Saving Myself One Step At A Time

If you ever needed a motivational story (especially mid-week), this is a great one for you. Even if you are not into marathons or running in general, T.J. Bryan’s memoir “Saving Myself One Step At A Time” is inspirational. 

T.J. Bryan confesses early on that she was never athletic growing up or even in early adulthood. She was never interested in sports and instead focused on academics. As a child, she slipped into a coma (from sepsis) and had to relearn to walk when she awoke. 

When T.J. was in her late 30’s, she reluctantly started attending aerobics classes. This physical activity is something that she really got into once she started, even planning vacation trip departures around aerobics classes. She even had plans to teach fitness classes once she reached the age of retirement.

She worked as a university chancellor for many years until it abruptly came to an end. During her time as a chancellor, she was stricken with breast cancer, which she overcame. 

Losing her chancellorship was tough on T.J. and after abandoning the idea to become an aerobics class teacher, it was difficult for her to figure out what to do next. 

Have you ever felt purposeless?

At 64 years old, T.J. decided to become a runner and even reluctantly joined a runners club.

So many adventures ensued after she made these decisions. For example, she ran in the Boston marathon not once, but three times and has ran in 10 other marathons as well. There are insightful, sometimes a little scary, and joyful characters that she encounters along the way.

Along with adventures came several injuries though. T.J. experienced plantar fasciitis in both feet, but like the badass that she is, she recovered and kept running. 

She gives us a picture of her life with such entertaining details that the idea of perseverance becomes infectious. She has become a part of a community beyond academia and has been able to see herself more honestly as a result of her runs. 

There is something that she says at the beginning of the book that really struck me: every step leads to self-salvation. 

How’s that for motivation?

Are you a runner or just have something to add to the story? Comment below! Thanks for joining me today!

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