That year, Tracy ran the NYC Marathon.   I couldn’t wait to get to school and hear how it went.  There I was, a few months postpartum, VERY over weight and completely exhausted from a new baby who cried 23 out of 24 hours of the day, listening to her recount the experience.  Inspired and in awe, that night at dinner, I told my husband I would run  the marathon the following year.  He thought I was crazy.  Keep in mind, I’m the girl who never played sports and has 2 bad knees.  I’m also the girl who has a hard time with diets of any kind and avoids the gym like the plague.  But, like the incredible husband he is, supported me (as he always does no matter how crazy my ideas are) and I started “running.”

Now by running, I mean setting the treadmill to a speed walkers pace and attempting to jog only to be close to death less than a quarter mile in.  This continued for a few weeks and I doubted myself many times.  But every day at school when I dropped off Mia, Tracy would ask me how it was going and encouraged me along the way.

Sure enough, that following year, I ran my first marathon and I was HOOKED!  Since then, I’ve run it 3 times and competed in over a dozen other running events.  Had I not met Tracy, there is no doubt in my mind I would have never even ran a 5K, let alone a marathon.  I am so grateful our paths crossed when they did.  She has totally transformed my life.  I am lucky and honored to call her a friend!

As a result of all this running, both of my girls have caught the bug.  With childhood obesity such an issue and Wii being some kids’ only form of  physical activity, I am so happy my girls are eager to “run like mommy & daddy”.  They both have done races and love to just go out for a run.

This past summer I took the girls with me to meet Chrissie Wellington -the best, most bad ass, female triathlete on the planet!  Mia got her autograph and Chrissie encouraged her to stick with it.  A few weeks later, Mia competed in her very first triathlon (The Mini Mossman) with her best friend Ava.  It was an emotional day for me.  I was so proud of my baby girl.  Many family members came out to cheer her on.  Even Tracy and Rebecca (another of Mia’s teachers at Landmark) came down. More important than how proud I was of Mia is how proud Mia was of herself that day. And THAT is worth a million miles!  Thank you Tracy!  Thank you!  Thank you! Thank you!

Please consider sponsoring my run and helping to send a sick kid to camp. All donations are greatly appreciated! No donation is too small! To make a secure, tax deductible donation, you can do so by visiting my page online. Or you may mail me a check made payable to: The Hole in the Wall Gang Fund, Inc.

Thanks for your support!

To learn more about this wonderful organization, watch the video below or check them our on facebook.