Can you imagine my surprise (and happiness) when my wonderful trainer, Dan, brought me into the office and showed me this! And then said it was for me – at first I thought it was something he had won but then I saw my name! This is, perhaps, the most meaningful gift I’ve ever received because this is from the one person who went through all the trials and tribulations with me to get me through all my endurance events. It was because of him that I could truly embody what he says I embody and inspire.

Dan has changed my life in so many ways in the two years I’ve been working with him now. He is always upbeat and supportive and never ever lets any of us down. He even went to the New York City Marathon when I had decided not to go due to Superstorm Sandy. But he gave me the courage to prepare for that event and to know that I could do it if I had gone. Just in case you missed the whole story, he did definitely get something out of it – he got engaged to a wonderful woman who is the perfect match for him.

He then supported me and trained me to build the muscle, courage and fearlessness to do two 50 milers and two 100 milers in the space of a few short months. I’m no easy person to deal with when I’m not stressed out for a big event that will fulfill a 15 year dream so you can imagine how much fun he had seeing me 3 times a week during that entire period. Yet, he was always there encouraging me and telling me I could do it.

Then he showed up in the middle of the night for my first 100 mile  event and cheered me on in a way I’ve never been supported before.

He is such a good, honest and wholesome man that I often feel as if I don’t deserve to have him as my trainer or friend. And then when I realize he’s stuck with me, I thank God for all my great and wonderful blessings and he is pretty close to number 1 on that list of blessings.

He even created this saying and it has brought tears to my eyes several times since I received this beautiful gift. His words mean more than anything and could have just stood alone but when you combine them with the beauty of this statue, there is nothing better.

Here’s what he wrote!

Thank you Dan!