It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to Lisa of Early Morning Run. Lisa and I have known each other for years. We first met when she started as an intern at my old company. She ended up signing on for full time and was a pretty remarkable woman to work with. Lisa is motivated, organized, curious, caring, and quite frankly, one of the sweetest gals I know. Her blog is a destination for daily health inspiration with writings on everything from her running adventures, to meal plans, to training schedules, to book reviews, and more. I’ve become a particular fan of her weekly series, 5 for Friday. And mmmmmm… check out her recipe page for some yummy tips for healthy cooking!  I thought it might be nice to pass a little bit of the inspiration that I find in Lisa’s blog on to all of you!

I’m very honored to have Lisa as a guest blogger today. Please do head on over to her site to read more!

Without further pause… meet Lisa:

(Lisa, after the NY Marathon!!)

When Erin asked me to write a guest post for her blog, I was absolutely honored. Erin is someone I’ve admired for a very long time. She’s one of the most kind, fearless, creative, intelligent, and selfless people I have ever met. I’m sure many of you know this first hand and can appreciate how overjoyed I was to receive an invitation to occupy space on this lovely blog!

I write mostly about running, food, farmers markets and other things that fit with the healthy living theme I like to focus on, but it all started around running. I began running about four years ago out of necessity. After moving from Michigan and the comfort of family and friends, I was along for the first time, in New York City and my sweet tooth and loneliness took control. I started working out and then I found out about the New York Road Runners and the constant stream of races they produce in Central Park. I knew it would be the motivation I needed to start running and hopefully, lose some weight! It wasn’t long before I fell in love with running and knew it was something I’d want to do for as long as I was physically able.

When I run, I feel free. My mind wanders. I feel strong, even on those not-so-great days. Running has allowed me to explore not only my own neighborhood, but foreign capitals. I have made lifelong friendships and learned many things about myself. I have found strength and confidence. In the same year, I underwent brain surgery and also finished my first marathon.

It’s a funny thing what running can do for someone. I love that you don’t have to finish a marathon to be a runner. You don’t have to be blazing fast to be a runner (I am one to know!). Some fantastic runners are blind, or use prosthetics. It’s not always easy, but the reward is amazing. Watching the sun rise and feeling the crisp cool air of a new day as my lungs and legs carry me on a new adventure is overwhelming and invigorating. All you need is a little desire (and a cute running outfit doesn’t hurt either!).

(Lisa and her husband after the Turkey Trot in NYC)