Hern

The last 8 years of being a “runner” have led up to this moment. I never really even felt like I could use that word and always felt some sort of strange imposter syndrome around it. Naturally when you tell someone that you’re a runner the first word that always follows is “marathon”. It felt like until I accomplished this, I couldn’t consider myself a real runner.

Something shifted around the year 2018. I hit a sort of bottom point where I couldn’t stand the lack of physical activity in my life. My good friends @bogaudley and @brendangroan would run the Turkey Trot every year and I envied them. It separated them from the rest of us hardcore kids. Waking up and accomplishing a physical feat while we’re all sitting on our asses on Thanksgiving morning. I wanted it. I did it. I never looked back and I found my calling.

I’m a firm believer in slow progress. In a world where everyone is looking for a shortcut to losing weight, chasing instant satisfaction, getting into a hobby for 2 months, dropping it, and never looking back… that’s not how I choose to do things. I believe in completely locking into it and giving it my all.

Yesterday was one of the best days of my life. It was so fucking hard. I almost quit 1000 times. I saw so many friends and family members on the sideline yelling my name. I gave my physical therapist a big fat hug. It was beautiful out, yet hotter than I wanted it to be. It was a pain in the ass to get to Staten Island. And yet I’m so grateful for it all.

I want to thank my coach @nic_samayoa for always pushing me. I want to thank @brittanyzenner for dealing with my marathon psychosis for months. The whole Physical Therapy practice @nycustompt for helping me even make it to the starting line. And to all of my friends who supported me and said nice things, I appreciate it all so much.

Fat chance I’ll ever do this again, but let’s see!