A DNF (Did Not Finish) Is Greater Than A (DNS) Did Not Start

I’ve never considered myself a remarkable athlete – and still don’t. I did a little recreational running in my 20s and in 1992, I ran my first 5K race. It wasn’t a remarkable finishing time, but it was a great sense of achievement. Shortly thereafter I got married, had two daughters. Like many moms, I got caught up in the day to day business of being a caregiver and lost sight of the importance of taking care of myself.
Now let’s fast forward to 2005. I’m a 40-something full time mom. Although I loved that role and found it very fulfilling in many respects, I had little identity outside my role as “Mom.” I didn’t like the tired and frumpy image in the mirror any more – so I decided to change it by doing something positive for myself. It was time to take up running again.
Over the course of the next decade, a spark ignited something within that I never imagined existed. I trained for and completed another 5K – and just kept going. 5K’s gave way to half marathons. Half marathons became full marathons. Full marathons progressed to ultra-marathon distances. After my 50th birthday, I’d run and completed two 100 mile ultra-marathons. Today, my passion is trail running. I prefer the slower pace, a softer running surface, and the ability to enjoy the solitude and peacefulness of being out in the forest. Trail running is about connecting with nature and conquering the course, whether it’s climbing mountains, navigating stream crossings, or scrambling over rocks and roots.
Motivational mantras have always been instrumental in helping me endure the mentally and physically challenging times when nagging self-doubt tries to creep in and derail my goals. I used to write mantras on my arm with a Sharpie pen to help channel the power of positive thinking. I’d repeat these mantras over and over to drown out the voices in my head begging me to quit.
It is from this idea that Run Inspired Designs was born. I created a line of jewelry called Wearable Inspiration so that the wearer could have their mantra close to their heart to always remind them of their “why” when the going gets tough.
I find it incredibly rewarding to share my passion with other women and to help them realize that runners come in all shapes, sizes, abilities and ages. Running gives us an opportunity to cultivate a deep belief in ourselves and to follow it to achieve something amazing. It’s also about finding the joy in your journey – not necessarily the result – and dreaming up the next journey.
I authored my book, Running Inspired – A Journey to Finding Inner Greatness, in order to share my story and send a message of empowerment to all women to find and chase their own passions – and dare to achieve something they never dreamed possible. It’s a quick read with tips on how to set goals, change your mindset, and break out of your comfort zone.