around 8 miles in I spot my friend Joe Pryor! And how could I miss him - check out the sign he had for me!! This was soooooo beyond awesome I can't even tell you. I never really have spectators at races and I can't remember ever really having a sign like this. It meant the world to me that Joe and his girl Jess were out there waiting for me. It was great. I hugged him and Jess and it was just joyous. They wished me well, updated my Facebook friends and I was back on my way. 

We just kept running. Queens was fun but short and soon we were going over the Queensboro bridge into Manhattan. Manhattan was great. We ran for miles. Again, I was trailing my friends for a lot of this run but managed to keep them in sight. We'd usually catch up through aide stations and then I'd fall behind again. It was a little discouraging but we had all agreed to run our own races if we wanted to so I couldn't blame them for doing their thing. 

Jen wound up seeing a few friends along the course and her family came out for her as well! Her husband and parents looked so proud. It was really nice seeing them all :) 

Some where along the way, I've seriously lost track of miles. I have no idea how many we were in but somewhere out there things started to get tough. I'm pretty sure it was somewhere between Harlem, the Bronx and back into NYC, the legs started to feel tight. Which is fine. It's a friggen marathon - things should be hurting after running for hour upon hour. Jen began to struggle a bit too. I think the fast pace earlier was catching up. Ann was strong and powered on we soon lost sight of her and she went to finish strong on her own.

Me and Ann chugging along earlier in the race

Jen and I did a lot of walking the last miles of the race as we were running/jogging/walking/crawling up first avenue, we started to hear the police announce, "The New York City Marathon is now concluded" please move to the sidewalk - I was like, "No it's not! I'm still running!". It was now pitch dark. We were out there a long time but we kept on chugging. Jen was feeling a little bit dejected.  A jerk of a guy (liar/ahole) told us that they ran out of medals. We wondered if we would still get one. We had goals of finishing between 5:30 and 5:45 and now we were way past that. We were hurting and it was tough. I kept reminding Jen that this was a great day even though we were towards the "back of the pack", that we were doing something amazing. Personally, I wasn't concerned with time. She fretted what people who were "tracking her" might think of this time, I reminded her that if they were tracking, they weren't moving their bodies 26.2 miles like we were!! ;) I get it though. I used to worry about time too. I finally let go of that. I run because I love it. I will never win. I will never be all that fast and that's OK. I'm grateful I can move this body and celebrate running. 

With the last half mile or so we turned down the final stretch - despite night-fall, people were still out there cheering (not many but some) and I felt overwhelmed with joy and emotion. I ran proudly to the finish line. We had done it. We had set a goal, put in the training, believed in the journey and moved ourselves from Staten Island to Central Park. Our Jersey Women Strong friends had volunteered for the race and were there at the finish line. They gave us our medals, heat sheets and hugs, they wiped away my 'ugly cry' tears of joy and it was spectacular to see them there. 

the ugly cry/smile is happening, people

Crossing the finish line

It took me 6:55:59 seconds to do it. (that included 3 potty stops, lots of high-fives, one hug, a chat with Joe and a bunch of walking through water stations). It was a long day - almost 7 hours on our feet! That time was an hour more than I had anticipated but you know what - who cares? I loved this day. I fully embrace my "back of the pack" status. I'm so proud of the effort. I make no apologies for being slow. It's who I am. I could've gone faster, could've high-fived a few less kids, spent a few extra seconds not talking to Joe, skipped the potty, ran a little faster but for what? I enjoyed my time out there and took on the city the way I wanted to.  To quote another Sinatra song, "I did it My Way."

Victory with Kim from Jersey Women Strong xo

My heart is bursting with gratitude for having this day. It was so special. It was so hard. It was such a challenge and a mountain to climb. It's a finish line that has forever changed me and I'm a lucky girl to have experienced it. 

XO

Jen

NYC Marathon 2015 Getting Mentally Ready

It's two days before NYC Marathon Sunday. After years of dreaming of taking a bite out of the big apple the day is nearly here. 

