Your words.
I am completely overwhelmed by the reaction to this blog. I never could have imagined how many responses it would muster up. From emails and Facebook messages, posts, comments, tweets. I have heard from family, childhood friends, coworkers, strangers.
What really gets my fire brewing is hearing that you are inspired. I am not sure what it is, or why…but it makes my heart sing.
In your words…
this morning running in the 18 degree, 6am temps and more importantly my seeMEGGIErun sunshine yellow tee i thought of you and how at mile 3 you wouldn’t stop so i didn’t either. Here’s to newbie runners huffing and puffing on their first mile, watching the holiday cookies fall away, finding inspiration in a friend, fresh starts and the shimmer of streetlights against the snow. fist pump for snowy January and making it through! xo
You are amazing! Your early and cold runs. Love that you were wearing the tshirt and I love even more that I will see you in a few days. Thanks for your post. xoxo
Do you sell the seeMEGGIErun t-shirts? I’d love to get one!
Meggie,
What a great blog! I love your reasons for why you run and the kids in our program, Chicago Run, get similar benefits to those you mentioned: confidence, destress etc. I’d love to chat more about Chicago Run and your own experiences. E-mail me if you are interested! Also, wanted to talk to you about the Chicago Marathon to see if you’d be interested in running on our charity team! Lots of great reasons!
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Amy
Great to see you enjoying running. I ran for about 35 years but now I am having a knee problem that prevents me from doing so. Lately, I have started walking more and I have to say it’s not the same but it isn’t bad. If you have some Fuel samples you can send, please let me know at my email address (I will be glad to send shipping). Thanks
You bet! email me your address at meggieh22@hotmail.com!
I want to run, but everytime I start, I get bored. I also can’t seem to run a very long distance without major discomfort in my ankles, and shins. Got some decent running shoes, but I am flat footed. I want to run, I use to love running when I was very young. I am now 48 and I am active, but running is work. How can I make it fun again? I ask you because you say you were never into it and now you run all the time. Please helpq
Hi John, I can relate all too well. That’s how I was in the beginning as well. And even now, struggle to run on the treadmill without something to entertain me. So for boredom – a few tips: if you are on a treadmill, try reading. It takes a bit getting use to as you are bouncing and yet trying to read but if you can focus your eyes, you can then either read magazines (which stay put on the treadmill rack) or can read with an e-reader, or go buy a treadmill book rack from Amazon for $10. I never leave home without mine. When running outside, if music doesn’t help, then download podcasts. I found that talk radio helped distract me better than music. I also play games like – run for 7 songs and then look at the treadmill to see how far I have gone. As for discomfort, it could be that you are just starting off and as a result it all hurts. Or it could be shin splints or shoes. If you got fitted for the right shoes for your feet, then I would suggest just taking it easy. Don’t start out too fast or go too long. If it’s miserable, you won’t keep at it. Increase gradually. Focus either on speed or distance in the beginning, not both. And remember, it gets easier. So the first few weeks will suck. But you know it’s worth it because each month it feels better and you’ll like it more. I hope this helps! Good luck and keep me posted!
Just found your site researching running on the Monon. Just entered my first marathon (Carmel Marathon) after 3 years of nothing but halfs. Love your writing…
Bryan
So great to meet you, Bryan! Good luck…once you go 26.2, you’ll never look back!!!
Hey Meggie,
I was introduced to your blog by Amy Bracken (my boss is her hubs and we all hang together occasionally!) Her FB posts, pics and tales about running (esp with all you “Perfect Strangers”) inspired me to try and take up running this past January and I’ve become hooked! She showed me this blog as well, and I read it all the time! I love keeping up with you and your races! Figured I’d let you know, you’ve got a fan! Take care!
Lindsey
Hi Lindsey! Thank you for your sweet comment and all your support. I really appreciate your message.
Hey! I want a seemeggierun shirt! Where can I get one?
Love the blog!
Thanks, Jennifer!
