I was a very late arrival to running. In fact I always hated it. I made several failed attempts to jog for exercise in my 20's and early 30's. I did accomplish a one and done couch to marathon when I was 37, limping across the finish line with my wife. To this day, that remains my favorite race ever because we crossed together. It wasn't until a friend nagged me into running the Mini in my early 40's that I fell in love with running. I thought that race would be a one and done too, but after I finished it, I was hooked. Now my weeks were filled with training plans and anticipating lining up at the next start line. In the last 12 years, I've run over 80 races.

Certainly, most of us have similar reasons for putting ourselves out on the course and suffering through tough training days. Challenging yourself, friendly competition, that indescribable feeling of pushing through the painful part of the race and not quitting, getting that elusive PR. During races, I've often questioned myself as to why I am out on this course torturing myself and why does it matter. Then I cross the finish line and see my wife's smiling face and that triumphant feeling makes the pain go away.

I also love the camaraderie we find in the running community. Not just your running buddies that are there for you on cold January days at 5 am. But also the complete stranger who encourages you during the race when you're flagging. And the people you recognize lining up in the corral race after race wishing you good luck. I have been very fortunate to have some great mentors that I have met along my running journey. It's striking to me how generous these great runners have been to me with their time, encouragement and wisdom.

So it's never too late to start calling yourself a Runner.