I cannot get enough of learning runners’ reasons for running. It is a lot like the feature in US Weekly where you can see what a star carries in their purse. It offers an intimate look at what makes a person tick. While runners are dramatically varied for their reasons to run they are united in their dedication.
I met Erica at our weekly content marketing meeting at Pacers; she wrote an awesome series on running a marathon in Spain. Unfortunately our paths do not cross as much as I would like these days. When I read this and learned that she was motivated by Ben Davis’ video of weight loss I loved her even more. That video gets me every time! Read on, Erica’s story will get you too. Thank you Erica for keeping it real and sharing your story.
Erica before the Marine Corps Marathon
Why I Run? For the New Me
“Tomorrow we’ll be running the mile.”
Those words, uttered twice each year by P.E. teachers across the country, haunt this almost-33-year-old to this day. You want me to run how far? In front of all my friends? In whatever ineffective “sports” bra my mother bought for me in the ‘90s?
Let me put this in perspective. I was active and athletic growing up, but I was always overweight. Sprints were rather enjoyable; laps around the track, however, were not. I didn’t have the endurance to go the distance without huffing and puffing or feeling severe pain in my lower extremities. Looking back, it was all mental – I was in decent shape from playing year-round sports, but I didn’t have the patience or determination to just run. Needless to say, I never joined the cross country or track teams.
Fast forward to March 31, 2010. That day, I committed myself to making small life changes that resulted in a loss of nearly 60 pounds within a year and a half. Early in 2011 after losing about 45 pounds, a friend sent me the link to a YouTube video called My 120 Pound Journey. It was the story of a guy named Ben Davis who started running, lost weight, and proved to himself and the world that he could set and achieve life-changing goals. The five-minute video sparked something in me. If Ben could run at his weight/size/inexperience/other perceived barriers to participation, I probably can, too. I started visiting the local middle school track a few nights a week after work, alternating between running a lap and walking a lap. I soon cut the walking interval down to a half a lap and increased the running portion to two laps. Before long I surprised myself by running two consecutive miles on what I remember being a particularly humid and buggy summer night. The next day I registered for my first 5k.
Surprisingly enough, it only took me 3.1 miles for me to get hooked. I’d caught “the running bug,” as they say. After my first 5k, I graduated to a 10k later that fall and my first half marathon the following spring, with a smattering of 5ks and 8ks in between. I’ve completed dozens of races since, including a total of six half marathons, three full marathons, the anchor leg of a Ragnar road relay, and most recently a 50k trail race.
Why do I keep running when my non-runner family and friends often call me “crazy”? I know I’ll likely never win (or even place in) my age group, let alone a race. I complain about training and frequently have to talk myself into getting off the couch. Carb-loading is a year-round activity, and finding tights and capris that are both comfortable and supportive is a challenge unto itself.
Despite these first-world problems, I run on. At my favorite running store’s weekly fun runs. On trails. On loops around my neighborhood. In races large and small and on the occasional gym treadmill. I run against others, against the clock, and against myself. But most importantly of all, I run to remember the old me, and to remind myself that I’ll never see her again.
Why yes, DC bRUNch is still on the agenda for THIS SUNDAY (August 30, 10am-ish) Naturally, I have made no executive decisions regarding location because I want to add ~*mystery and excitement*~ (not because i have no idea).
Places I am considering:
1. Clarendon, VA area (Pros: parking and metro close by, good breakfast spots. Cons: Virginia)
2. Open City in Woodley Park, DC (Pros: metro and parking, good food, a classic, Cons: equally inconvenient for everyone)
3. Bethesda, MD area (pros: metro and parking. Cons: I’m not super familiar with the best breakfast area or the running routes)
Votes/ideas? emilydoesscience, runningwithcrohns, cupcakeconditioning, mrcarlosbc, notovernight @sadtosmfah, butterfliesandairplanes districtofsunshine and any body else.
cupcakeconditioning replied to your photo “The thing when you say the first mile is the toughest and you enjoy...”
Breath Thermo?
Yep! I like it better (kinda) than this year's stuff. Its a little bit thicker, but it rides up like crazyyyyyy sometimes. The new stuff seems so thin. I have a older breath thermo piece from a few years ago and its much heavier than the stuff out now. Crazy.
I made some executive decisions here but obviously, let me know if this doesn't work!
When: Saturday, October 25
Where: Le Pain Quotidien, Eastern Market Metro, DC (same metro line as Stadium Armory where the expo is being held. LPQ is pretty good but basic food and cafe fare)
What time: 11:30am (hopefully plenty of time to hit the expo before or after)
Who:
Any tumblr and friend/gf/bf/bff/parents/siblings/etc of tumblrs who wants to come! So far, I've heard from:
runningwithcrohns, cmjhawk86, lysrunning, emilydoesscience, cupcakeconditioning, and getittogetherg and of course affiliated people as being interested. Please please please don't feel like you can't come if you haven't been tagged! Invite yourself along!
Message me if you have questions/need my number for texting purposes.
Oh! And if you aren't from this area, I highly recommend exploring Eastern Market that day!
