Testimonials

Danny!!!

I did it!! I finished in 2:21. My goal was 2:30, so I beat my goal. I heard all of your words of advice in my head over and over, and they helped me every step of the way. Green springs was deadly, but I knew my whole family was waiting at the corner of valley and Green Springs. Then Valley I knew was going to be hard, but the music and distraction of seeing Sammy’s ladies out handing out water took my mind off the first hill, thoughts of my child starting middle school next year got me through the next one, and….anyway I survived Valley. Key Circle….I just made it. Started to cry as I made it to the top and I remembered you saying the rest was downhill and straight. I DID IT!!! Still can’t believe it. Due to cold children and baseball tryouts…we didn’t stay very long at Boutwell, so I owe you one big hug sometime when I see you again. Hope your run was great as well.

Still can’t thank you enough for what you have done for me!!! I TRULY COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!

Still floating!

Catherine W.

Hi Danny,

Hope things are going well. A little more than a week since Mercedes
and two things strike me: (1) I still have this post-race "afterglow" of
happiness! This really was one of my most personally fulfilling
experiences! (2) I miss your emails! OK, I knew it couldn't go on
forever and yes I did try to prepare myself, but I'm going through withdraw!
Thankfully, being a somewhat detailed person, I have archived all of
them and have found myself pulling them up to read through a few of those
quotes. If I start resending them to myself, I'll know I'm in trouble.
Tamie gave us your training schedule for Nashville - I'm excited, but it
will be a little odd going to a big race and not seeing the whole gang.
I
know I have to grow up, and fly from the Couch nest, but it is hard. So
all that to say THANK YOU!

I couldn't let an email go by without asking one real athlete question.
I
did notice towards the end of Mercedes that my arms grew incredibly
tired. It surprised me because I was expecting my legs to feel tired, but it
was my arms. Do you think that doing some upper body strength training
would be a good idea? And if so, what would you recommend and how would I
incorporate it into the running schedule?

One final observation. Whenever you are giving out hints on looking
good for the race photographers, you might want to mention that people with
short foreheads should be sure their head ware is pushed back. I say
this because apparently I have a short forehead! (who knew) and in all of my
photos I appear to be barely able to see from underneath my hat and
earmuffs - Good thing the race wasn't on Groundhog day, because I look
oddly like Puxatony Phil peering out to see his shadow - too funny!

Avril C.

Danny-

I cannot thank you enough for your encouragement. I never thought I could ever run 2 miles. I was the non-athletic kid in school that everyone made fun of - it took me forever to finish a mile in elementary school - everyone would be finished and waiting on me. Therefore, I learned to hate running. I would have never dreamed I could ever run a distance of 2 miles and last night I did it! And it was not bad at all! My parents cannot believe the change in me. I am finally starting to have confidence in myself. I am starting to believe in me. I cannot thank you enough for all you do. To be able to look in the mirror and believe in yourself is amazing. Thank you, thank you Danny.

Lauren P.

Hey Danny,

I just wanted to let you know how you continue to inspire people through the Couch program.
A good friend of mine is doing Couch right now. She was scared, afraid to be the slowest person (why is that the biggest fear???), felt out of place, and on and on. She wrote me this week to tell me how great the program is and how good she feels. One note, in particular, was about encouragement you gave her and I wanted to share it with you. The power of one positive word is incredible. You have the gift of encouragement. I am so glad BTC offers this program - it's changing lives in more ways than just running!

Here is an excerpt from her email, which I hope you keep confidential since it is so personal:

And then the coolest thing happened--we sort of spread out into little packs, got separated a bit, and I found I was by myself running and Danny and this nice guy Geoff were on the side of the road watching and Danny shouts to me, "Great! You have GREAT form!
Really
Great form!!"

That was one of the things I had fretted over most, was if I'm going to do this, am I going to look bad? Will I end up looking like Dolly Parton out there and have two black eyes? The answers are NO and NO!
So my form is FINE. I think that was the ONE thing I needed to hear at that moment, and I heard it! Debunking my myth that in order to be a runner you gotta LOOK like a runner. Danny was great, telling us there is no "right way" to run. Just do what is natural and we will go from there. (Uh, SMART MAN!!)

I know the program worked wonders for me: I am running my first marathon in June and was a team leader for the Illinois version of Couch, which just ended with a 7K - whodathunk??? Thanks for all the encouragement and keep up the good work. Jeff and I hope to be home for the Twilight Run; maybe we'll see you there. If not, definitely at Mercedes next year.

Take care.

Katie B.

Danny,

I am a little ashamed of how long it has taken me to formally thank you for doing this program. I was in group I in the spring and was out with group II last night. As I was driving home last night, I realized that this is the best I felt in years - and while I am proud of my accomplishment - I am extremely thankful for your commitment and encouragement throughout. My goal is to make a lifestyle change and have realized that it is truly never too late to be the person that I wanted to be. Not too long ago I was trying to figure out how I was going to get away with having to wear sweat pants to work - not a good look in suit and tie environment.

