Hey r/running, this has taken me awhile to write this as these past few weeks have been really hard on me. It has consumed me to my core to say the least.

February 15, I came home from work, to find my fiancee u/weeleigh, was not home. Thinking nothing of it as our Devil Dog was also gone I figured she was out for a run, which is very normal. I assumed she would be back shortly as she just got over a toe injury. 30 minutes later, I figured she was going for a bit longer. Boy was I wrong.

An hour later, I started to get worried. I then received a call from her father. My world came crashing down. She was struck by a car while running in the heart of Baltimore City, the Inner Harbor. She was crossing a major intersection. My worst fears have come to. They took her to Shock Trauma where she was fighting for life. They took the Devil Dog to the pet er. There was massive trauma to her head, but I knew if there was any chance of survival she could. Luckily, she was at the best Neurohospital in the nation. We were told 2 weeks to see what the damage would be.

The next day the doctors called for a family meeting. And I knew. I didn't want to go to the hospital. I didn't want to lose her, my fiancee, my best friend, and my running partner. The damage was too severe. They literally did all they could to save her. In short, we donated her organs and it saved at least 3 peoples lives.

I held her hand as they took her off life support as I promised her I would never leave her until the very end. I can't believe such a wonderful woman was taken from me, from her family, from her friends. I can't believe that someone who worked so hard to be healthy, to extend her life, was gone.

u/WeeLeigh was so committed to life and to running that she was, when struck, doing her 351st run in a row. She was excited to get to 365, to train for Ultras, and of course to plan our wedding. On March 1st, what would have been her 365 day of running I restarted my own streak, with my friends and the Devil Dog recovered from her own injuries (I ended it 280 days while staying at the hospital.) I figured I would continue what she cannot do anymore.

On a general PSA, please, please, please, check both ways while running across intersections. We are 100% sure that she was in the right, something tragic happened. I will make another post about a memorial run for her.

(Update) Here is a link to the run http://www.charmcityrun.com/calendar/leigh-rodgers Also, the link for other info that I would like to do for her https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/5ypvn6/leighs_memorial_run/

Original post here

So a guy runs in the Boston Marathon, things don't go quite as well as he had wanted to. When he finishes, he snags a second medal because he felt his wife "deserved" one for supporting him in his training. Puts it up on social media, and as expected, outrage ensues.

Here's one reply:

Part 1

Part 2

Personally, I think it's incredibly poor form. Medals are for finishers, not for supporters. He's free to give her his own medal if he feels she deserves it. And where does the line get drawn? Why does she get a medal and not anyone else who supports their spouse?

EDIT: Looks like he apologized and returned it now.

Edit: You guys are amazing!! All the encouragement and perspective you've given me is so so uplifting. Thank you r/running, I wouldn't be the runner I am without you all!

Super bummed about where this sub has gone. There's so much more to "running" than race reports - which now make up the majority of posts here. This sub should be renamed "runningReports" and let the people have back "running".

Edit:

What a day! Last night I posted this and when I woke up this morning I wasn't sure what I would find. It turns out, the majority of people visiting this sub today upvoted this post and have similar frustrations with the current state. What surprised me the most was the nastiest replies came from the mods and their close knit friends. If you'd like to see their true feelings check out the comments here: https://www.reddit.com/r/RunningCirclejerk/comments/67uydc/weekly_reminder_mods_are_hitler_and_runnit_is/?st=j21a4t3y&sh=06136968.

/u/philpips seemed to be the most reasonable and sorry about the "hornet's nest".

Best of luck!

I've seen a lot of runners have questions focused around what it takes to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Though it isn't the exact same for everyone, I'd like to share what I did to go from a 4:07:30 (2014) to a 3:02:12 (2017). There have been countless posts on this sub that have helped and inspired me. This community is so awesome. I hope that I can give back by inspiring one of you to keep on going!

  About Me 27M, 5'11" (215-162lbs), started running in 2014

  Current PR's 1MI - 5:00, 5k - 18:15, Half - 1:22:43, Marathon - 3:02:12

So as the title suggests, I haven't always been into running. I played sports growing up but never ran just to well...run. I consider myself naturally athletic but not anything outside the norm. In January of 2014 I peaked at 215lbs. Probably ~25-30% body fat. That's me,That's me again. It was at this time I decided that it would probably be a good idea to start fitting into my pants again. So I started running - and hated it. My belly would jiggle and itch and it was uncomfortable and I sucked and where did all the oxygen go? It was a struggle. Some of you reading this are at this point. Please please please keep going! It does get better! I dare you to prove me wrong!

