Greg Bruno wouldn't have believed you if you told him he would be running a marathon a year ago. His father, an avid marathon runner, called him from the Chicago Marathon expo in 2010 and told Greg he was going to run the Chicago Marathon in 2011. Greg had only just started doing a few P90X workouts and running a mile here and there after deciding he wanted to get in shape. He had never competed in any type of race before in his life.

He knew running would help get him in shape since his father has run over 28 marathons. Greg signed up to run with CARA and began following their training plan created by Hal Higdon. He was excited to begin marathon training because it was something his father did. Greg stuck to his training plan and completed his first half-marathon in April. He had a slight IT band injury at week 13, and needed to walk through many of his runs for about a week. He still got out there and completed the distance.

On October 09, 2011, Greg passed the finish line at the Chicago Marathon. Once a man who never did any type of exercise, he now plans on running two marathons a year.

Greg's favorite moment of his entire weight loss and marathon-training journey was hugging his father at the end of the marathon. Greg said, ''Giving him a hug was better than getting a medal. It meant a lot to be able to do the race together.''

I asked Greg how he stayed motivated to keep up with his runs and weight loss. He said, ''The best motivation I had was myself. I found a bad picture of myself and put it on my phone. If I ever needed motivation I looked at it and knew I had to keep going. Your main motivator is yourself.''

Since 2010 Greg has lost over 80 pounds and is now a marathon runner. When I asked Greg what caused such a dramatic weight loss, he said, ''I didn't change a whole lot of my overall lifestyle. I just watched what I ate. I didn't drink any soda or eat anywhere that had a drive through. Those things [along] with the running really helped.''

Greg has some great motivation for new runners, ''Even though every step is difficult at first, it gets easier and those steps get less and less difficult. If you set little goals, you can finish them.'' He shared his favorite quote with me, ''There will come a day when you can no longer do this, and today is not that day.'' This quote has been quite a motivator for him as well.

How do you stay motivated with fitness and exercise? We'd love to hear your tips!

If you're like me, then the music you listen to while running greatly influences your pace. I know, I shouldn't be this reliant on my music. I run without music quite often, but I'm running the Chicago Marathon this Sunday and I figured if any distance needs music, it's a marathon!

Listening to music while running isn't always bad. To help keep my pace slower in the beginning, I've front-loaded my playlist with "mellow" songs. I say "mellow" but they're actually just mellow compared to the rest of my songs! This of course isn't my full playlist.

Mile 1-5

• Rusted Root- "Send Me on My Way" Ha, get it?
• Madonna- "Like a Prayer"
• Xavier Rudd- "Famine"
• Rusted Root- "Beautiful People"
• Damien Rice- cover of Nina Simone's "Be My Husband"
• Dave Matthews Band- "Dream Girl"
• Boxcar Racer- "There Is"
• Xavier Rudd- "Home"-An absolute favorite of mine. Usually I finish smaller races with this song, but I figured I'd need more energy at the marathon's final stretch.
• Alison Krauss- "Down to the River"
• Xavier Rudd- "Little Chief"

Mile 6-12

• Xavier Rudd- "Breeze"
• Oasis- "Wonderwall"
• O.A.R.- "Crazy Game of Poker"
• Madonna- "Vogue"
• Rusted Root- "Welcome to My Party"
• Xavier Rudd- "Land Rights"
• Mandy Moore- "Candy"
• Dave Matthews Band- "You and Me"
• Xavier Rudd- "Badimo"
• Rusted Root- "Back to Earth"
• Nine Days- "Story of a Girl"
• Xavier Rudd- "Love Comes and Goes"
• Lady Sovereign- "Love Me or Hate Me"
• Styx- "Come Sail Away"
• Michael Jackson- "The Way You Make Me Feel"
• Ozzy Osbourne- "Iron Man"
• Shaggy- "Boombastic"

Somewhere around Mile 13:

• D4L- "Shake that Laffy Taffy"
• Ludacris-"Move"
• 'NSYNC- "Bye, Bye, Bye" -Saying bye, bye, bye to the first half. On to the second!

Mile 14-16:

• Rusted Root- "Hands are Law"
• DMX- "Ruff Riders"
• Kid Rock- "Bawitaba"
• Xavier Rudd- "Energy"- Time for some power gel!
• Fergie- "Fergilicious"
• Britney Spears- "I Love Rock 'n Roll" - A staple on my running list for about six years.
• Xavier Rudd- "Sky to Ground"
• TLC- "No Scrubs"
• Gwen Stefani- "Hollaback Girl"
• Xavier Rudd- "Food in the Belly"
• Limp Bizkit- "Faith" - Yep, the George Michael song done by Limp Bizkit. I raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and named my campaign "Running with Faith". Faith is/was my mom's name, and I put this on the list in her honor.

