My Running Story

I began running 2002. My town has a fabulous Thanksgiving Day Race (Over 15,000 people running through the neighborhoods in my hometown!). I decided I wanted to run it, so I began "training" for it. AKA I ran 2-3 miles when I felt like it. I ended up finishing a 4.78 mile race in just about an hour; from then on I was hooked. (Photo below circa 2008)

Then, I moved to NYC, finished my bachelors degree, and got married. There is just something about NYC that makes you want to run. I moved from being an inconsistent runner to a scheduled runner, I even signed up for my first race in NYC! After getting married, I needed something more. I enjoyed running, enjoyed consistency, and enjoyed reaching new goals. As fate would have it, I watched the NBC Sports Kona Ironman special right after our honeymoon. I needed to do some sort of race. A race that would challenge me. STAT. So I signed up for my first half marathon.

I completed my first half marathon in 2009. Despite training in the midst of grad school, a new full time job as a teacher, a one day a week serving job, and being a newlywed, I SOMEHOW crossed the finish line of my very first half. The More Women's Half marathon had disaster written all over it; 90 degrees at 8am, a dangerous temperature rise for April, leaving it to be an untimed race. Despite the conditions, I finished in around 2:15-2:17. What matter was I finished. It was just the beginning.

My sisters all began running. Joining them for races, talking about runs and training was a HUGE boost for my love of the sport.

Mr. Miller even joined in! He has made it an annual tradition to run the Manchester Road Race with me every year.

Finally, 26.2 happened. I ran for charity in the 2011 ING NYC Marathon. It was one of the greatest challenges of my life, a true labor of love. I enjoyed and cherished every minute of it. It took me three years to build up the courage to jump from a half marathon to a full marathon. I am so glad I found that courage.

I want to give back. All that running has given to me needs to be shared with others. I run with Team World Vision every year to raise money to provide clean drinking water to villages in Africa.

Now, I strive to share running with others. I have coached a few friends through their first half marathon (Above pictures) and 10k (Below). I am also running a walk/run club for teachers this summer to teach running, and build community with my coworkers.