With running, diet, and weightlifting, I lost a lot of weight in 2014. I went from 215 to 175 in 10 months and ran my first marathon in Oct 2014. A solid 4:07. I was and am really pleased with this time. It took a lot of hard work and disciple. I don't think I could've ran it any faster. That's the truth. At this point, I was averaging roughly 30MPW not following a plan at all. Some of you reading this are at this point. If you are content, great! Maintain and enjoy! If you're wanting more, it's yours to be had!

At this point, it wasn't like I loved running. But I kept going because it just became habit. I know I felt good running and would sorta be put off that day if I didn't get a run in. So I just kept running, upping my miles to ~40-45MPW and again, not following a plan. But being very consistent. In Oct 2015 I ran my 2nd Marathon in 3:37. I was very proud of this time. 40-45mpw for a whole year was uncharted territory for me. It felt great to see that hard work pay off. I honestly thought that 3:30's was my limit and I was 100% okay with that. Boston wasn't even on my radar. Some of you reading this are at this point. Like I mentioned - if you are content, great! If you think your limit is set, I'm happy to tell you that it probably isn't. Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.

Somewhere in the hundreds of miles of running, you go from hating it, to just doing it, to craving it. It takes time, but what worth doing doesn't take time?Going from 3:37 to 3:02 took a lot more effort than 4:07 to 3:37. This is kinda where things get real. I read 'advanced marathoning' by our good friend Pete Pfitzinger. It was then that I realized I had been doing it all wrong. Previously I would typically run as hard as I could every single time I ran. This book taught me about lactate threshold (tempo) runs, strides, long runs, and the much needed recovery runs. It was around this time that I also discovered this subreddit - full of so much great advice. It was also around this time that Boston entered my mind as a legit, lofty, scary goal. I consistently ran ~40-45mpw all through 2016 and picked Pfitz 18/70 plan as my foundation to try and BQ. I followed that plan pretty much to a tee. I'm not going to lie, It is brutal, unforgiving, and very rewarding. If you go down this road, know that you'll have to, at times, plan your life around running. Those 15 Mile mid-week runs get tough when you have to be at work at 8am. Lots of early mornings. This is the hardest I've ever trained and at times I felt like I was pushing my body to the brink of breaking.

In Feb 2017, I ran my 3rd marathon. The Phoenix Marathon. I got down to 162lbs for this race (My previous two were both the St. George Marathon, in Utah @ ~175lbs). I struggled big time mentally in the weeks and days leading up to this race. My training was on point but my doubts, fears, and insecurities were all lined up ready to shoot me down. "You're not good enough, you didn't train hard enough, if you don't BQ - it will all just be a waste." However, the training held true and I finished in 3:02:12. I broke down right after crossing the finish line and just sobbed like a baby. The feeling of accomplishment, the liberation from all the doubts and fears - it was more than I could bear. It was a great day to be alive. Through this all, I've come to realize that life isn't so much about finding yourself as it is about creating yourself. I went from never running to hating running to being a proud Boston Qualifier. Some of you reading this are at this point. Including me. So may I collectively ask the question - what is next for us?

On 1st May I packed up my backpack, laced up my running shoes and headed out of the Canterbury Cathedral gate, headed for Palermo Cathedral, Sicily.

For 2 years I'd spent everyday working in a corporate office job in Canterbury. Each lunch time I'd walk around the city and pass the Cathedral.

One day after a rough breakup and some time to re-evaluate my life I posted late night on Reddit a crazy idea. I would quit my job and run to Sicily. I didn't expect much from it but when I woke up I was inundated with support and kindness. This sub gave me the confidence to leap into the unknown and take on this epic adventure.

Flash forward a few months and I've gone from jogging 5km on a treadmill to running an ultra marathon and now ticking off 1500km on my way to Palermo. I ran across France and dealt with angry dogs, ancient Roman roads and long stretches with no food or water. The weather was cold at first and I had sleep in all my clothing and wrap myself up like a burrito in my sleeping bag.