At the expo

I am excited and joyous. 

Earlier this week I was nervous, freaking out and scared to death. I was seriously second guessing myself and doubt in my ability was everywhere. Every negative thing that ever happened to me during a race including this incident at the Hollywood Half and this not-so-fun time during my first marathon at the San Diego Rock N Roll flooded my brain. I was becoming a complete wreck. 

This week almost was one filled with dread and fear but I got my mind on right. 

With a little help. 

A friend Noah sent me well wishes for the race. I expressed my panic and he simply said "don't ruin this week with worry or you're gonna miss this great moment in your life."  He was 100% right. All these years of dreaming. How could I let fear steal this joy from me?

So I did something a little unconventional. I decided to see a hypnotherapist. The idea kind of came to me because I knew I needed a mental adjustment and it was an emergency, I'm not sure why I never thought of it before! I know the power of thoughts and my thoughts were threatening to make my dream race a nightmare. I've tried to get into this race for FOUR YEARS. It's my bucket list race and now I was dreading it. 

This is just too big of a deal for me to let that happen. 

Years ago, hypnotherapy helped me with quitting smoking - and somehow it popped into my head, "I wonder if it could help me with my running?" 

So I did a google search and I found a certified Hypnosis Practitioner, Mary Battaglia.  I read how she had helped a woman conquer her fears on a mountain bike. It rang very relevant to me. Maybe Mary could help me! 

So I contacted her on Monday and by Tuesday morning I was in her office. 

She helped me undo some of the mental trauma I kept playing out from the other two races and then we created a mental script for me to listen to all week. We also created affirmations for me to say several times a day. She hypnotized me and she helped to plant all these positive thoughts and feelings about the race in my head. 

It worked! It's like a miracle!! What a gift this woman gave me. I have not felt a moment of worry, fear or dread since. I've been nothing but excited, embracing and ready. And you have no idea how huge that is for me. HUGE. 

Joyfully holding my bib! See you at the finish line! :) 

If you're the type of person who worries, doubts yourself or has debilitating race day anxiety and fear - this might be something for you to consider. 

I don't know what is going to happen on Marathon Sunday but I'm ready for it. I'm excited, joyous, and ready for whatever comes my way. 

I'm no more trained than I was a week ago but my mental outlook has done a complete 180. Worrying, self-doubt, beating yourself up and playing the "what if a bad thing happens" mind game has never helped anyone. Hypnosis or not, fear and dread is nothing but a thief to your happiness. Trust me. 

I can't control what happens at this point just my reactions and attitude.

Bring on NYC. I love you New York Marathon, I love that I get to be a part of it. Dreams do come true. 

The next post I make will be one as a marathoner. 

XO

Jen

ING New York City Marathon Good news and bad news

This was not a kind way to find out. Cold.

Well the good news is I have $255 dollars to spend on something else, I don't have to face down a 20 mile run and I don't have to figure out whether I'll be following the Nike + training plan or something else…

The bad news?

Waaaaaah! I didn't get in.

The good news? Whew. I didn't get in.

Truthfully it would've been so tough to get the training in.

Truthfully, I would've loved to have tried though.

Oh well.

For now it remains securely on the bucket list.

XO
Jen

The Long Run: Ugh! I mean, I love the long run

my long run park - Bergen County NJ

Ah, the long run is back.

The long run (for me) is any run that requires me to run an hour and a half or more so for me, that's pretty much anything over 7-8 miles (though as training starts to become serious - I look forward to 8 milers because they are easier than 16 or 20!)

Anyhoo.

I hate to admit it but I often (well almost always) dread the long run.

Ironically, I always feel good after the long run but finding the oomph to get ready for it before hand… Well, that's where and when a lot of the crappiest excuses to get out of a run start ebbing it's way in.

As I embark on marathon training, I'm trying to get my motivation up for these long run days and will fake this til I make it. I have a new mantra for every time a dreaded long run thought seeps into my mind. It's not particularly clever or creative but I figure its easy and to the point. I LOVE THE LONG RUN.

