Today I’m linking up with MCM Mama Runs, My No-Guilt Life and Run The Great Wide Somewhere for Tuesdays on the Run, and we’re talking about inspiring others to run.
Last night I received a Snapchat from a friend. It was a photo of his happy, smiling face, and the caption written below let me know that he was about to begin his fourth run that week. I sent a message back cheering him on. He replied that Alex and I were a part of his inspiration for running, and that made me smile.
In the year or so since I began running, I’ve been asked more and more how I went from a person who hated running to one who enjoys doing it several times a week. How did I convince myself to try running 13.1 miles for the first time? Why would I want to try 26.2?!
I explain my first attempts (setting my 5-miler goal, getting hurt, rehabilitating) and the work it took to check my ego, build my mileage slower and finish my biggest goal (the half marathon) smarter. My initial set-back put me back in square one and let me try all over again.
This all rotates around the, “If I can do it, anybody can do it,” argument. What makes it so simple is that it’s true. You really can.
No matter what your running story, I think our (runner) talk gets so infectious that it rubs off on a listener or two. They begin to think…”If they can do it, I can do it.” And If that sticks, selfishly, I/you/we get more loved ones to run with 🙂

Have you inspired others in your life to run? Who first inspired you?