Phil Novack and Running Buddy

My name is Phil Novack and my goal here at Running Buddy is to inspire.  And to inform.  Running is a primary focus here, but I operate on the premise that nothing worth having comes easily, and that changing old habits for the better – running-related or not – is often one of the hardest tasks many of us face.

I live and work in the San Francisco Bay area, but grew up in Michigan and went to college and also worked previously on the east coast, in New Jersey.  I am a USA Track & Field Level I-certified coach, and have been running for almost twenty years.  My high school cross country coach, Ned Brazelton, used to say of the competing autumn sports that football may get all the glory, but running is something that will stay with you for the rest of your life.  Like many things for me, he wasn’t wrong on that point.

Running, like most efforts at self-improvement, is often a solitary endeavor in that no one is going to do it for you – you have to want it for yourself. Running several miles in a manner that may bring on intense levels of physical pain is not most individuals’ idea of a sane activity.  Many runners find a “running buddy” who can help them get outside to run at 5 AM on a 20-degree morning in January, or those endlessly rainy weekends where curling up by a warm fireplace inside sounds infinitely more attractive than a soggy, cold and muddy 6-miler through the neighborhood.

Think of this site as your virtual running buddy.  We’re here to help with inspiration, information, and a kick in the pants to help you get out the door.  A lot of the content here focuses on running, because that’s what’s at my core, but it also addresses inspiration and motivation, overall fitness and physical exercise, food and nutrition, and at times personal finance, relationships, faith, and many of the factors that affect your ability to lead a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle and be the best you can be.

You’ll find stories of inspirational people, and I’m always looking for more, so if you know someone with a story to share, or have one to share yourself, please let me know.  My hope is for you to become yet another tale of triumph over the insidious inertia of inactivity – and by extension help someone else accomplish something that before they thought they couldn’t do.

Have a look around, and know that I’m always making updates to the site, looking for great resources.  Become a fan of Running Buddy on Facebook [coming soon], follow me on Twitter, or connect with me by e-mail at phil [at] running-buddy [dot] com.