Hello! Today is my second favorite day of the year – National Running Day!! (Thanksgiving is #1 always and forever.)
I get asked ‘How did you get started running?’ or ‘What is your running story?’ a lot. Recently I was asked in an interview and it occurred to me that I have never written one specific blog about it. So here it is…
My Running Story
(condensed because I get bored and gotta run…)
Once upon a time there was a chubby little red-headed Mexican girl. She was bigger than her friends and it gave her a complex. She dealt with it until the end of high school when she decided to start dieting and exercising to lose weight.
She started walking with her friend. They walked and walked and walked…until her friend ditched her because she got pregnant and Monican had to walk alone.
She got bored. So, she decided to run a little bit. Hey! That was kind cool, so she ran some more the next day. One day she ran a whole 45 minutes in a row. She liked it.
Monican signed up for a 10k. It was blast! And she wanted more so she trained for a half marathon. Then, she wanted to run a full marathon and decided to start a blog to document that journey to 26.2 miles.
And the rest is history…
Running is now my life. It is my hobby. It is my job. It is my escape. It is my therapy. It is my favorite.
I don’t think you should run, but I think you should find something you love to do and DO IT.
How to Celebrate National Running Day and Discounts
Here are a list of ways you can celebrate National Running Day and some great discounts and coupons for runners!
1. Run. Hello.
2. Carb-load.
3. Get a running magazine – Women’s Running Magazine for $1 an issue
4. Sign up for a race!
One Day of Savings on all Competitor Group, Inc. Series on June 4, 2014
- $20 off domestic Rock ‘n’ Roll full, half, relay & bike
- $5 off 5k, 10k, Mini
- €5 off Int’l RNR
- $5 off Carlsbad 5000
- $20 off Women’s Running Series
- $20 off TriRock (excluding Nations)
5. Tweet! For every use of #IMARUNNER on National Running Day, Timex will donate $5, up to $20,000, towards the Boomer Esiason Foundation’s Team Boomer program. Individuals can also share their “I Am A Runner” story on the Timex Sports Facebook tab at http://bit.ly/1p0qBZC. Individuals who contribute content via the hashtag #IMARUNNER or on the Facebook tab will also be qualified for a chance to win Timex® IRONMAN® watches.
6. Run with Charity Miles, a phone app available for iPhones and Androids. Download the free app, pick a charity of your choice and hit start. Each mile ran yields a donation to your chosen charity.
7. Read Run, Eat Repeat. <- At least you can cross one of those off the list for sure!
8. Get some RunEatRepeat gear in my Spreadshirt store.
Question: How are you celebrating National Running Day?
Again, I am so unhappy to say that I cannot run right now due to an injury. Instead, I hiked yesterday (tues) and did Bodypump/CX Workx and cardio to make up for it.
Happy NRD!!! I did a tempo run today to celebrate! Thank you for sharing your story, so many people relate to you!
Love this! Sounds like you did this the right way.
I did my normal two miles on the treadmill before my yoga class, and I snagged that subscription deal for Women’s Running, looking forward to getting that!
I celebrated with 4 miles. I am building back my mileage since having a baby 10 weeks ago.
You signed up for a 10k very quickly. Good for you. I started with 5k and haven’t really progressed much.
I celebrated with 3 good miles, probably my last run before my half (my 5th) on Saturday! Oh, and there was some definite carb-loading as well! 🙂
I celebrated by signing up for a half marathon in my home state in December AND I actually got my boyfriend out for a run today. I hate to say it, but I think he’s starting to become a running addict too (which isn’t a bad thing).
In Nassau and celebrating by running every single day of my vacation. Today, day 5, which included some great hills, coastal views and some intense humidity=great detox. Love it! Um, and again, you should model. You’re very modest. I’m very serious. Perhaps you already do some work I’m unaware of. Your story, your blog, your journey, your look…..all worthy of a great fitness model. Boom.
Dragging the BF for a run tonight instead of running solo. Leaving work shortly, can’t wait to get the run in and to refuel with pulled pork that is simmering in the crock pot!
Love this! I recently started my blog to document my 1st marathon journey as well! Happy national running day, you rock girl!
I celebrated with 4 miles this morning! And I’m always working on carb-loading:)
I ran 9 miles in my RER shirt this morning! Happy National Running Day!
I’m hosting the DC fun run for Rock n Roll tonight-fun! Are you doing any RnR races this year?
I just did one this weekend 🙂
did my running today and feeling good. run with some clients then LA Kings!
I got up at 3:30 out by 4 and ran over 15 miles for Flower and #TeamJamie for the girl battling cancer. Love this post. Yesterday I pulled my first #transformationtuesday on IG. I’m a fatty turned runner too fren. You constantly help me on my journey.
You’re paying it forward homie, your transformation tuesday on IG was awesome and pretty darned inspiring…
Happy National Running Day! I plan on going for a run later today!
I’m hosting a #runch today in San Francisco. Cross your fingers people actually saw the event and will show up!
I love charity miles! I didn’t get outside though. My legs were not into it today. So I did spin class and swam. Sometimes you need to mix it up.
Happy National Running Day to you, too! I don’t think that today will be a running day for me, unfortunately. My legs feel like dead weight under me and I think I would benefit from some yoga! Thanks for sharing your story and keep running!
1 – 5 mile tempo before work this morning
2 – refueled with a big fruit salad post-run
7 – obvi 😉
I celebrating by running and registering for Rock n Roll Savannah for the fall!
Happy National Running Day! I did hill repeats this morning with my running group. And then tonight I will be hosting a fun run with our local Fleet Feet store.
Great post!! I loved your story! I ran an easy 3 miler today and thought about all the reasons why I love to run! Cheesy to the max but it put a smile on my face! 🙂
I ran this morning with charity miles. I love that app! Happy National Running Day!!
Even though it’s my strength training day, I’m going to sneak a mile with my dog. I just have to!
I got 5 miles in this morning, and I used the iamarunner hashtag. How cool is that? Happy Running Day!
I hope to get in a run, but my back and hips have been super tight and I want to be well rested for the RW hat trick!
I completely failed at planning my workouts for this week… today is my cross training day! I’m planning on celebrating National Running Day with a super awesome run tomorrow to make up for it! Maybe I’ll just read my entire collection of running magazines that I have piled up in my room!
OMG National Running Day? Ill definitely be out there!
I use Charity Miles (when I remember) and really love the concept and that you can pick your charity! The only drawback is that if I’m running with that, Runkeeper, and listening to music at the same time, it sometimes makes me phone go kaput 🙁
I’m taking the day off due to my foot being swollen – how sad!!
Sadly I’m injured so won’t be running today. But I am celebrating by watching everyone else’s runs through social media and reading their running stories. I love how everyone came to running for such different and unique reasons.
I ran 6 miles for #TeamJaimie and I may or may not have registered for 3 more races and purchased some additional running gear……okay, I did! (Unless my husband reads this and then, just kidding honey.)
Awesome running story RER! I’m hoping to run today, but it’s storming in the Chicago area. Hoping it wraps up. Great list of coupon codes too, and I’ll definitely be using the IMARUNNER hashtag today. Thanks for the info.
Thank you for mentioning some non running ways to celebrate national running day. I am bummed that I am injured and not allowed to run today but I can totally handle #2 on your list. And donate to team boomer via timex 🙂
I’m celebrating with TWO runs today! Yay running!!!