I am an organizer for a marathon/half marathon training program. As we near the end of the season, I sometimes struggle to find the right topic that is relevant and motivational.  This week I seemed to touch the right nerve in myself and a few others. I received the most positive comments about the newsletter. So I thought I would post it out here for posterity.  Note, it was written with small kiddos jumping all over me, preparing for school/work and participating in their normal am shenanigans.  But somehow with its imperfections in grammar and punctuation, it came out perfect.  Given the chance to re-read and correct, I may never have hit send.

Race day swag

Why I Run – USA Fit Albany Newsletter for September 21, 2012
“Race season is here! As you can see by the photo above, I have expanded our closet. The Palio does not pass out medals (which I knew about ahead of time), but it reminds me of the topic of the week..”why we run”.

I am a big medal junkie! I myself just booked a whirlwind last minute trip to run in the Nike Women’s Half marathon. Nike magically opened up bibs on Monday and after 5+ years of trying I got it. It is a dream event for me for several reasons, one of which is that the medals are necklaces packaged in perfect Tiffany boxes and handed out by fire fighters in tuxedos on silver platters. But as I was frantically booking my dream running trip across the country it sort of hit me, “why is this a dream to me”.  Anyone who knows me, knows I would run 100 miles for a one of a kind designer item.  And I run even harder and farther for an event that supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (like this one does). But that is not why I started running. I did not start running for the medals.  After all, it would be cheaper for me to drive to Tiffany’s in NYC and buy my own necklace. I did not set my goals for a marathon or half marathon for the swag.

I have my own personal reasons why I run, why I keep going, why I sign up for event after event.  The medals are great, but they are all sitting in my basement collecting dust.  I run for me. I run to be healthier, to keep my sanity living with three males, to have a goal, to do something others most others have not, to do something hard, to constantly improve,  I run because I want to see what my body can do (instead of what it can’t), to help others, to see things in the world others will miss, to enjoy the fresh air, to tell my children and grandchildren stories of accomplishment, to be me.”

So remember as you approach your event, to have fun and run for your reasons. It is your own two feet. Your event may or may not go the way you want it to. But remember, you have done the hard work. As Jenika said this week the “hard part is over, now its fun, what would you tell that person you were back in April who was not sure they could do x”.  We think there will be a lot of positive things you can say. We think you would tell them,  you will accomplish so much, GREAT JOB!”

❤ Jennie