nyc marathon 2018

In 2015 when I set out to the London Marathon in my home of hearts, I thought that'd be it. One and done. Then in 2016, when the opportunity to run the New York Marathon for a charity dear to me presented itself, I took it. New York was rumored to be a spectacular race, (if summer training didn't tank me before I reached the starting line). After finishing New York, I knew I'd run at least one more. After all, 3 is my favorite number. I took a break in 2017 and tried my hand (and feet) at finishing a sprint Triathlon, which coincided with brute force winds and rain left over from Hurricane Harvey. And now it's 2018. As an excuse to revisit the city I once called home during a study abroad term in 2006, I decide to run Prague. This past May, I completed my 3rd marathon to the "whoops" and "hollers" of friends that boarded a plane, who donned "Team Tori"s shirts and drank beer while I ran 26.2 miles. Upon arriving back in the good ol' USA, I felt empowered to repeat. Driven to raise money for Hole in the Wall Gang Camp again, I thought about NYC 2018.  While I mulled this over, testing the words out loud to friends, I started seeing signs. The kind that perhaps, I subconsciously was looking for, but which presented themselves to me as serendipity. And so you can catch me running the 5 boroughs of Manhattan on November 4, 2018. 

And having said all that, I bring you to the point of this long ramble, which is only in part to alert you to my new running blog, donation page and to my “tomato face Tori” gallery! But my point has everything to do with me saying - the drive I've found to try new things, travel across the seas and take on long endurance challenges is all because of my Dad. At the age of 10 he dropped me off for my first sleep away camp, at 13 signed me up for my first biking trip and at 16, encouraged me to bike across the United States. Not to mention, he enrolled me in almost every single sport while growing up. Truly, I tried them all, except track. And I find that oversight (all my siblings ran track) to be fate. I don't think I could come to be a runner any other way. 

I loved camp growing up which is why Hole in the Wall's mission is dear to me. Every child, no matter how seriously ill, deserves the opportunity to not have to worry about having fun. More about Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Plus, camp was founded by Paul Newman, how could it not be a great cause? If you donate, I'll buy you a Newman's Own product of your choice. Double wammy good!

And as in the past - subscribe to my newsletter, read along on my running adventures and marvel at how red my face gets in the hot humid New York weather and donate to a great cause. In return for your attention I promise you laughter.