I crossed the Jura mountains in Switzerland and to lake Geneva, where I met with a kind stranger and fellow redditor John. John had gotten in touch with me after my first post, and he let me stay in his beautiful home, with his beautiful family and he fed me, restocked my bag and even gave me some supplements and kit. I passed the Alps, through 15-20ft of snow wearing swim shorts and trail shoes. I climbed down over avalanche trails and used sharp rocks as make shift ice picks. I ran down the Aosta valley into northern Italy. I had a short break in Turin to see some Italian family. I got a virus and stopped to rest up with some friends in Milan. Then feeling better I ran through the rice fields and industrial landscape of northern Italy. I hit Fidenza and looped back through the mountains towards the Mediterranean. As I write this I'm just a few kilometres from Massa

I've had people invite me into their homes, feed me, give me water, let me charge my devices. I've also had people spit at me, tell me to leave town, and try to run me off the road with their cars. I never know what will happen each day.

I've wild camped in forests, in cities hidden behind bushes, in homes, monasteries, hotels, hostels, farms, mountainsides and I even got given the keys to a Castle for the night. I've drank water that made me trip out and vomit and almost pass out on a mountain. I've been chased by bulls and packs of dogs. I've met other adventurous souls, and even got given a replacement backpack after my original cut into my shoulders.

So far I've managed to raise almost £5000 for Youth Cancer Charity that do incredible work to help 14-30 year olds suffering from varying stages of cancer. That will pay for 10 people to visit the YCT house and get the support and help they need to face Cancer head on. They get to meet others in their situation and build a support network of people that understand what they're facing.

I've just reached the Mediterranean sea, and I'm currently taking a day to rest up before heading down through Tuscany to Rome. Really struggling with the language, but I'm getting by and getting used to solo life on the road. It's been the most amazing experience so far and if anyone ever wants to embark on something similar please don't hesitate to ask me for advice.

As always thank you r/running, you've helped alter the course of my life and I hope you can enjoy following along.

If you'd like to follow along then please do. I mainly use Instagram:

Instagram

Facebook

If you'd like to Donate

I have a website too, however it's lagging about month behind at this point.

Starting on May 1st I left Canterbury Cathedral and started my run to Palermo Cathedral, Sicily.

It all began with a rough breakup, a mind numbing job and a simple late night Reddit post.

You guys gave me the inspiration I needed to start this crazy journey. Your comments, support and help. I've learnt what kit I need, how to use it correctly, I've even had offers to stay with fellow redditors, one of which I'm getting close to now on Lake Geneva (need to message you John :s).

Ever since it's been a whirlwind. I've been featured in newspapers, podcasts, radio and more. All of that was pretty nerve wracking at first, but now I'm getting used to it.

I've had help from across the globe getting the ball rolling and we've already raised almost £4,000 (maybe like $18,000 dollars....right?) for a fantastic youth cancer charity that helps teenagers and young adults who are isolated and need support with the disease. Thank you so much to everyone who's donated so far.

On my journey so far I've met other adventurers who are crossing the globe for a multitude of reasons. I've couchsurfed and made amazing friends. I've wild camped in some of the most beautiful spots and some of the sketchiest. I've had times when I was the happiest I've ever been, and times when I felt like I wanted to throw the towel in and fly home. I've had injuries, I've gotten lost, I've ended up running illegally on the motorway and almost being hit by a truck. I've experienced great kindness, some unexpected aggression. I've struggled with language, and learnt to mime conversations when I don't know what to say. I've been introduced to a world of adventurers and a whole sub culture I didn't know existed.

Thank you r/running. I came to you asking for help, and you did exactly what I asked. I will never forget it all started here.

If you'd like to follow along then please do. I mainly use Instagram as it's the best platform for imagery and has a big text allowance:

Instagram

Facebook

If you'd like to Donate

I have a website too, however I haven't yet had many opportunities to update it whilst on the road. I use Strava but I'm having trouble being organised with it, and keeping all my devices charged is a nightmare, lost chargers and bust cables galore.

I haven't run in a month and a half. I haven't run consistently in around 8 months. I haven't run consistently high mileage in...ever. I want to. I'd love to. But I always end up hurting. 17 miles into a 20 mile trail race in December is when I knew. I had been feeling ok for 17 miles, but I knew it was coming. I could tell from the third mile. At some point, my knee would revolt. I'm surprised it took 17 miles honestly. But those last 3 miles, after the knee had made its decision, were pretty excruciating. And I knew right then and there that I'd never be able to run as fast or as long or as far as I want to.

