Guest Post: "Fast" Eddie McCoy

Our good friend "Fast" Eddie McCoy posted the following on Facebook the other day. It really summed up what running/walking has done for us. We are pleased to present to you Team Tizzel's first guest post!

If you are looking for some inspiration read Eddie's story of how he went form weighing over 300 pounds to becoming a multiple Boston Marathon qualifier in 4 years. He's been a guest on The Marathon Show with Joe Taricani and The Mickey Miles Podcast. We've attended several marathons this year with him and instead of running his own race, he's hung back to enjoy the race with friends. Eddie is definitely someone you should get to know in the running community.

"Yesterday, I was approached in the grocery store because I was wearing my Flying Pig Marathon shirt. This gentleman was I'm guessing in his 50's, but he was just so excited to talk about running. He congratulated me on running a marathon. I then was able to find out that he was about to run his first 10K this weekend. It will be his furthest distance race at this point. His dream is to run a marathon.

I was just honestly delighted to see his excitement and enthusiasm about running. It was a very brief encounter but it reminded me why this sport is so wonderful. When you train properly and go after a goal, the result is so meaningful and it has nothing to do with time as much as it proving something to yourself. This man didn't care whether I was fast / slow or anywhere in between. He was just amazed at the accomplishment which someday he is trying to attain.

There is so much reward in this sport. Sometimes it gets lost, but the one thing that I love the most is going out and running each day. There is a clarity that it brings to my life and sets the tone for the day. It is a time when I don't or won't think about work. I can get in a zone and just be myself. If you want to challenge yourself, it is there for the taking. If you want to have fun with friends, that is also there as well. Running is what you make of it.

The fun in running comes from the grounded feeling you have by hitting the pavement each day and finding yourself. I was very pleased and excited to talk to this man about to run his first 10K."

Next time you are at a race look for this guy with a Bright Running shirt with his name on it.