I'm also comprising a list of reasons why the long run ROCKS! (Yes, read that with gusto! Feels more real that way…)

So here's my list of why the long run rocks!

1.  FOOD I love to eat. Even with all this running, I have to be careful with my food. And while I'm eating relatively clean, running (especially long runs) allows me eat a little bit more peanut butter, avocado or even an extra glass of wine without sweating it.  My long run of 8 miles yesterday yielded me 15 WW points!

2.  TUNES I love music but don't get to carve much listening time out. So running is my time to catch up on tunes and jam to my favorite songs. I enjoy exploring and finding new music for these runs and have special playlists just for long runs.

3.  TIME Ah… an hour (or two, or three) that are entirely mine. No phones, no Email, no answering to anyone. Just me, my thoughts and my music. This time is completely a gift.

4.  NATURE Aside from the occasional treadmill long run, my long runs are through a beautiful park in Northern NJ. There's no better way to experience the change of seasons then running through that park. It's a really nice way to 'smell the roses' and get outside.

5.  ACCOMPLISHMENT OK the best part of my long run is when I'm finished. But not because all that hard work is simply over. There is no bigger feeling of accomplishment or pride then thinking about all those miles you just stared down and tackled. I've never ran a long run and shrugged it off as no big deal. Every long run means something significant in my journey to me.  And lets face it, every long run is bringing you one step closer to marathon success.

So those are my reasons why I LOVE THE LONG RUN - tell me why you love the long run. Or share your mantra. I need all the help I can get for when the "Ugh, I don't feel like running for a million hours" voice tries to get in the way of my mantra!

XO

Jen

Ten reasons why I'll be running this marathon no matter what

Yeah, I know I've been the most uninspiring blogger ever… Setbacks, aches, pains, complaining, whining… Yee ha. It's a miracle I have any followers anymore - and thank you for the four of you who still check in from time to time :)

Oh, it hasn't gotten any easier since my last post. I felt slightly better the other day, enough to try to run and that turned into a 2 mile run/walk after getting lightheaded and nauseous about 2 seconds in.  The last two days I've dealt with a killer migraine that has been reigned in by overdosing amounts of Excedrin.  Oy. 15 days away from a marathon and I haven't run in 8 days. FABULOUS.

So what's gonna happen on race day? A whole lotta "sucking it up, buttercup" a whole 26. 2 miles of freakin' sucking it up. That's what. There's really no choice in the matter.

Despite all the bellyachin' and cryin' and everything else I've gotta do this.

Ten reasons why there is no turning back:

10. I've invested in too much stuff. I have gu's and sports beans, hydration packs and all kinds of crap that really only marathoners need. I will not have these things go to waste.
9.  Instead of worrying about the time I haven't run, I'll be damned if I let all those 3 and 4 hour long runs go to waste.
8. The bling of-course.

7.  I bought this shiny 26.2 decal begging to be stuck on the back of my trashy little car to jazz it up. This will be a whole $2.50 down the tubes if it remains un-stuck.
6.  I paid a whole lotta money for SD entry fees, flights, etc - it would be quite ridiculous to waste it now.
5.  If Dean K. can run across the FREAKIN' USA and EMZ can run for 24 hours on a FREAKIN' treadmill, then I surely can figure a way to crawl my way for 26.2 in San Diego.

4.  For Lesley, my coach and friend who I know will drag my ass if she has to, for Jason B. who I know will be cheering me on from afar and for Sara P and her mother Darlene who I'll be running 25th and 26th miles for. You guys have no idea what you mean to me right now.
3.  I spent some of my sick time downloading about a million new songs for my iPod and I'm looking forward to the jam.
2.  Pain is temporary and pride is forever. I will be devastated if I don't do this. Quitting is not an option so that leaves me with a marathon to run.
1.  Because on June 6th I will wake up a marathoner.

OMFG What if?

OK, so I did that long run day last Friday and since then, I've been mentally struggling. It was cold that day and my thighs took a few days to thaw out. I was super proud of that run but it wasn't easy. Not mentally or physically.