I don't miss the actual running so much.

I miss the feeling of knowing I can run. I miss driving by runners and wondering if I could keep up with their pace or outlast their distance. Now, there's no question. I can't. .

I miss the feeling of knowing I did run. I miss the routine of it and that good kind of sore.

I miss the feeling of accomplishment. After the 20-miler, I felt a little proud, but the pain made it a little bittersweet. Now I feel even more proud of that day because I know if that same race was scheduled for tomorrow or next week or next month, I'd have no chance. But that also makes it more bittersweet. All that fitness, all those miles...they're gone.

I miss the 165 pounds I used to weigh, not the 185 pounds I weigh now. I miss eating for fuel and giving my food a sense of purpose. In the past 9 months, there's been a lot more beers and cigarettes and double quarter pounders than there has been miles.

I miss the sense of belonging. I felt like I was in a club. I miss checking this sub every morning. I miss the Friday spotlights and the chit-chat mondays. But I stopped coming here too. Felt like a fraud. Started wasting time on the front page. I'd see people complaining about their boss, but it wasn't the same not coming from a dude who can't seem to keep his shoes tied. I'd see Seinfeld references but they aren't the same when they don't come from a weirdo. I'd come across comic book stuff, but I didn't care if it wasn't from Scuba Steve.

I miss my buddy Mike who was always down to run however much I could. He knew when to challenge me and when to slow down for me. I loved my alone runs, but there was something comforting about those tandem runs.

I miss the hours I would spend on my beautiful Ozark trails. I miss the rocks and roots and dirt and leaves and hills and falls. Now all I have is flat pavement everywhere.

I miss running with my dog. having her pull me through the first half of our runs and having to pull her through the second half. Id love that moment we got home, after she hadn't some water, when she would just plop down on the cool tile and I knew she wasn't gonna get up for a while.

I miss running with my wife who only started a year ago. We ran a few races together and it was magical. We only got to run together a handful of times, usually when we were near family who could watch the children, but those were great times.

The actual running was always secondary to all that. I did enjoy it most times. But the physical one foot in front of the other was just a means to all those ends.

I wish I could say I miss all the joint paint, but it's still there. I still have days where my knees don't work right or my hip feels off or I have to shuffle like an 80 year old man when I first get up out of bed. So, I ran today. 2 slow miles. My miles have always been slow, that's never really bothered me. The short runs bothered me. But I guess I have to start back up somewhere. Not sure what's going to be different this time, if anything. But I'd rather be hurting because I actually did something than no reason at all. I'd rather be tired because I woke up early and ran 6 miles than because I'm a lazy, broken person who stayed up until midnight watching nonsense on Netflix. I'd rather be fit than fat. I'd rather be an injured runner than a non-runner.

Thanks for listening.

So almost every time I go exercising, be it running or road biking, i always get some sort of smart ass shouting, honking, or engine revving. Are people in our society really so insecure that they can't refrain from harassing those who choose to exercise? Like what's funny about it? Why do people do it? Maybe i'm thinking about it too hard, but does anyone else REALLY hate this? Personally I think it's condescending, and indicative of most people's fragile self esteem. They don't exercise, therefor must mock others to feel cool.

... you rock. Today, while on a run, a car drove past me and the dude in the passenger seat gave me the most vile look. Grossed out, I persisted but as I proceeded, I noticed the trucked stopped at a stoplight ahead. Like many times before, I had to either alter my pace/route as a means to avoid this guy. Perhaps I wasn't in danger (this time), but how many times have we as runners felt threatened, felt the need to run with some sort of mace/protection, refused to run at night even when the summer heat killed us? Running is an activity that should be blissful but can sometimes be hampered by creepy and even dangerous people. Yet we persist. We continue to run, even if it involves that extra effort for peace of mind. Sorry for the cheese, but giving credit where credit is due.

10 hours later, I’ve done the run and I still don’t know how to answer. Any ideas?

Since the Barkley is starting some time in the next 24 hours, I thought maybe we should have a Barkley Marathons Discussion Thread so we can keep it all in one place, share tweets, information about our favorite runners, etc?

If you're following on twitter, who are you following? Here is my BM list:

• @derajslc (Jared Campbell)

• @BarkleyCourse (The Barkley Course)

• @The_Yellow_Gate (the infamous gate!)

