Last month I sent the below letter to the editor to the team at Runner’s World magazine saying why I thought the May 2012 issue may have been the best ever. Having worked in publishing before for a consumer publication I am familiar with the volume of letters that come in as well as the limited space in a magazine to print all of them. So I’m now taking the liberty of publishing my own letter.
Dear David,
Thank you and your editors in advance for indulging me and taking the time to read this letter to the editor. I realize it is long and should you choose to publish it I realize you will have to edit it significantly and/or choose excerpts that are best suited to the space you have available.
I have been a RW subscriber for at least 5 years and an active runner seeking PRs, faster times and better training plans for at least 10. I am 32, a new mother and a very career-oriented person used to working 10-12 hour days. Last spring I was dead set on training and racing marathons until I achieved a BQ and thought that once I accomplished that we could work on starting a family. After a 3:45:09 PR at the Lower Potomac River Marathon (which I read about in RW!) I knew I still had work to do and also realized there’d never be a “right time” to start a family. I opened my mind to the idea of having children sooner rather than later and to the notion that running will always be there. I found out I was pregnant over Labor Day 2011 and acknowledged that the Marine Corps Marathon that October would not be my BQ race but it would be a whole new kind of 26.2, continuing to train and race pregnant.
Now with baby Connor in my lap as I write this, I am more than ever focused on getting back to running, training and trying for that BQ. Part of what excites me about that challenge is the added challenge of doing that kind of running while raising a new child and going back to work full-time. As of today, I have 2 more weeks of rest before I can really be active, and though I ran all through pregnancy, I fully expect to have to start from scratch.
I share all of this as a preface to why I decided that the May issue is the best ever of RW. Perhaps it is because I had time to truly read and digest it cover to cover. Or perhaps it is because the articles hit home so perfectly with where I am in my life and running career. Or perhaps it is the post-partum hormones but the issue made me laugh until I cried, then it made me cry, and it allowed me to reflect on my own running, admire and respect so many other runners (every issue in fact gives me pause in this regard) and it of course made me want to go running!
A few of the highlights for me:
Marc Parent’s article in this issue may be the most hilarious yet. I laughed the entire first time I read it and later asked my non-running husband if I could read it to him. (I often offer this and he regularly declines). He said sure and I was thrilled to have him laughing just as hard as I was. I am hopeful that perhaps somehow articles like that will inspire him to run.
The Beginner Head to Toe Guide was a wonderful refresher on all the things I need to consider as I get back into running. No matter how long you run, I think a review of the basics is always helpful. Much of what is in that guide is advice I give to others who are starting to run it was reassuring to know I understand the basics!
The human interest story on Dave McGillivray might be hands down one of the best RW stories ever. What a fascinating man! He is inspiring on so many levels and I loved the honesty of his story and the way you conveyed his passion for what he does and how its done. From an editorial perspective I also appreciated the layout of the story, the photos and perspective you provided on the stages of his life and career.
Thank you for a fantastic issue! And thank you again for reading this long letter. If you don’t mind, I will likely also publish the bulk off this letter on my blog as writing this letter also helped me outline a post I’ve been thinking about for some time on my journey from training to motherhood.
Best regards,
Natalie Staines
May 1, 2012