Which made me go check out the upcoming weeks of training- this week I go from 4 training days to 5 and it looks like this:

6mi (done today), 3 mi, 6mi, rest, 2mi, 13mi...  The week after that (Christmas) I'm scheduled to run on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day... Later, I'm running 14 miles on New Years Day, etc...

All of the sudden, I got dizzy. All these miles, all these "what ifs" what if it's snowing, what if I can't find the time to run 14 miles, what if my husband gets ticked that I have to figure a way to long run on Christmas? What if I have to do a long run on a treadmill? What if, what if, what if.  Some of them are imagined and some are real. 14 miles? 18 miles? What if I can't do it?

The last few days I've begun to question this journey. "Why couldn't I have stuck to half marathons? Why do I have to be so public about everything - now there's no turning back. UGH. Why did I already pay the entry fee?" These are the voices I've been fighting in my head.

Today I ran six miles. I feel good that I did but you would've thought I was running 100 miles with how hard the motivation was for me to find today. I actually went to the gym because it's kind of crappy out. I ran for 3 miles on the treadmill and was losing steam - I literally jumped off at mile 3 and took it to the street for the last 3.  That was a good move and I didn't give up. I don't give up. Very proud of that last 3 miles because the old me would've quit and went home, the new me works thru these moments.

I guess the biggest what if for me is, "What if I fail?" The ugly voices nag, "What if you can't?" 

I'm sure there's a hundred psychological reasons why I'm going thru this and probably a few physical ones too. Fear, doubt, laziness, habit. Who knows?

But in reflecting on this lull in motivation I've come up with some things to grow on:

1. I will stop looking ahead to what's to come in training and like any good recovery/self help member - take things "one day at a time" and "one mile at a time."

2. I am an athlete. And as such, some days, I will find training the best thing on earth and somedays I'm going to have to get out there, suck it up and just do it.

3. I don't quit. And this is my journey - thru these tough times is where you learn what you're made of. It's easy to do things when everything is clicking - the sun is shining, it's a perfect 60 degrees, all of your power songs are charged and there's nothing else to do but run. But that's not always reality. Real winners persevere when the going gets tough - anyone can do anything when it's all sunshine and rainbows. Winners did deep and find the motivation to go no matter what obstacles come their way.

4. I've never regretted a day of running - not ever. I know that this is something I will do forever - I don't want to go back to a goal-less, unmotivated, overweight, unhappy, non-blogging person. I love this new life but like anything in life worth having, takes effort.

Jason wrote this great blog today (thank you - helped get me out there) and spoke about a cool book that I need to pick up. In this book, the author speaks about stotanism:

"The definition, according to Mr  Burfoot, is that stotanism is about toughness, though it doesn't imply an insensitive, superman approach.  The stotan must be willing to stand on his own, to resist pain, to stick to his ideals.  A stotan is quietly self-sufficient.  He accepts the challenges of training, injuries, races, and disappointments without complaining, because he understands that simply by keeping on, by sticking to the path he has chosen, he will get stronger and better."

Needless to say with all the whining, my blog is the anti-stotan today but this idea has stuck with me and I take away the part that says, "simply by keeping on, by sticking to the path he has chosen, he will get stronger and better."

So for now I'm aiming for half the definition. I have faith and belief in that I will get better and stronger by sticking to the path.

I mean, seriously, what if?  What if I succeed? What if I get through this whole winter of training - dreadmills, snow and all? What if I dare to be my best? What if I run 26.2 miles? Who knows... but I can only get "better and stronger" for the effort.

XO

Jen

PS: Do you ever feel like this? How do you get your groove back?

Whatcha want? Aiming for less than 1%

Tara from Biggest Loser Season 7 - 26.2 finish

I was watching The Biggest Loser last night and the remaining four got to run a marathon. They had nearly no real training time and anyone who's been down the road of having to get marathon ready can appreciate the scratching of the head of how on earth are these people preparing to run 26.2 in just 30 days? It's probably even a little reckless that the audience isn't warned to "not try this at home." 

