In her application to be a Featured Athlete while training for the BMW Berlin Marathon, Melissa described herself as someone who had been running on-and-off for years. Initially she ran once a week to lose weight; she did not yet understand what “training” was. After running a few races with friends however, Melissa realized that she loved the race atmosphere and wanted more. She was still showing up to these races without preparing for them though, and with a new commitment to running more she decided to start training with a group. Melissa joined NYRR Group Training in September 2017. Every step of Melissa’s journey has demonstrated commitment to self, as well as a sense of curiosity. These attributes are the fibers that run through endurance athletes. They are what bring us back to the starting line time and time again. They are what bind us as a community and they serve as the foundation for a common language.