Dawn Dais, self-proclaimed couch potato and author of the hilarious The Non-Runner’s Marathon Guide for Women, tackled a marathon in memory of her grandfather. In so doing, the Cheetos devotee learned anything is possible. She’ll be signing books on Sunday, March 25 from noon-2 p.m. at S.B. Running Company as part of her Dream in Motion tour.

You write about your intense dislike of running. Anything you liked? The mental aspects; long-distance running is very mentally taxing because my brain constantly needs to have something going on. It forced me to go in my head and be with my thoughts. It was a challenge, but it’s allowed me to have patience in different situations.

It seemed the marathon was more about finishing something you’d started than the physical challenge or crossing “run a marathon” off your life’s checklist. Has finishing the marathon made you a “finisher” in other ways? Yeah, and that was huge for me. I was a big starter of huge things, and then three minutes later, I’d lose interest and move on. The marathon taught me to keep going when things get difficult, to set an end point and figure out how to get there. I’ve started taking on things that seemed impossible.

How did the experience affect what you’re doing with your book tour? I want to inspire people to get off your butt, get focused, and become active in the things you want to change-like this guy we met in Boulder who collects used shoes and donates them or recycles them if they’re too beat up; we’re collecting shoes for him. And we’re ending the tour with two weeks of volunteering in New Orleans. It’s just about doing something.

Login

Please note this login is to submit events or press releases. Use this page here to login for your Independent subscription

Not a member? Sign up here.