I’m a Wave A runner—at least for now. I’m proud of that, but it didn’t start that way.

I wasn’t an athlete in high school. I wasted most of my college years—and much of my twenties—not training. When I finally found running again, it was humbling. Maybe some of you can relate.

Those early races—the Peachtree Road Race 10K, the Staten Island Half, local 5Ks—put me near the back of the field, right where I belonged at the time.

Now, my times place me in Wave A. Not at the front, but close enough to see it. I worked hard to get there, and I don’t take it for granted.

There will come a day when I move back a few waves again. That’s okay. Time is a thief. But for now, every time I line up in Wave A, I smile. I remember the early mornings, the hard workouts, the long solo runs. That start line isn’t about placement—it’s about the miles that got me there.

My goal was never just to be in Wave A. It’s to get the best out of whatever talent I have. Some of our Peregrune runners are chasing OTQs or BQs (wow!). Others are aiming for their first 5K finish or to move from Wave D to C. What matters isn’t where you start—it’s setting a goal, putting in the work, and finding joy in the process.

Where did you start? Where are you now?

—George