Who knows? I have to hope and assume that they've got some kind of really smart sport trainers that are getting these folks there and that the months of intense training (though not traditional running training) leading up to the marathon has enabled these folks to run without injury. 

As debatable as the training / TV show thing is, the one thing I do take away from these contestants is how much each of these contestants wanted it. Every single one of them wanted to finish that marathon no matter what. They were scared, nervous and apprehensive but they all made up their minds to run it/walk it/crawl it - if need be. And they all succeeded.

Months ago, I wrote a blog about want vs can't and that theme still comes up for me, often. WE CAN do anything, the question is do we want to? Do we want to bundle up and run in the wind and cold? Do we want to do long run day when you also have a ton of Christmas shopping to do? Do we want to run 2 miles, 6 miles, 12 miles or 26.2 miles?  

Do we want to re-evaluate, face our weaknesses, deal with our fears, suck it up and do it anyway?

The answer for me is often, maybe surprisingly, NO. I often do not want to run in the wind or do a long run day. When the weather is bad, I don't "want" to run on a treadmill. I often "want" to sleep late, chuck it all or eat pancakes and sausage. I want to order pizza and watch reruns of 90210 (the original).

I constantly have to talk myself into want. Wanting to do this, still takes a lot of mental work but that mental work is crucial.  If you tell yourself you can or can't, want or want not - you are right.  

I WANT to feel like a winner, I WANT to attain and maintain good health, I WANT to attain and maintain my ideal weight, I WANT to cross that finish line... Because I have all those wants, I choose to keep in the fight because I can.

I always have to remind myself to not lose sight of the big want for the temporary temptation. Whether it be skipping training or eating something bad - that "want" may feel good in the moment but will do nothing for me or the most important goals.  They do nothing for what I really want.

When the host of the Biggest Loser welcomed the four contestants to the starting line of the marathon, she mentioned, "Less than 1% off the American population will ever run and complete a full marathon." WOW! I think somedays I lose sight of how special of a journey this is because I've surrounded myself with so many blogging buddies who are running marathons that it seems almost like "everyone is doing it." But everyone is not doing it.  I am doing it - because I WANT to and I CAN and... 

I WANT to be in that less than 1% club.

Today I ran 6 miles that I kinda didn't want to do but am now so happy I did. I'm also working on wanting to do a long run of 12 miles this Friday. I might as well start looking forward to it, because either way, it's happening.

XO

Jen

The Day after the NYC Marathon

I had very interesting emotions yesterday during the NYC marathon. I'm not sure why. I didn't catch any of it on television, I haven't really put serious thought into running a full yet. Maybe it's because I was offered the "opportunity" to have run this thing this year (though, by the time I found out it wouldn't have left me enough time to train & I would have to raise $5,000 for charity for the right to do so.) Or maybe its all the stories of overcoming obstacles I've read related to the race, such as the well known story of the Chilean miner.

I'm not sure- but what I do know, is that yesterday I felt a little sad and as I sit here and watch Al & Meredith brandishing their medals on the TODAY show and as I see the pictures from race day on the internet - I can't help but feel the twinge of "want." I want to challenge myself to take on the challenge of challenges, I want to see what it feels like to cross that gigantic finish line. 26.2 miles... I want to be in that club.

Yet, I am held back.

I remember the ache in my legs the last three miles of the last half and how I barely got there - how would I double the miles? I'm not afraid about stamina, they make gu, gatorade, and iPods for that - but can my legs hold up? Can I find the time to train as hard as I would have to... finding the time to give towards those "long run days" 10 miles, 13 miles, 15 miles, 17 miles, 20 miles... it even quite frankly worries me HOW to even run those long runs - I mean where? I can barely run 4 miles around these parts without running into a highway or crappy neighborhood. And running 17 miles on a treadmill could possibly be a form of torture not worthy of anyone.

