Thank You

People often ask what I think about when I run.  I don’t run with music because running is my time.  Sometimes my mind is going wild with thoughts, ideas and to do lists while other times I think about nothing at all.

This week I was thinking about you guys.

Whether you were part of the team that peer pressured me into signing up for Boston or you have been supporting me since, I owe you.

The last few months certainly have not been easy.  I’ve come a long way both physically and mentally since registering back in September.  There is a quote out there that reads, “I dare you to train for a marathon and not have it change your life.”  It is absolutely true.  My blog post about registering was totally sarcastic and mostly a joke.  

Once training began my mindset shifted into work mode because marathon training is no joke.  There are no shortcuts.  I had to man up and be brave.  I logged the miles.  I put in the work.  Along the way I had my fair share of weather-related struggles—an 18 miler in a Nor’easter and a half marathon in freezing rain, just to name a few—but someone once said “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” and “you’re not made of sugar.”

Throughout my ups and downs but I am lucky to have a great support system to keep lifting me back up. 

So thank you…

…to my mom and dad.  Thank you just isn’t enough.  I can’t wait to see you both in Boston after I cross that finish line!!!

…to Joe for getting it.  Your email on Thursday morning made me cry.  Thank you for all the tips, inspiration and relatable moments we shared over the last few months.

…to Eric W for being my number one fan on Strava and always trying to motivate me.  It’s comforting to know that someone else is going through a lot of the same things.  Let’s burn some boats on Monday!

…to Greg for turning me into a weight lifter.  I have learned so much from you.  It’s hard to believe I stuck with your training plans for this long but it’s those little moments of progress that keep me going.

…to Craig for helping to hold me accountable in the gym and showing up—even picking me up—on days that I was struggling.

….to Erin for also helping to hold me accountable and making my time in the gym that much more fun.  Also, thanks in advance for dyeing my hair on Sunday!!

…to Lee for not judging me for the amount of food I consume in the back office on a daily basis.

…to all my other coworkers for the endless support and encouragement along the way.

…to Katrina for getting me off the couch and out of the house after a lot of my long runs.  Your positive energy is contagious.

…to Lizzie for being there at the right time when I needed your friendship the most.

…to Sarah for always watching out for me.  We don’t see each other nearly enough but I know you’re always 11 minutes away.

…to Laura B for your daily words of inspiration.  Your morning texts helped start my day on a positive note during taper.

…to all my other clients and gym members for the texts, emails, Facebook messages and conversations.  I always try to motivate and inspire at work and in the gym but really it’s you guys that help keep me going.

…to Chris Q for your friendship.  I’m sorry I ditched you and the bus but I’m honored to share the course with you this year—and can I also say, who would have thought a few years ago when I convinced you to run the Piggy Trot that you would be running your THIRD Boston Marathon this year?!

…to Infa for constantly pumping me up.  Seriously, hype man of the year.

…to Matt for hooking my parents up on race day.  I also truly appreciate the random catch up phone calls throughout training.

…to all my other family, friends, run clubbers, social media followers and blog readers that I didn’t call out individually… thank you for joining me on this journey!  I will do my best on Monday to make you all proud!