Why Alex Runs
Alex works in finance by day and considers his role as co-mentor, motivator and organizer of our marathon team.
Alex Newbold is co-captain of team-EMC. A self-professed “numbers guy,” Alex works in finance by day and considers his role as co-mentor, motivator and organizer of our marathon team (with his brother, Nick Newbold) “his dream-volunteer job.” For Alex, running the marathon with Every Mother Counts is the perfect combination of doing something he believes in and doing something he loves. Team-EMC feels lucky to have him run with us every step of the way.
Why Do You Run?
I started running because I’d put on some weight. Running was the thing that helped me lose about 60 pounds. It started out as a fitness thing and I ended up falling in love with it. Now I’ve been seriously running long distances for about four years. On average, I’ll do anywhere from five to seven miles, four or five days per week during the off-marathon seasons. For me, running is a form of escapism. I’m constantly in front of a desk and on the phone and there’s always some sort of stimulation going on, especially living in the city. Running is almost meditative. It’s the only time during the week when I can get into my own head and thoughts. It helps me escape the everyday hassles.
Why Are You Running for Every Mother Counts?
It always makes a marathon more special if you run for a cause. It provides extra motivation because I’m doing something for myself, but also doing something for others. I started running for Every Mother Counts because Nick worked with Christy and over the years I built a relationship with Christy and the gang. When I was asked last year to co-captain the team with Nick, I jumped at the opportunity. I love being a part of Every Mother Counts, organizing the long runs and sending out the tips and emails. I wish I could find a paying job doing this. It’s become my dream volunteer job.
On a personal note, my mother’s biological mother died due to complications of childbirth in the 50s. Essentially, my mother didn’t have a mother growing up until my grandfather remarried. I think that’s why she’s such a great mother to us. It’s a really important cause. I just saw the PSA, The Walk. I haven’t been exposed to the things Christy’s seen in developing countries. She’s really opened my eyes. I had no idea. I find it shocking when I stand on the Verrazano Bridge and see where I have to go for the marathon and think there are women in this world who have to go that distance or even just a few miles to get health care. It’s shocking. We’re so spoiled in our society.
How do you keep your mind busy during a run?
My mind seems to occupy itself. Usually when I’m running, I’ll look at other runners. I’ll catch up on things I need to do or fantasize about things like what I want to do with my next job. I bounce around based on my mood. I try to really let go and spend my time thinking about things I want to change for the positive rather than harping on the negative. It’s a chance to clean out the cobwebs. I always go out with a structured plan to run a certain route, so my thoughts are the unstructured part of the run.
Do you run with music?
I don’t use music and while there’s always the noise of the city, I prefer to run without the distraction. It helps me notice things. I might run the same route several times per week, but I see different things each time. Initially when I first started off, I did run with music. When I started hitting the longer distances though, I didn’t need it anymore. I realized running without music wasn’t so bad. Plus it started to be a pain in the butt having earphones in. I sweat a lot and it was inconvenient. I think for me, what keeps me going is setting goals. I’ll set a goal to run a certain amount of miles or X-amount of miles in a specific time. I’d have a difficult running if I didn’t have a goal. It’s the achievement that keeps me going and moving forward.
If we use the word run as a metaphor for going the distance or striving, what do you wish people would run for?
That’s a tough question. I wish more people would run for themselves. I know how great it is for me to run and I’m very grateful I’m physically able to run. I hear people say, “I’m not a runner” and I know some people are incapable of running, but I think most people can. I swore I’d never run a marathon, but this will be my fourth one. I can’t imagine a summer or fall without the training elements of the marathon. Committing yourself to doing something everyday that’s good not just for your body, but for your mind as well as having so many far reaching benefits — you feel better, act better, perform better — in every part of your life. Not enough people take time out to connect with themselves and their bodies, whether through running or something else.
To learn more about why Alex is running for Every Mother Counts, check out our new film,The Walk. To support Alex and Team-EMC, donate to his Crowdrise page here.
