I'm On A Mission To Complete 50 Marathons In 50 Countries By Age 50
As Told To is a recurring segment on xoNecole where real women are given a platform to tell their stories in first-person narrative as told to a writer.
This is Monique White's story, as told to Charmin Michelle.
I completed race #43 in Chile just days before the country closed its borders.
So close to my goal, yet so far away.
The goal?
To quite literally run the world, starting with the #MoniqueRuns50 goal, which is to run half or full marathons in 50 countries by my 50th birthday. I was on track to complete this before the world went on lockdown, but all plans have changed and I've refused to allow it to discourage me. Instead, I've pivoted this goal and slightly altered due to all canceled and postponed races.
Now, I plan to meet my goal within my 50th year (before my 51st birthday).
I'm originally from Los Angeles, California, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Howard University's School of Law. Currently, I live in the Netherlands, where I've resided for 21 beautiful years.
I became an avid runner after watching the 1992 Summer Olympics one day. The sprinters had such beautiful bodies and I needed to get in shape. I started slow, trotting around my neighborhood, carefully finding my rhythm. But I wasn't seeing the results I was looking for. Unfortunately, my Olympic body never showed up that year, but it did fuel my passion for running.
It wasn't until nearly a year later that I ran my first distance race – 10km in Leiden, Netherlands – then a half marathon in Amsterdam and in 2010 my first full marathon, also in Amsterdam.
And just like that, I was in love.
Initially, I just wanted to just run various races around the Netherlands but after completing a few races in France and making a point to log miles in every country and city I traveled to, my vision expanded along with my territory, and I upgraded that goal to a quest to run the world.
To date, I have ran more than 45 full and half marathons in 43 countries, on 6 continents. I have several more on the calendar and I'm only 7 marathons away from fulfilling my purpose. Imagine that; fulfilling your purpose. What a feeling.
In 2013, I considered chasing a much larger goal in earnest. Morocco, Israel, Spain, Sweden, and Iceland were among the places that I ran that year. By now, I was aware that I'd not only completed races in several different countries but on 4 continents as well. However, I had no interest in running on all 7 continents, because all continents would include Antarctica, which means cold – hella cold, freezing even, and...nah.
I continued running the world, and then sometime in 2015 I took a good look at my race history, and with close to closing out 20 countries at that point, I decided to hone in on my quest and make a more defined goal. Additionally, I was going through a divorce, and approaching 50, which, as I noted in my journal: "Creeping up on 50…who am I kidding? There's no creeping. The speed at which that birthday is approaching is faster than any pace I've ever run."
I needed something to focus on, a distraction, something to run TOWARD. With races in nearly 20 countries to my credit and awareness of the trend of running races in all 50 states, I modeled my goal after that. And that is how #MoniqueRuns50 came to fruition.
Over time, I collected memories of some of the most beautiful routes, opportunities, countries, and spiritual pavement miles—my favorite being the Pyramids Half Marathon in Cairo, which I ran earlier this year. Running around the Pyramids was euphoric—the only appropriate way to describe the experience. I have ran lots of races in lots and lots of places, and I can honestly say that none are probably as amazingly scenic as a "race through history" in the Great Pyramid of Giza – the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – as a backdrop. The Florence Marathon was another favorite of mine, which despite – or probably because—running in the middle of a very contentious divorce, I made my very best finishing time—a much-needed personal victory.
Anyway, my journeys, destinations, and travels have always been constant themes in my life, so I held on to my running passion, amidst my adversities, including an injury a couple of years ago which stopped my running for more than 6 months and also put a stop to about 10 perspective races I had planned for that year.
Needless to say, as much as I love running, running in my purpose, hasn't been all cute running gear and awesome medals. There have been some bumps in the road and major setbacks.
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Ladies, I share my story, because it's time for us to welcome worldly fitness and healthy habits into our lives, and it is so important that we find joy in it. I preach this to any and every black woman that I'm fortunate enough to come across.
Although I wouldn't necessarily say there are stigmas surrounding black women and running, I just don't always see as much representation as I'd like.
And with organizations such as Black Girls RUN! or the National Black Marathoners' Association, black runners are now heavily supported, something not many know about.
These organizations show that black women's running ability can expand far beyond the scope of what we see when it comes to the training and sprinting and going up and down a basketball court or football field. We can go the distance as well. And we are showing up and showing out in marathon century clubs, 50 state marathon clubs, and even the 7-continent marathon club (like the Black Icee Project).
As for how I'm combating the lack of representation, I just get out there and run. And mostly, I represent.
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When I'm overwhelmed, I spend more time praying, reading my Bible, and journaling. Post-runs, I always go for a shower, chow down on something that includes protein, and practice active recovery, such as a brisk walk to help combat stiffness. OH, and a good ole glass of wine. I also look to my amazing daughters (18, 16), they ease any worries I have in my day.
Sisters, if you're interested in marathon running, go for it. Find a good training plan that's at least 6 months long. Build your stamina, go longer than you think you can. Training is essential. Consider starting with the run-walk method/Galloway plan. Remember to warm-up and cool down. And always incorporate rest days.
My 44th marathon will be here before you know it and I'll be hitting my 50th birthday this August (or as I like to say, sooner than I'd like to admit). I welcome you to join my journey and run with me, I welcome you to experience my view.
Because nothing is going to stop me from finishing.
Monique plans to complete her 44th marathon as soon as the pandemic weakens and she's able to continue her journey. Follow her travel or running pages, as well as her hashtag #MoniqueRuns50, on Instagram to keep up with her next marathon.
Featured image courtesy of Monique White
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Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Tyler James Williams Explains Why His And Quinta Brunson 'Abbott Elementary' Characters Should Remain Friends
While Abbott Elementary fans are hoping that Janine and Gregory end up together, the show’s star has another take. Tyler James Williams plays Gregory on the Emmy award-winning sitcom, and he recently stopped by The Jennifer Hudson Show to share his point of view on his storyline with Janine, which Quinta Brunson plays.
“I hate to say it. I know that everybody’s always mad at me for this. I don’t necessarily want to see them together,” he revealed. “It’s partially an actor’s choice, but also somebody who, like, I read a lot of scripts all the time. I watch a lot of TV, a lot of film. I don’t think that we see displays of platonic love between two people often. I think it’s really easy to go right to they have feelings for each other, therefore they should be together. I like this dynamic of exploring withholding that and just actively loving each other where they are. That I like to see more.”
If you recall, they were co-workers who became friends but were secretly crushing on each other. They’ve had many awkward run-ins during and after school, like the unforgettable club scene where they were dancing nervously with each other in season one, and in season two, they finally kiss. However, it only made things even more awkward, and they decided to just be friends. Tyler further explained why he thinks it’s important to showcase that type of relationship on screen.
“I think it’s time for that. I think TV allows people to see things that could be their lives for the first time, and I think seeing a healthy friendship that is deeply caring about one another in a work atmosphere needs to be shown more than the relationship,” he concluded.
Abbott Elementary comes on every Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.
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Feature image by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images