NPSF is my team (Chris Sheesley’s Guest Blog)

Today’s guest blog is our most recent recipient of the Positivity Award, Chris Sheesley. This Sunday, Chris is taking on his first half marathon, and we can’t wait to run with and cheer him on around the San Francisco streets. Thank you for bringing your friendship, positivity and wit to our community, Chris! And for teaching us about “Los Pechos de la Choca”…

So here I am about to toe the line in a race I never thought I’d run, with a team I never thought I’d have.

In just over a week I’ll run my first half marathon – SF, first half. As of this moment, my longest run ever has been 10.3, and I stopped for brunch, twice. Let’s just say I have high hopes for the aid stations.

Running never crossed my mind before NP. I would prefer most any form of cardio over running. Or any form of anything. It seemed like a monotonous way to spend too much time in my own head while making my legs hurt. It lacked competition and teamwork. Or so I thought.

One morning I was sauntering on a treadmill at 24-hour fitness staring in a mirror at one ugly runner. That’s when I realized mirrors in front of treadmills were dumb. The following Monday morning I went to Ft. Mason instead, and as many before me have said, that’s when everything changed. I never went back to 24-hour fitness. But I’m pretty sure I left some sweaty clothes in a locker if anyone is going by there.

Last December, at the base of Sand Ladder, during Friday hills before ECSCA is when I experienced my first FOMO. The crowd was thick and the vibe was juicy. It was going to be an awesome weekend and I really wished I was staying in town and being a part of it. I so wanted to be on a relay team. Wait, I want to run?? What the hell are you people doing to me?

One of my goals for this year was to better my running abilities so I could compete and hang with at least some of the NP runners, while having fun and not killing myself. The latter being slightly more important, on most days. So I committed to myself to all 3 weekly NP workouts (I had already started going to Friday hills by this time), and adding Track Tuesday with Nick.

And while I feel good about my efforts this year to improve, I am admittedly nervous for this race. Not so much for reaching my goal (remain vertical), but for representing my team. For many, running is an individual effort, but for my short term in it, it’s always been a team sport. Hell I joined the team before I even starting running. So while my time will be my own, much of my race will be for NPSF. There’s a big part of me that wants to make my tribe proud.

My “team” has provided all of the inspiration and encouragement one could ask for – perhaps even too much (No, I’m not running a full marathon yet 😉

Of course, Inspiration is easy when there are so many badasses in this tribe – from those grinding through NP workouts, to those always out ahead of me on track, to those pushing their race count, distances and intensities—I’m inspired to push every single time I work out with you all. And yet I keep coming back.

I want to do well (whatever that means) to show respect to the inspiration, support and encouragement I’ve received since joining NPSF (also Nick/Track crew). It’s the same accountability that we feel on MWF mornings. We inspire and encourage each other, so we want to make each other proud.

As with B2B and my first trail race, I’ll again wear a November Project tagged shirt because that is my team and I’m proud to represent who we are. And throughout that 13.1 I’ll give it my very best because that’s what we do, and that’s what got me here.

So here I am about to toe the line in a race I never thought I’d run, with a team I never thought I’d have. Seems to be a recurring theme this year, and for me that’s pretty awesome.

But what’s up with nipple chafing?? Geez. Running sucks.