Mile 17-19:

• Xavier Rudd- "Set Me Free" - I'll hopefully be feeling good and ready to be "set free"
• Fergie- "My Humps"
• Xavier Rudd- "Introduction"
• LL Cool J and Jennifer Lopez- "Control Myself"
• Nelly- "Batter Up" -Lyrics "took a whole lotta tryin' just to get up that hill" Mile 18 has been my proverbial hill thus far
• Eric Prydz- "Call on Me"
• Xavier Rudd- "Mana" - I love this song. It's all instrumental with a didgeridoo and drums. Yep, a didgeridoo.
• Three 6 Mafia- "Gotta Stay Fly"
• Rihanna- "Please Don't Stop the Music"

Mile 20:

• MC Hammer- "Too Legit to Quit"-I'm anticipating hitting my wall at this point, if all things go accordingly, of course.
• Britney Spears- "Stronger"
• Def Leppard- "Pour Some Sugar on Me""

Mile 21-24:

• Xavier Rudd- "Let Me Be"
• Sean Kingston- "Fire Burnin'"
• Usher- "Yeah!"
• Ying Yang Twins- "Ai Yi Yi"
• Sarai- "Ladiez"
• Fergie- "London Bridges"
• Salt-n-Pepa- "Shoop"
• Rihanna- "Rude Boy"
• Xavier Rudd- "The Mother" It's about Mother Earth "breathing good love."

Mile 25-26.2:

• Rusted Root- "Ecstasy"
• LMFAO- "Shots"
• Salt-n-Pepa- "Push It" -To keep me pushing through to the end!
• Rihanna and Jay Z- "Run this Town"

It's pretty heavily loaded with artists Rusted Rood and Xavier Rudd. They get me through all my long runs. Who are your favorite artists for running playlist? Have any songs you think I should listen to?

The holidays took more of a toll on my training than I had anticipated.

First, the traveling was hard to deal with. On Christmas Eve I worked out in the morning in a gym with more people on treadmills at one time than I had ever seen. I knew the house I'd be visiting that night would be full of unhealthy foods, so my training session in the morning helped me make better choices that night. I snacked on oranges and drank a lot of water before a big meal of ham, potatoes, vegetables, sparkling wine, and bread. Whew, that's a lot of food!

I packed my running gear anticipating doing a run on my hosts' treadmill Christmas morning. Much to my dismay, this did not happen! The morning of opening presents, playing with new presents, and then preparing to head to the next family gathering took too much time.

The second culprit of my derailment was all the good food and drinks! I come from an Italian family, so holiday dinners are usually filled with pastas and wine. My family is good about offering vegetables and salads, but I must admit, it's hard to eat these when there's good (less-healthy) food galore!

Finally, I had to work the day after. This was a day-long process of getting up early and driving from the suburbs to the city, so there was no time to work out in the morning. Then I went straight from the eight-hour work day back to my hometown to hang out with my family. I spent the night eating McDonald's and drinking Fat Tire. Good stuff.

My holiday recap:

• Runs missed: 3
• Cookies eaten: 147
• Glasses of spirits consumed: Enough to make a happy Briana happier!

I really did approach the holidays with the mindset that I can overcome temptations of all things unhealthy. As you may relate to, I see my family about four times a year, so I don't feel bad letting all my cares loose and enjoying my time with them. My training came second for a mere three days of about 60 previous days. Moreover, I didn't eat as bad as I make it sound, but I did eat things I don't eat as part of my daily diet. Thus, I don't feel that bad going off track. I just have to be very diligent until my race!

I still have two weeks until my half, and you can bet I'll be training every one of these days!

If you find yourself stuck without a treadmill don't forget that WalkJogRun allows you to find routes created by locals in over 200 countries around the world so you can always find a running route that is safe and well thought out!

Are you worried about going off track during the holidays? Me too! Below are "rules" that I follow when going to parties in general, and do so more strictly during the holidays.

