Publix Georgia Half Marathon !

This past Sunday I was lucky enough to participate in a race with my friend of many years, Meghan. She is an absolute Tennis rockstar but is just starting her running journey. I convinced her that she was strong enough to sign up for the Georgia Half Marathon. I can't say it enough - I am truly honored to have been able to be with her as she crossed the finish line.

I think she experienced an entire rang of emotions during this race. She went from "I can't do this" to "why am I doing this?" to "OMG I'm doing this!" to "OMG I just did that!" It was amazing. I am so proud of her.

The race, for me, wasn't about a time or running the whole thing. It was about being there for someone and truly giving them the ability to believe in themself. It was a blast being able to joke around, be wildly positive and pump nothing but positive energy into the air. We made friends along the way and chatted with all the people who were out there supporting us. I received complements from strangers about how much they appreciated my positive attitude. That meant the world to me.

I left that race with a new light inside of me. I remembered what running is about. It's about the journey and all that it can help you realize. Pushing limits and breaking your personal barriers.

The medal this year was pretty snazzy, too ;-)

The Westview Track - Review

By now I'm sure everyone has seen the letter "to the fatty running on the Westside track this morning..." I've read several reviews of it and I've decided that the more I read about it, the more angry I get. And this is because from what I can see, there is a ridiculous amount of people defending the author. And...I just can't fathom how anyone would think that calling someone else a "fatty" would be motivational at all.

In my opinion it's a clear form of abuse. It wouldn't shock me to learn that in the author's life they depeict verbal abuse on people around them. To insult them in a manner that they know will strip them down to nothing, only to build them back up by telling them "you're awesome!" is an obvious form of abuse. It's a cycle - break you down then bring you back and keep you close by "building you back up again."

Humiliating someone is not an appropriate way to inspire. It's the core of what's wrong with our entire thought process on health and fitness. If this person, who clearly just wanted their blog to go viral, really wanted to inspire them - they would have gone up to them, gave them a huge high five and said "you're doing AWESOME!" They wouldn't have written such a tastless letter.

Someone wrote a response as if they were the person who they were speaking about. I felt it was incredible and very honest. Judging someone else's journey is tasteless. It doesn't make for good journalism and it sure as hell doesn't make you a good person.

So, my response to whomever wrote this letter initially - I hope you never have to face the humiliation and suffering that you put this one annoymous person through. I hope you see the error of your ways without having to learn the hard way. But, if the hard way is the only way - so be it.