We see many amazing events throughout the year–and the TCS New York City Marathon tops the list. In 2016 alone, the race saw 51,394 finishers. As of this post, the race is 8 days and 21 hours away. We applaud every athlete who takes on the challenge to run a marathon. It is a true physical and mental test to say the least. We are especially excited for our very own runners. They will run 26.2 miles to fundraise for our programs–these are the individuals who truly inspire us!
*Help our team of runners hit their fundraising goals here.*
Today’s athlete spotlight: Rita Kim
Rita,
Is this your first marathon?
Yes–first one and excited to share this experience with Row New York!
Why is running a marathon personally important to you?
I wanted to set a goal that would remind me to continuously challenge myself as I entered a new decade.
Why is fundraising for Row New York important to you?
Row New York is an amazing organization and promotes a positive environment for underserved youth with long-lasting impact. I first volunteered back in 2010 with adaptive rowing. It left a positive impression that continues to this day. The organization also combines two fundamental building blocks that I believe are important: education and teamwork.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from training for a marathon?
There is a quote I have often heard “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” In this case, true. I set up a training plan that assumed an “ideal” scenario. Unfortunately, I ran into a foot injury (no pun intended). I had to modify the training plan heavily and my race plan. It won’t be a perfect race and I have learned to expect the unexpected. Just need to keep moving forward.
Any advice for the novice who may be considering running their first 10k, half, or full marathon (and probably riddled with fear!)?
The first one is always the hardest. Don’t worry about time. Walk if you need to. Find someone to enter the race with you and encourage each other during training runs. I found it easier to stay committed since I didn’t want to let the other person down.
How is running similar to rowing?
Both help me to de-stress. With rowing, I forget everything that is happening off the water and keep my mind in the boat. With running, I turn on my music and zone out everything except the path in front of me. At the end of both workouts, I may be physically tired but I feel mentally recharged.
We’ll be cheering you on, Rita. Thank you for all your support and dedication–you’re going to be amazing!
