#147 - The Courage To Qualify For The Boston Marathon w/ Craig DeSantis
Episode #147 - In this week’s podcast we will discuss:
The Courage To Qualify For Boston Marathon w/ Craig DeSantis
We will meet a 56-year-old gentleman from Flanders N.J., who went from receiving some concerning health news, to taking back control of his health through running! Craig didn’t start running until his late 40’s, in 2014. Craig became a race pacer for various marathons in 2019. I met Craig at the Atlantic City Marathon in which he paced me to my fastest half marathon to date. When I saw that Craig had just completed his major goal of running the Boston Marathon, that gave me the courage to ask him to be on the show!
My name is Coach Tadris Parker, I have a passion for helping people become healthier one step at a time. My podcast is designed to help share stories of everyday people that are doing amazing things with their health through running, walking, and following a whole food approach. My blogs are my shorthand notes for the podcast. The notes may not always be complete, but they are short and to the point for a quick read. Continue to scroll down for a quick read and check out this week’s photos.
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Here are my takeaways from my discussion with Craig.
Craig has an I.T. job that is pretty much sedentary. This lack of movement caused him to find himself at a high weight of 200lbs at only 5’7”. What I love is how Craig committed himself to doing something about it.
Signing up for a gym and feeling uncomfortable with the machines, caused him to choose the easiest machine in the room. The treadmill! A fire was kindled. The lesson here is that you must have the courage to start. Start small, start slow, it doesn't matter just start with where you are now.
Running became a passion for Craig to the point where he volunteers to pace others on marathon courses across the country. What hidden passions are waiting for you to tap into?
You may have never dreamed of running the Boston Marathon before. Let me tell you how it works……… The inspiration comes out of nowhere. The thought just pops into your mind and then that’s all you can think about. You may listen to this episode or read this post and say; Wow, I want to qualify for Boston! If that thought comes into your mind, don’t put it off, go for it!
Your next step is to research what the current guidelines are for qualifying for running the Boston Marathon. Craig got serious and hired a running coach to take him to the promised land. Craig was willing to fail, to succeed. I loved that about his story! It took him a little over three years and failed attempts before qualifying. What if Craig stopped after two and a half years? Craig kept going, even while Covid-19 crippled the race, only allowing 20 participants to run the event. Talk about disappointment. Craig kept his eye on his goal, and on April 18th, 2022, he crossed the finish line of his first Boston Marathon.
I hope this will inspire you to think big with your personal running goals, health, or business goals. Use the perseverance that Craig used to accomplish his goal of running the Boston Marathon.
To Connect w/ Craig DeSantis (Click Here)
The Running Interval App Craig Mentioned on Podcast (Click Here)
Craig DeSantis Favorite Quote:
“The Miracle isn’t that I finished, it’s that I had the Courage to Start” – John Bingham
Feeling Inspired?
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