But these are all just excuses. I mean, when I first decided to run, I was scared. I was more than 180 pounds and running wasn't in my vocabulary. I was such a newbie that I didn't even know what a 5k was and just jumped right into signing up for a half.

I started by walking fast for one minute and built from there. I didn't know if I could run 13 miles - in fact I didn't think I'd ever be able to run for 1 mile but took the leap of faith, learned what I could and trained. And trained. And trained.

Besides remembering the aches in my legs? I remember the sense of pride, accomplishment and confidence that comes with setting a goal and seeing it through, I remember feeling that by doing this, I could do anything. I remember the sense of community and love I got from friends, family, fellow runners and even strangers - all cheering me on my journey. The lump in my throat from overwhelming gratitude during the last steps of the race and seeing the finish line, calling my name, telling me, "you got this."

I wasn't the fastest (and still on the slow side) but I finished 13.1 twice which technically means that I could do 26.2 - at least spread out throughout a few months :)

I could find the time if I want to - find the neighborhood, even suck it up and run on the tortuous treadmill for the long runs... Hey, if you want something bad enough, no mountain is too big to move...

I want this

I guess I should start looking for a race in early spring. We can talk ourselves into or out of anything. As they say, "if you say you can or say you can't - you are right."

xo

Jen

Day 72 - 11 days to go - So you wanna be a runner...

A funny thing is happening.

People are asking me for running advice!  Friends are calling and e-mailing.  At the end of my Weight Watchers meeting, people wait to talk to me.  It's very interesting and flattering.  While I don't know all the answers, this is what I've learned so far...

1.  Running is cool because it's the quickest thing that you can work out and see results with.  Each day being able to run just a little further, maybe even a little faster - and that's tremendously rewarding.

2.  Don't go into running thinking it's a good "cheap" form of exercising.  Cheap is sit-ups and push-ups.  Expensive might be snowboarding or skiing.  Running isn't either of those.  Running can be affordable but you're going to have to do some investing in stuff to do it right.  Good sneakers, good socks, even a decent MP3 player - all necessities.  Also, if you are interested in racing, they all come with fees.  Add to the mix some good running bras, athletic gear and possibly a gym membership if you live in a place with bad weather a lot of the year - and well, it's not the cheapest thing on the block - but it's also been worth every penny spent in my opinion.

3.  Pushing yourself slightly beyond your comfort level will not kill you but will make you stronger.

4.  Pushing yourself too much beyond your comfort level will not make you stronger and might kill you.  (or at very least, cause you to injure yourself and thwart all your good intentions.)

5.  Don't sign up for a big race (like a marathon) with the goal of "just" losing weight.  While you may shed pounds and all - this journey is not easy and it's going to take a helluva lot more personal reasons than just a smaller size to keep you motivated.

6.  There will be blood, sweat and tears.  Well  maybe not blood (at least not yet for me) but there's been plenty of sweat and even a few tears.  These long runs are HARD.  When you are on a treadmill for two + hours for 8, 9, 10 mile runs - there's pain involved.  And stretching, and heat, and ice and advil and with-in a day or two you begin feeling better again but with running, (at least for me) my body is always "just" healing and then I'm pushing myself again and it's getting re-fatigued.  I never get used to anything because there's always a new challenge.

7.  Long run days will kick your ass.  Do not plan to do anything but rest after them.  I've literally iced, showered and then slept for hours.

8.  Don't look sideways.  (Sooo hard!)  Work at your own pace.  Do not worry about what your neighbor, friend, guy on the treadmill next to you is doing.  Sure, look for encouragement and inspiration but don't beat yourself up if you're not at the same level.  You'll get there.

9.  On the flip side, totally OK to secretly smile when you're besting the guy next to you! ;)

10. Running is exciting, interesting and more fun than you've ever thought it could be if you give it a good shot.  Besides physical fitness, running is rich with lessons about life, accomplishment and goal setting.  It provides confidence like nothing else does.  Other runners are always happy to welcome you to the club and it's been a really great club to be earning membership with!!

XO
Jen