“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” ~ John Bingham
“Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” ~ Lance Armstrong
"In running, it doesn't matter if you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that." ~ Fred LeBow
“There is no better feeling in the world than to take your mind and body to a place you thought it couldn’t go; a place you thought it didn’t belong. You should all try it sometime.” ~ Shauna Reid
“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must, just never give up.” ~ Dean Karnazes
"I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement." ~ Steve Prefontaine
"From the moment you cross the start line, you know that crossing the finish line will be one of the best moments of your life." ~ Author Unknown
"You have a choice, you can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face." ~ Gatorade 3
"There is no failure in running, or in life, as long as you keep moving." ~ Amby Burfoot
"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." ~ John Bingham
My First 5K and More... 
You have a lovely collection, Darlene!
You can be very proud of the NYC Marathon one, although you don’t like thinking about that particular race. You finished it despite all the challenges!
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I’m proud and disappointed at the same time if that makes sense.
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16 races is a lot, especially for a year with a broken foot! My favorite bling from 2023 is the “medal” from my 50k- except that instead of medals we got cups, which I liked at that time but now I kind of wish were just a regular medal because I never drink out of it, ha ha.
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I’d rather have a cup.
Yes the year ended better than it started
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I mean…. that NYC Marathon medal… Gorgeous. I know it wasn’t a great time for you, but I would still be proud.
I ran a few less than I normally do, as well. It was a tough year.
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I hope 2024 is a good year for both of us.
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You definitely keep busy! You’re lucky to have so many races in your area, but your trips are pretty epic as well 😉
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Thanks. This was a slow year. Usually I run like 30 or more.
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Nice job on the year, Darlene, even if you missed some races due to the broken foot. You’ve got some beautiful bling there!
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Thanks.
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Those are some nice medals! Congrats on 16 races despite the broken foot!
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Thanks Lisa
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That is a great collection of medals! 16 even with a broken foot? Awesome job and I know you will do more next year, right? 🙂
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I hope to not get injured!!!
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What an awesome bling collection for 2023!
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Thanks.
Hope next year is even better
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