Coaching Alexis

Years ago, when I first started running, I had an amazing mentor named Tim Norris. This veteran of 25 marathons and five ultras sat diagonal from me at the office. As I advanced from novice runner to marathoner, he was there, coaching me along. All I had to do was swivel my chair and I could get sage running advice from a guy that had done it all.

A friend and former co-worker that sat exactly the same distance from me before leaving the company last year told me via email in January that she was going to run the More Magazine Women's Half Marathon in April and needed my advice. It was my turn to be the mentor.

Alexis had never run more than a couple of miles without stopping and she was going to tackle 13.1 in mere months, so the first thing I did was direct her to HalHigdon.com for a suitable 12-week training plan.

During the course of the next three months, she emailed me with her progress and asked me about things like clothing, diet, remedies for aches and pains - all the things I asked Tim about when I ran my first half.

And I had answers! Lots of them! You should see our ever-growing emails as the weeks passed. As she gave me her account of each week's new triumph (Six miles! Seven! Eight!), I not only felt proud, but I felt her joy because I was suddenly transported to 2007 when I was in her shoes.

On April 14, I could not imagine being anywhere but at Central Park in New York City, cheering her on.

The race was huge (8,000 women) and yet very well organized. But it was tough finding a parking space, so I was not there for the start. And with so many runners, it was hard to find one person in the throng. But somewhere between the ninth and 10th mile marker, I saw Alexis. I yelled for her and ran with her a little bit, asking how she felt.

"Tired!" was her response, and she looked it as she chugged up the hill, but I knew she could do it and I told her so.

A half hour or so later, I waited near the finish line and saw a whole different Alexis. This Alexis was beaming, pushing to the finish with all her might. It was the look of triumph, the look of a goal attained, the look I must have had on my face in Long Branch six years ago. It was incredible. A few months ago, this woman was not even a runner. And now, 13.1 miles.

I hugged her, congratulated her and left her to celebrate with her family. After all, this was not about me. I gave her direction and helped her as much as I could, but Alexis' accomplishment is hers and hers alone. She had the drive to do it, and she did it. She would have done it with or without me.

Still, she kept thanking me for my help and encouragement. I felt like I had paid forward Tim's contributions to my running life. But doing so never felt like a chore. In fact, it made me feel really, really good. So maybe I should be thanking Alexis.