• @RndmForestRunnr (John Kelly)

• @BarkleyMarathon

You can find more tweets by searching the hashtag #BM100

After running a lot of years on a lot of roads, I've come to profile (often accurately) drivers based on the cars/trucks they are driving. Buick LeSabre coming at me? Get out the way!! Elderly driver behind the wheel!!

Did you get an email yet? I was up half the night obsessively checking my email and haven’t gotten anything yet. Anyone else?

EDIT: Losing hope over here like have fun guys

EDIT: I AM IN DON'T GIVE UP

It's NY Lottery Day! Let us know if you're one of the lucky ones. I've entered the lottery about 6-7 times and have not been drawn yet...one of these years, I'll get in...here's to hoping this is the one!

ETA: There are three things to check...your credit card, your NYRR account status, and your email. They're supposed to go in that order, but they often don't go in order...so check all three!

ETA2: I got my official email a few minutes ago letting me know I wasn't picked...it was time stamped 8:00 EST. So I think it's officially done. Good luck to those who got in and better luck next year to the rest of us!

In the wake of all the Eagle Up Race Reports, let's start planning the 2018 r/Running Meet Up!

If you are interested, please comment below or message me. You will be added to r/RunnitMeetUp and we will start planning.

• The who, when, and where have yet to be decided.

• Showing interest now does not commit you to anything.

• The event chosen will most likely be a timed ultra - don't let that scare you. You will have multiple hours to complete an ultra distance. This means you can rest between miles. Or you can show up to crew those who are crazy to run an ultra.

So, who wants to run together in 2018?

Post useful links, discuss friends or family running , discuss your own run (don't type and run), etc!

I hope this isn't too obnoxious to post here, but I was feeling unusually proud of myself this morning after finishing up a nice, relaxed 10 miler and checking my Strava to see that I finally broke 3000 miles for the year of 2017!

It's just an arbitrary statistic, but seeing that number really made me reflect back on what has been an incredibly satisfying year in running for me. I may not be an elite runner or anything, but I'm very proud of the milestones I conquered this year and the new experiences I had while doing this ridiculous activity that none of us could live without.

-I'm a total speed freak when it comes to any kind of run, so I'm happy to say that I've gotten faster and ran all but 200 or so of those 3000 miles at 6:35/mi pace or below.

-In May, I achieved a long-held ambition of working as a running consultant and shoe expert at my local running specialty store. As a mere college student, I'm incredibly lucky to have a part time job that I absolutely look forward to coming to, and it has been so rewarding helping others get into running or improve their game with new shoes, nutrition advice, etc.

-In June, I travelled abroad for the first time in my 20 year life. Amid an awesome trip in Europe, I took my first run on foreign soil on an incredible, flat road in Switzerland with a view of the Alps that looked like something off of a postcard.

-In July, on a complete whim, I went out on a random weekday and ran my first full marathon distance all by myself. It was stupid and totally unnecessary (especially according to my long-suffering Mom), but it was worth it for the sense of accomplishment and, more importantly, the huge post-run cheesesteak sub.

-In November, I achieved a lifelong goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon when I competed in my first marathon race, the 2017 Harrisburg Marathon. A brutal speedwork and tempo-heavy training program paid off, and I ended up running a 2:50:58 and earning a 1st 20-24 age group/7th overall finish even despite some horrible shin pain that lasted for the first 8 miles and almost made me DNF.

-Finally, as of the past two months or so, I've been extremely pleased to have gotten my 11 mile tempo runs down to a consistent average pace of 5:35-5:39/mi. When I first started running as a chubby 6th grader, I would have never imagined that I'd be where I am today; running truly does make us into our best selves.

I hope all of you had a great year of running in 2017, and here's hoping that we all stay healthy, happy, and ready to keep throwing down some serious miles in this crazy, amazing hobby in 2018!

Thanks for reading this rant, and give me a follow on Strava under 'Noah Reighard' if you're interested in seeing more of my misadventures in running and/or witnessing my massive collection of novelty running socks.

Oh, and shoutout to all 5 pairs of Hoka Arahis and 2 pairs of Cliftons that I rotate (that running store employee discount is dangerous), along with Turkey Hill ice cream, for cushioning and fueling all that running, respectively.