2012: Another Year of Inspiration with the Brooks ID Program

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It almost feels like it's not fair for me to be back on the Brooks Inspire Daily Team for 2012. I've received so much motivation and inspiration from my brothers and sisters on the team and the Brooks professionals that I've "run into" over the past two years of being a Brooks IDer. All I do is take that same motivation, that same inspiration, and project it on as many people as I can. When people ask me about the program and what it is that I do, my response is always the same: I've agreed to carry out and promote the mission of Brooks which is, "To inspire people to run and be active."

I couldn't be more honored to be given a spot as a coach for the 2012 Brooks ID Team. This will be my 3rd year on the team. The program for 2012 has changed. When I first started, there was the Brooks ID Program. You were either on it or not. The second year had three divisions of sponsorship: Fanatics, Performance and Coaching Elite (P.A.C.E.), and Bluestreak. I was on the P.A.C.E. team for 2011. Sometime in September or so of this year, we got word that there would be different divisions based on what you do. I applied for blogger/writer and coach. I was selected for coach but will, of course, still continue to be an advocate and promoter for Brooks and fitness on my blog.

Mr. Parry's Endurance Challenge
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The people I've met while in this program are phenomenal. One such person is Jim Parry of My Parry's Endurance Challenge fame. I've never met Jim in person, but I follow him and his program because it's an amazing inspiration. Jim is a 6th grade teacher in Minnesota and challenges his students to complete 24 hours of exercise in the spring. On Jim's end, he complete 24 consecutive hours of running to inspire his students and promote fitness and distance running in his community.

I've also had the pleasure of meeting (in person) Adrienne Langelier who works with athletes in a sports psychology capacity and has an awesomely done blog at http://www.adriennelangelier.com/. We got picked up for Brooks ID at the same time. She also ran her first race in an elite status this year.

Chris Gunderson and Jessica Etchen Lyons have both been my biggest personal motivations. Jessica is the one who told me about the P.A.C.E Team and whose positivity got me pumped at the 2010 RNR San Antonio Half Marathon. Chris is the one who ran with me during our "Assault on San Antonio" which led me to my then current PR for the half. We also worked at the Houston Marathon Expo and I had a blast there. Both Brooks professionals and both essential to recruiting the best inspiration to promote Brooks and our sport.

So...what will 2012 bring? Well, I have no idea. Here are some of the things that I'm hoping for:

• To motivate the active duty nursing and Hospital Corpsman staff on my floor to get at LEAST an excellent on our bi-annual Physical Readiness Test
• To become a member of Naval Medical Center Portsmouth's Command Fitness Team to reach a higher population of Sailors in my pursuit to broadcast the importance of fitness in the military community
• To collaborate on research with a nursing colleague on blending the paradigms of nursing and coaching in nursing education programs (perhaps publishing this research)
• To run a 1:23:00 half marathon in an effort to get into the ING New York City Marathon
• To run (for the 2nd time) the Marine Corps Marathon

By being a member of the Brooks ID Program, the opportunities to inspire are limitless. I couldn't be more grateful to Brooks for their continued support of me as a runner and coach and for allowing me to inspire others every day through their mission. Run Happy!!