I want to reclaim my body from chronic illness. I want to be strong and confident. I want to run a 5K, then a 10K, then a half-marathon, then a marathon.

Starting Line

In December of 2009, I was fed up with my lumpy, out-of-shape self. My marathon-running friend Peter suggested running to me, but I could not see myself as a runner. I was far from athletic; in elementary school, I was nearly held back because of my lack of physical coordination.

Then one morning I downloaded a Couch to 5K® app for my phone and headed out.

The training takes nine weeks. I finished it in just under three years.¹

But I finished it. Technically, I finished it as I was finishing my first 5K race. My friends and family have been incredibly supportive of me throughout this bizarre and wonderful journey, and I am so grateful.

Rehydrating!

At the start of the 2013 Bupa Great Winter Run.

Nearing the finish line of the 2012 Bupa Great Edinburgh Run.

I ran my first race.

MoRunning 5K

Going the Distance

Upcoming Races

No upcoming events

Race Results & Reports

• 2013 MoRunning 5K – 41:14
• 2013 Bupa Great Edinburgh Run 10K – Raised £110 for Cancer Research UK in memory of Iain Banks – 1:28:08
• 2013 Edinburgh Marathon Festival 10K – Raised £165 for Macmillan Cancer Support – 1:18:16 (PR)
• 2013 Bupa Great Winter Run 5K – 38:35
• 2012 Bupa Great Edinburgh Run 5K – Raised £200 for Diabetes UK – 38:08 (PR)

Good Gear

• Shoes: Asics GT-2000
• Training & Motivation: Runkeeper²

Handy Links

• Get Running, which I used for the last push of my 5K training
• Pace Calculator
• Scottish Running Guide

Recommended Reading

• The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer
• Haruki Murakami’s What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
• “Road Scholar” by Peter Sagal from RunnersWorld.com
• Race Day Tips for Running Your First Race (About.com)
• 10 Things Runners Should Stop Doing (About.com)

^{1. There were many stops and starts due to chronic illness, career changes, a wedding, grad school, and an international relocation. So under normal circumstances it really shouldn’t take that long. ↩}

^{2. There are many apps and sites for running motivation, tracking, and sharing. The ones I’ve tried are DailyMile, Endomondo, Fitocracy, Garmin Connect, Gipis, MapMyRun, Nike+, Runmeter, Runtastic, Strava, and Zombies, Run! ↩}