Runner’s World+ Member: Erin Sprague
Erin is a Runner’s World+ member. Join her and thousands of others chasing their goals with day-by-day training plans, expert advice from editors and coaches, and unlimited digital access. We regularly feature members online and in print!
I have run for my health, for races, for bucket lists, for charity, and for travel. I have run solo, with friends, on teams, and among total strangers. I have done streaks for months and then I have gone months without running. Despite injuries and setbacks, frustrating training sessions and disappointing races, I still come back to running. It’s because of running that I stay curious about what it is my body can do. How far can I go? How fast can I go? Can I do this for the rest of my life? The human body fascinates me, particularly when it comes to it’s ability to endure hardship. Running is the ultimate mental and physical test and I love seeing what I can do. Whether it’s a Sunday morning jog through the park or toeing the line of my next race I am always curious about how my body is going to respond. Without running I think I would have fallen into the trap of thinking aging and getting “old” was inevitable. If anything, I am running faster now at 29 than I was when I first got into running at age 20.
Runner’s World has answered probably every running question I could ever think of and then some. Not to mention nothing gets me training harder than reading about other runners and their accomplishments. Jeannie Rice is my inspiration for how I want to live my life—competing at every age!
Running is my stress reliever. It’s the closet I can get to mediation. Some people rely on a good night’s sleep to help them solve problems; for me a good long run is always the trick. There’s also the physical aspect. Seeing what my body is capable of will never cease to amaze me. I sustained a work injury a while back that crippled me with horrendous back pain. That time was the longest I have ever gone without running. The first run after that time was the hardest, sweatiest, and best run of my life. It was my body’s comeback and I have never forgotten that feeling. I really don’t care about my speed or what place I take in a race. My personal bests are fun but ultimately I run because of how it makes me feel.
To live and run in Queens is to be a world traveler. Multiple cultures and ethnicities are represented within the span of a few blocks. The people watching, the sights, and sounds always make for the most interesting runs. Queens really is the World’s Borough.
My 10 year old TomTom Spark 3. I just got the Garmin Forerunner 235 because my TomTom is coming down to it’s final days, but as my first running tech accessory I still have a soft spot for it. It’s served me well through a decade of races, training runs, and fun runs.
I can only run with my watch on my left wrist. I once tried to run with it on my right wrist and it was the most distracting thing during the race. It was 100% all in my head but since that run I have never even attempted to run with it on my right wrist again. It’s too unsettling.
I want to run in Norway’s Midnight Sun Half Marathon. The half marathon is my favorite distance race. I have always wanted to go to Norway and I have always wanted to see the Northern Lights. Seems like a good opportunity to combine two goals doing my favorite activity.
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