By Ambassador Heather Foley

“I have to am running tomorrow.”


The beginning of marathon training season is almost here and it is one of my favorite times of year second only of course to Houston Marathon week!  The air is thick with the collective optimism and excitement for the adventure everyone is about to take on. As the runs get longer, the start times get earlier, your Friday nights get lamer, and your knees get achier, I would urge you to take on this one mantra.

When everyone is staying out late and you tell them you have to get home, and you’re about to say those words with a sigh, “I can’t stay because I have to run tomorrow…”, instead, own it! Assert proudly, “I’m going running in the morning!”

It’s a miraculous thing to get to go for a run. It means you’re healthy and you have some leisure time. It also means that you live in an awesome city with safe places to run, and you get to catch up with your running buddies or your own thoughts.  Your determination and dedication to this goal might even inspire others to take on their goals.

You are training for something awesome! The spectacular feeling of accomplishment that you feel as you run around Houston with the whole city cheering you on will last for a lot longer than that one late night that you missed out on. Most of all, when you cross that finish line and the volunteers place that medal around your neck it will certainly feel better than those couple of extra beers that you passed up on in September.

About the Author: Ambassador Heather Foley

Heather started running after college to keep in shape and quickly found her family in the running community of Houston. She has run over 30 marathons/ultra marathons (including back-to-back finishes at the Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa), but also loves all the other distances as well. To keep in the best running shape she can be in, she also regularly does crossfit and yoga. She loves short tris and is still trying to get her mountain biking legs. In between, she likes music or a good patio on a nice day with friends.
Twitter – @haf811
Instagram – @haf811