1. Drink water! This is my golden rule I follow any time I know I'll be faced with a lot of food and spirits. Drink a glass or two before you leave for the party and again before a big meal. Water helps you to feel full, and therefore you'll eat less!
2. Eat breakfast. We all know that eating breakfast is the way to go when trying to lose weight or eat healthier. Eating breakfast will jump start your metabolism and help you feel full.
3. Drink clear spirits over dark-colored ones. Dark alcohols like red wine and bourbon are made from acetone, fusel oil and tannins, which are present in much higher quantities among darker liquors than lighter ones. They are also believed to cause the headache part of hangovers. No good if you have to do a long run the next day!
4. Eat the sugar cookie. Choose low-calorie cookies like frosting-less sugar and gingerbread cookies about the size of a lipstick.
5. Don't deprive yourself. Remember that the holidays come once a year and they're full of foods you wouldn't normally eat. Enjoy these foods -not the usual chips and dip- using portion control.
6. Get a visitor's pass. If you're traveling for the holidays, check out a local gym and get a visitor's pass to help you stay on track with your training.

2010 is just around the corner, and WalkJogRun has some more surprises in store for you to help you keep on track, or even pledge to start the new year with a healthy kick. I hope my two cents will help you feel better about indulging for the holidays!

The Brooks Nightlife Jacket is one of the greatest purchases I've made for my runninng wardrobe.

First, the 360 degree of candle power retroreflectivity will help ensure your visiblity when exercising outdoors in low-light conditions. It's availalbe in both neon yellow, which I have, and black with neon yellow accents. Now that the sun sets at about 3:30pm here, I get good use out of this!

The zipper zips high, but unlike some jackets I own, I cannot feel the zipper rub against my neck as it's covered by a fleece cover.

Inside pockets hold money and an mp3 player with a hole for headphone cord. The chest pocket is the perfect size for my iPhone, so I wear this on my extreme long runs when I feel a phone may be necessary.

Drawstrings at the hip allow the user to make it as snug or as loose as possible. However, the only con of this jacket is what to do with the hanging strings once they've been pulled tight so they're not hitting your legs with each step.

The vents in the back and underarms allow for great breathability. It's also good in a variety of temperatures , good from 35-65 deggrees, depending on what you layer underneath. It's made of Brooks Shelter AireplexII 100% Polyester Microfiber with Teflon DWR. I've worn this in 30 degree weather with a long sleeve shirt and it was almost too hot! It's also wind and water resistant, so this is my go-to jacket for bad weather.

What's a great purchase you've made for your wardrobe?

In November I celebrated my one year anniversary with WalkJogRun. What a year it's been! This time last year I was only running to stay in shape. The most I'd run was two miles. Writing the newsletters and talking to our users got me focused on training for races. This, and having Adam as a coworker has pushed me further!

At some point during this last year, specifically training and running my first half, I realized that running is me. It's my hobby, my therapy, and a social experience. I'm grateful that Adam and Jeff gave me this opportunity to work with WalkJogRun. It's truly been a life-changing experience!

This last year of running has helped me make a vast amount of lifestyle changes. I've taken my training a little more seriously by doing most of the cross training planned; I've changed my eating habits and eat foods that give me energy and help me recover; I run in -10 degree weather (!); I change my shoes every three or so months; I wear comfortable shoes and cut down my use of stilettos to save my feet, and my running wardrobe is now probably worth more than my every-day clothes!

My running has also greatly improved. I ran my first 10k in June I finished in 57 minutes. In October I finished the Nike Human Race 10K in 49 minutes, placing me at ~3900 of 128,000 US runners.

I've also inspired four people I know to run regularly and/or to run their first races. This makes me feel

Races I did in 2009:

• Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K in Chicago, IL
• Legs 8K in Madison, WI
• Run for the Zoo 10K in Chicago, IL
• Madison Mini Marathon in Madison, WI
• Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K in Milwaukee,WI
• Nike+ Human Race 10K in Chicago, IL
• Tyranena Beer Run Half Marathon in Lake Mills, WI

Whoa, when I list them all, I guess I ran more than I thought!

Planned for 2010:

• Los Angeles 13.1 Series
• New York City 13.1 Series
• Crazy Legs in Madison, WI
• Chicago 13.1 Series
• Madison Mini Marathon in Madison, WI
• **Chicago Marathon

WalkJogRun has also come a long way in one year. Some of the things we've done:

• Released our iPhone app
• Had our first booth at a race expo
• Site redesign

We have so much in store for you in the months to come! I don't want to give anything away, so stay tuned!

How was your year? And, for those of you who remember us this time last year, do you like the improvements we've made? Have any suggestions?

I was inspired to write this entry after an off-duty firetruck slowed down to watch me run. I could feel and see all four sets of eyes looking at me. Did I have something on my back? Was I running completely awkward? These are usually the first thoughts that come to mind when something of this sort happens. So I stopped to check to see if I had a big "kick me" sign on my back or something out of the ordinary. Nope.

