Emily Conley Baker, a 34-year-old mom, nurse and Start TODAY member, said she spent most of her life feeling destined for an early death. In the aftermath of grief that followed her father's death, she worried that her children would suffer the fate of losing a parent too young. “I felt kind of hopeless with the whole situation," Baker said.

Instead of giving in to her worst fears, Baker decided to resist hopelessness and take her health into her own hands. She started slowly by alternately walking and running on a treadmill. At first, she could only run for 15 seconds at a time, but over time she was able to run faster and further. This year, Baker was able to compete in the New York City Marathon. What an amazing feat!

Baker's inspiring journey had plenty of setbacks, but she learned that one of the most important things she could do to keep moving forward was to simply refuse to give up — even when things felt uncomfortable or difficult. "I had to use each experience when I wasn’t necessarily happy or proud and grow with it,” she said. And, wow, did she grow! Now Baker is a running coach who uses the Start TODAY Facebook Group as a support system. We are so proud of Baker for her accomplishments and her gusto, and we are so grateful to have her in the Start TODAY family.