Hey Meggie. So I found your blog this week by google randomly and I started reading. And I couldn’t stop. I literally went back and read start to now where you are. I’m so insprired (and no I’m not a stalker I promise) – I am 28 year old kindergarten teacher with 3 kids (all age 4 and under) – when you wrote on a post you had felt like a thin girl in a bigger body – that’s me sister. I never had any trouble with weight and I was tiny….then I got pregnant. It was like my body said hahaha f you! And it stretched and I gained all kinds of weight (maybe the cupcakes too) but anyway I have felt like a failure. A few times i’ve tried to run (i.e. I make it 3 houses down and want to stop and walk and feel like a loser and go home). Or…..I have run for what feels like forever (and isn’t far at all) and then the next day can’t even run half that distance – feel like a loser and go home. Wash. rinse. repeat. Running has always scared me. I’ve begged and pleaded with my husband for a tummy tuck. I just want to not feel so awful when I get out of bed. What’s sad is that I’m not a big girl. I’m just a normal sized girl with baby yuck on me still (my youngest is 8 months old and people say don’t beat myself up but I can’t help it). Anyway I write to say this….I have always thought that if I could consistently run some of the things I complain about and think will never go away actually will and will improve – duh. I’m just a scaredy cat! So in lieu of the new year and resolutions (which I never make because I don’t want to not complete them and feel like a failure…reosunding theme here!) i have decided I want to train and run a 5k. I googled and found your blog. I feel like you’ve saved my life….and my feet haven’t even hit the pavement. Reading about the highs and lows of your running, and how you sometimes don’t make what you intend but you live and run another day, and how things are good and things are bad and how it helps to have encouragmeent – everything has helped me. So tomorrow I begin. I started by today buying a pair of running shoes that I wanted and thought were crazy cute. I saw a pair of tall socks in the sporting goods store and thought of you! And then I went to facebook and I posted that I was scared but I was going to do it! I’ve never posted any goals again because I don’t want to disappoint. Oh my goodness I was amazed by all the supportive comments. Then one of my friends mentioned the fun color run in nashville march 30. I had planned to do my first 5k in a small hometown race but then I remembered you blogging about this and it looked fun. So I asked my aunt who just started running and her friend, then my mother in law, my mom, my sister, and several friends and family members who have all been talking about needing to get into shape etc. I thought this would be a fun goal. And you know what….almost everyone has dove in and said yes. So me, who hasn’t run a step in years except for chasing a child running away with my iphone is apparently now the organizer of an event. I’m hoping that the new role of being cheerleader to my mom who feels she can’t do it already, and the others relying on me and knowing that I can’t back out will push me like I’ve never found the motivation before. I just feel like I know you which is so freakin weird when I type it but I know you hear it a lot but you totally inspire me and I think you’re a badass! You have made me feel like I can really do it. So thanks Meggie. And maybe one day you and I will meet. Maybe it’ll be at my first marathon! haha. That sounds nuts but I want to believe I can do it!
Amberly Houser
Girl you just made my day. I love reading this and am so glad you found my blog! First of all, you can TOTALLY do this. And a 5K is just the beginning. SEriously. I will help in any way I can. I will tell you that the beginning won’t be easy. My first mile was 15 minutes and I ran the whole thing. I was slow and dying. But I got back up and did the same thing. And then 2 miles. And then 3. I am happy to push you and make sure you stay on track. I can listen to your complaints and your worries and your frustrations and your doubts. But I will celebrate every victory with you too. YOU GOT THIS. Such a pleasure to meet you
Ahhh I’m glad to hear back from you! I sent you a message on facebook this morning and I would love to be in contact with you! I downloaded couch to 5k and did day 1 today and was thrilled that I was happy and felt it was so doable. I love how it works you up to doing the 5k! When I came in my husband who had run for 2 years and quit when he got a principal job at a new school and wasn’t home said well I guess I better get out there! And then my 4 and 2 year old threw a fit to run too and my 4 year old ran a mile with my husband. It’s been a great day! I took tons of pictures and I think I’m going to blog about my experience too. I love writing and I think it’s a great way to be accountable as well as real. Since last night a huge portion of my family (including my mom who never runs and my mother in law) have decided we are going to do nashville color run in march as long as we can all get in and the one in louisville in june because we are all going to be there togehter for a wedding that weekend anyway! I’m so excited to do this with people I love I can totally tell a diffrence already that I’m not dreading it like I have in the past but so excited – I guess that’s how you feel running with the perfect strangers! Have a great day! Amberly
my heart goes out to all in Boston.
i am so glad you are okay Meggie, it’s 2 years since we started London together in a tutu and a few of the parky lot are going again, there will be black arm bands to remember Boston and #handoverhearts at the finish.
thanks for a beautiful blog as always
love and hugs Helen xx
Hi Helen! It’s so great to hear from you and I wish I was going to be there cheering for you guys in London or running beside you. What a lovely time we had in 2011. Best of luck and I teared up reading about your arm bands. It warms my heart. XOXO