Getting ogled during my runs has at times caused me to change my running route or even the way I run. While in college, I'd run down the lakeside path where guys would often fish. After a few times of getting cat-called by the same guys, I would just simply walk my route when I'd pass them in order to not give them something to stare at. Why not change my route, you ask? Well, running on the lakeside path was the safest and most simple way to complete my runs.

The more I run the more I notice others running and their form. Now aware that people do watch runners as they pass by, I've become increasingly more self-conscious about my form. Do I look like I'm a runner when I run? Is my posture and technique correct, or do I just look completely silly? Can runners tell my level of experience by these factors?

These are two of the reasons why I choose to do most of my running down Chicago's lake shore path. These, and because it's an uninterrupted run.

I've also noticed that my thoughts on this subject depend on my mood. Sometimes I run just to run and I'm in my own little bubble. Other times I feel fully aware of the other people around me that may or may not be judging the way I run. I'm working on this issue because it's definitely affecting my runs!

I'd like to know: Does getting ogled while running make you feel special, or would you rather people mind their business? Are you a self-conscious runner?

My second half marathon did not go nearly as well as I hoped it would. I trained for eight weeks and then of course got sick the week before the race. It was a bad cold complete with fever, aches, and stuffy nose. I knew my loss of appetite would not be good for my training (yes, I still ran during the week, but not as much as I was supposed to).

I asked our Twitter and Facebook fans if they'd run if they were sick. The response was an overwhelming no. I know, I should have listened, but I'm stubborn! Plus I spent a total of $90 for registration and transportation.

But much to my surprise, my being sick was not the worst part of the race. The Tyranena Half Marathon ran out of water cups at miles 5 and 10! Come to find out later, they were reusing cups. This may have been the reason why I was able to get water at mile 8.

Let me back up and give more details on this excruciatingly awful race day. It was sunny, in the lower 70's, and the race began at 11:30. Race directors should have taken all of these conditions into mind and planned for more water.

As mile 4.6 approached, I was in need of water. I had the dehydration head and side aches. Mile 5: Where's the water?! Finally, after running up a hill nearing mile 5.5, I saw a table...but it was empty! Needless to say I was upset. They got water out of a well and poured it into my hands to drink. What was this?! This only exacerbated my horrible feelings.

The rest of the course was on a state trail. There were no first aid stations or patrol people to make sure everyone was at least alive. This worried me. Mile 10 came. No water. So I walked the rest of the race. I finished in 2:45, but I was a-okay with that. Oh, and they ran out of water bottles and bananas at the end of the race.

To cap it off, there was no medical tent at the end of the race. The DJ had to ask over the speaker system if there was a doctor on the grounds. I'm glad I didn't need any medical attention.

I've began training for my third half marathon. This one will be in Los Angeles. Even if it's bad conditions, just this fact alone will make it my favorite race. It already is!

Have you had a bad race experience? If so, please comment below.

I have my second half marathon coming up on Saturday. I'm running the Tyranena Beer Run in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. It's a small race- with the 1/6th marathon and half marathon totaling 1500 participants. When I told this to Adam, he said, "You could probably place!" So, as usual, this idea was put into my head. I've been jazzed about the race for a good week now, and even more so after I drove by the route the other day.

I mapped it out and it's a relatively flat race, much less hilly than my first in Madison, Wisconsin. Because of this, I hope to PR this race. Can I place? I looked up last year's results. Answer: I'll place pretty much smack in the middle of everyone. Oh well, this is just my second race! My goal is to eventually get to that point where I know I have a good shot at placing.

It'll be my first race for which roads are closed, I'll have to run on the left side, and run single-file. This will be interesting, but definitely a good experience. Knowing that I won't place, I now look forward to the lasagna, brewery tour, and the UW-Badger football game playing in the tent afterward!

Last week, three men died while running the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon. If you're not familiar with the story, three men, ages 26, 36, and 65, died within a 16-minute span. The 26 year old, Jon Fenlon, was diagnosed as a child with having a large heart, but was cleared to race numerous times. For Rick Brown, 65, this was one of over 50 marathons he ran. You can read more from the Detroit Free Press.

Reading this story has made me rethink my new love of running and my goals to run half marathons and full marathons. I'm pretty healthy, but I'm scared of sudden death caused by an unknown health condition. Then again, we face danger each time we step out of our homes. Should I also be scared to leave my house?

Running has taken over my life. If I stop now, what will I do? It's my exercise, my therapy, and my hobby. There's not much like it that can replace it.

For now, I'll continue running and let my fears subside...