Thanks to New Balance, a group of Charm City Run team members will be training and running the New York City Marathon together on November 6, 2022. Leading up to the race, each member will share a blog post describing why they are running, how training is going, and what it means to run a marathon as a Charm City Run team. Kate Fenwick, Director of Live. Give. Run. Foundation, shares her perspective on preparing for the New York City Marathon.

If you had asked me at the start of my running career if I ever thought I would run the New York Marathon, I would have given you a hard no. If you ask me today, I’d give you an enthusiastic YES!! What changed over the years? Lots and lots, but a huge part of it has been Charm City Run.

I started running in high school when I joined the XC team and our track team. My family had been Charm City Run shoppers for years, and everyone else in my family ran so I assumed I should be as well.I loved my teams and tried so hard to love the sport, but I just couldn't see what everyone loved so much about running.

When I got to college, I would just jog a few miles for fitness and mental health. Taking the competition out of the equation completely changed it for me, I started to love running. It was a time away from the stress of school where I could just clear my mind and appreciate the scenery. I finally understood what everyone was talking about!

I had run casually for a few years and decided to give myself a new, big challenge. I was going to train for a half marathon. I started training and quickly developed plantar fasciitis. I walked into our Timonium store and asked for some guidance. In my mind, Charm City Run was home to the experts and it was a place I could ask questions and receive helpful, judgment free advice. Lizzy helped me and explained that my shoes were only designed to have 300-500 miles on them and helped me calculate roughly how many I had put on them (it was a lot more than I thought). After refreshing my gear, I finished my training and ran my first half marathon and I was in love. I had finally found my sport, I had never felt as at home as I did in the running community.

A few years later, I was in need of a career change, I was very unhappy at my job at the time. I saw that Charm City Run was hiring in the Timonium store and I decided to go for it. I wanted to work somewhere that made me happy. I figured if I loved running, surely I would love working at a running store? For me, the answer was a resounding yes. I was surrounded by the running community that I loved so much. When I first started, I thought half marathons were my thing- just the right distance and I swore up and down I would never run a full marathon. After the encouragement of coworkers and fellow runners, I decided to sign up for the 20 miler, and ultimately my first full marathon. Every runner was so supportive and helped me to realize that a full marathon really isn't as scary as I thought it would be.

After joining the marathon training group, I fell even more in love with the sport. My coaches helped me feel more confident and prepared at the start line and crossing the finish line that much more exciting. The rest of the runners in my group made every run feel like a social outing and suddenly it felt like hanging out with friends.

When the opportunity to run the New York City Marathon came up, there was no chance in the world I would miss it. Running it with my Charm City Run team made the opportunity so much more special. Charm City Run has been an incredibly influential part of my entire running career. The spike nights in high school made being on the XC and track teams that much more exciting. Without the advice and education I received while training for my first half marathon, I likely would not have made it to the start line and would have had to stop by training. My coworkers, coaches, and running friends encouraged me to try a full marathon and to keep training and trying. Thank you Charm City Run for the opportunity to run the NYC Marathon!

Do you know someone who would love the opportunity to run the New York City Marathon? Send your nomination by June 30 to Lauren@CharmCityRun.com.