Motivation is, actually, all around us (brownie points if you can name the film whose title I riffed off of there).  Cynthia from You Signed Up for What?, Courtney from Eat Pray Run DC, and Mar from Mar on the Run, chose 5 motivating people for this Friday’s 5 linkup.

My Mom
My mom is such a strong woman. By my age she had buried both her brothers and one son (before I was born; I never knew him). She married her high school sweetheart and 67 years later they are still married, and she waited for him back home as he served in WWII. She is a breast cancer survivor. She graduated college the same year I graduated high school, which, coincidentally, was also when she was my age. Because she never got to go to college and she just wanted to.

At 87 she is still very sharp and both she and my father live in the home I grew up in (although I really wish they had moved long ago, but that’s another story).

She has also motivated me in other ways — she motivates me to stay fit and healthy. Because she has been overweight her entire adult life, and she stopped being active long ago. I see how both of these factors have effected her life, so it motivates me to try harder.

I want to still be able to run when I am her age; I don’t know if life circumstances will allow me to, but I’m sure going to try!

She is always saying that running would kill her. Yet I have no doubt if she wanted to, even at her age, she could.

My Weight Watchers Leader
I love my Weight Watchers meeting — and leader. She lost over 100 pounds and has kept that off almost 16 years. She keeps our meetings fun and motivating. And she keeps it real, too — she shares her struggles and triumphs with us. Oh, and she’s a runner, too.

I always come away from my meetings renewed and more determined, no matter how I was feeling when I walked through the door (or got on that scale).

If you try Weight Watchers, I always say that the meetings are where the magic happens. Even when I’m sitting there at the beginning, sometimes thinking this is silly, I’ve listened to this same talk hundreds of times, I come away with something new (and I’ve been a lifetime member for 20+ years, although not at goal all that time).

If you give Weight Watchers a try, and you don’t like your meeting, try a different one. I had a great leader when I lived in TX, too, and when I moved up here, I had to try several different meetings until I found my current leader.

My Friend, Lisa D
She is the best cheerleader. She has the biggest heart. She’s a great listener. She started running in part to stop smoking — and I’m so proud that she has kept running, but not smoking.

Lisa D was one of the first people I ran with when I started to run here. She turned me onto USAFit Albany. She has since gone on to become faster than me (story of my running life).

One of the most motivating things about Lisa D is that she keeps on trying. She gets injured, she has disappointing races, but she never gives up. Her dream is to qualify for Boston and I have no doubt that she will.

Dave McGillivray
Dave McGillivray is the race director for the Boston Marathon. Can you even imagine coordinating such an event?

Like my friend Lisa D, he has a big heart. If you ever get the chance to hear him speak, go. I’ve gone to hear him twice. Yes, he tells the same stories (and not about that Boston Marathon, either); but they’re good stories.

He has done many audacious running feats to raise money for charity. Each birthday he runs his age in miles. And after directing the Boston Marathon, he runs the course after the last runner has finished.

All My Blogger Friends
I could have taken the easy (or hard) road of just choosing bloggers who motivate me. Easy because y’all do motivate me. Hard because y’all do motivate me!

 Did something or someone motivate you to start running?