I did not start running until a few years after I graduated from college. In 2009 a good friend and I decided that we needed a challenge and we trained for and ran the Boston Marathon for charity. After my first marathon I was hooked! I completed five more marathons including another Boston Marathon for charity, the Chicago Marathon and Marine Corps Marathon, dozens of half marathons and tons of 5Ks and 10Ks. Not only did I grow a passion for running, but most of my family and close friends also got the running bug. For years, large groups of us traveled to races, laced up our sneakers and crossed finish lines.
Most of my long races however were before my second son was born in 2016. After he was born, I hit a running funk, and running took a backseat to everything else in my life.
In 2018 I found the Another Mother Runner community which helped me re-find my love of running. Now as a BAMRbassador I help to inspire and be inspired by other mother runners! In 2019, I stepped out of my comfort zone and joined a local running club. The Sole Sisters got me racing again and helped to push me to reach my goals. I even signed up to run my seventh marathon which because of COVID-19 was postponed, but I’m eager to race again.
Running is my therapy, my escape from the balance of working full time and raising two boys. I run every day, even if it’s just a mile and I always run outside, year-round regardless of the weather and in New England that can mean some tough weather conditions.
I love running and I love to inspire others to run. I love that my kids love to run and that I do not need to feel guilty every Saturday morning when I leave the house for a long run as I know the first question they will ask when I get home is, “Mom, how was your run?” For me, all you need is a good pair of sneakers and a positive attitude. I’m not the fastest runner, I’m not the slowest, but that’s the best thing about running it’s a sport where elites share the same paths as weekend warriors.