I'll admit that I was a little skeptical at first. The cynic that I am and based on my past experiences, I knew that this was too good to be true. Most things aren't as straight forward as this group - with my luck, something like this has either turned into an Amway meeting or some type of religious conversion. With a group that does pub runs, I know doubt it is either.

Having just moved to B'ham from NC in January and away from all my family and friends, I thought getting involved in something would be tough, and would have never thought I would have joined a track club - I never thought I was a "runner". The welcome atmosphere of the Couch to 5k/10k and the BTC has truly made me feel opposite.

Thank you,

Marc

Danny,

I owe you lots of thanks! I had a great run on Saturday. My goal was a 2:45 and my official time was 2:42:37! It was a fun experience that all started last March with the Couch to 5K. Your help has been invaluable, from your motivating e-mails to get me through my first 5K (which I never really actually believed would happen)....to your help in coaching me to get my time down in my second 5K at the Race to the Courthouse (40:55 at the Zoo Run to 36:28 at the Race to the Courthouse)....to your Sunday afternoon speedwork sessions....to your recommendation on a good 1/2 marathon, to your training plan....to your constant advice and encouragement on everything running.... It was all a huge!

While stretching and trying to warm-up immediately after the race, I stood around a bit watching more people come across the finish line.......and there were a bunch of them behind me! ...and many of them looked like they were in much better shape than myself. I actually spotted a few from my corral that took off ahead of me, I passed them later and the race, and they ended up a full 15 minutes behind me. One thing was for certain, thanks to all of your advice....I felt like I knew what I was doing. How to train, what to wear, where to line-up, how to hydrate, what to eat the morning of, where to run on the road, how to take the hills, how to "pace", etc., etc...I had no excuse on any of that. If anything, I had preparation on my side.

I know my running days are just beginning, and it's so good to have an active lifestyle. It's amazing how much Andrew picks up on it too. Even at two years old, he's well aware of the fact that I run and he always wants to run with me. I'm confident that my new lifestyle will trickle down to him. Man......that's enough to change the world isn't it?

Thanks again for all of your help! Your excitement for running is contageous.

Chris

I just wanted to share some good news. I am the one who dropped out last time to have heart test etc after 3 years of struggling with health problems. I have stayed with running even though I did not stay with the group. For 3 years with all that medical science could do for me I have never had a blood pressure reading that was normal. This past month my blood pressure has apparently dropped 40 points on average. We will have to see if it holds up etc. But I do know I would never have gotten this far is for the running.

Pat

Thanks for all you've done to inspire me to keep going. I know I've
done more than I ever would have dreamed possible in this short time. You
are a special person to do what you do. You're the type that we all look back
on and view as someone who's changed our life for the better. You have a
gift and I'm thankful to have shared the experience. Thanks, again for
putting up with all my doubts, for planning our routes, for making sure we had
water and everything else! You're the best!

Anne S

As a recreational walker who has always yearned to be a runner, I just never thought I was "runner" material. I don't have an Olympic, "reed thin" physique. I was never chosen first for sports teams growing up, even though inside I had dreamed of what life as an athlete would be like. I tried to run on my own, but discouragement followed me every step of the way, as I would easily tire after just one block. Then some friends mentioned the Couch to 5K program, and it took all the courage I had to attend the informational meeting. I was thrilled to see that people of all ages, shapes, and sizes had also decided to sign up. And from that day forward, my life has changed forever.

We started slowly, gradually building up to greater and greater distances. I remember how proud I was at being able to run just 1/8th of a mile. With consistency and my own dedication, coupled with Coach Danny's experience and smart training plan, I completed our goal race of 3.1 miles in June, 2006 at the Race to the Courthouse. Crossing the finish line was the greatest feeling in the world. I realized then that something truly magical had occurred--I had become a runner. Pace, speed, none of that mattered to me. What mattered is that I had set a goal and with Coach Danny's help, I had found the belief inside ME. Since that time, I have crossed more finish lines, including the Vulcan 10K, and even the Mercedes Half Marathon. My new goal is to complete a full marathon. And I know it is totally possible. Funny, that thought doesn't seem "far fetched" to me anymore!

I'm also so much healthier--mentally, physically and emotionally. I draw upon the strength and peace I've found as a runner when faced with life's challenges. Having struggled with one health issue or another my entire life, I have amazed my doctors with what I have been able to accomplish through the Couch Program. There's a Chinese proverb that says, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." Let this be your "one step." I did, and I am proof that you CAN change your life for the better.

Kelli E.

After much hesitation and fear I joined Danny's couch to 5K program. We started Dec. 31 and I am proud to say that I ran the 5BE&K. I could not believe it - I had never ran any distance in my life and to suddenly - because time seemed to fly - run 5K was amazing. This is an organized and well planned program... all you need is the guts to sign up.. the rest is easy... and you will make lots of friends in the process.

Wendy M.