To me, running is therapy. It’s mood-altering and gets my endorphins going. It’s also a great release and a great energy builder. It gives me the stamina I need to do what I do on a daily basis. It’s the greatest workout but it’s also the greatest mind release.

Some of the best writing I’ve done, whether I’m shooting a story or thinking of a script, I write it in my head as I’m running. Running literally jogs my brain. Some of the best pieces I’ve done, I’ve thought of how I want to start it when I’m running.

My dad was a big runner. Growing up, I watched him do half marathons and he was always running six or seven miles. I used to think, NYC Marathoner Ran Home After Chemo? Running Supports This Marathoners Sobriety.

In high school I did a little track and field and ran on my own. In college I would run every now and again but I didn’t have enough time to be devoted to it.

When I moved to New York City after college, I heard people who ran the New York City Marathon talk about what a wonderful experience it was. I thought I’ve got to see what that’s for myself. I had always seen the pictures of people crossing the finish line and heard about it. So, in 1995, I did my first marathon, the year after I moved to New York City. I met my husband around that time and we built our relationship around running.

I ran New York twice, in 1995 (4:22:53) and 1996 (4:15:14). I ran Hartford in 2000 and 2001. I got down to a 3:43. I was inspired to run New York again in 2006 after I moved back to New York (after being a news anchor in Hartford, Connecticut).

I was on national television talking about my training (for a marathon series on the Today Show chronicling my training and breast cancer survivor Karen Gorrell’s training for her first marathon), so that was pretty motivating. I ran my long runs harder and I pushed myself more. I’m pretty competitive by nature. If I saw myself slowing down, I’d kicked it up a notch. I was going for 3:30, so I was a little bummed I missed it by one minute. 3:31:02. I can’t believe I missed it by a minute.

I carved it into my day. Monday through Friday, I would run early in the morning before work or as soon as my workday was over. Sometimes I’d break it up. I would get up at 5 a.m. and go for a run along the waterfront in Hoboken where I live, then do another couple miles at the end of the day.

I’ve done half marathons and the Midnight Run in Central Park on New Year’s Eve. My first race was the Corporate Challenge in Central Park.

The first New York City half marathon in 2006 was my PR for a half at 1:44:09. That was a great half for me.

I remember running in my town and I was out to here. I ran by a guy sitting on a park and he said “should you be doing that?” If it helps me go into labor, I shall. Two days later, I had my baby. He was a week early. My doctors encouraged me. I had always been a runner, so I was used to running. It was my way of staying in shape during the pregnancy. I never ran crazy distances. The most I ran was by accident. We were in Nantucket and we got further out than we planned and had to run back, so it ended up being a seven-mile run. But along the way, we stopped, we had water, we went to the beach, went to the bathroom a couple times.

It’s more painful when you’re running with a child. You have to stop along the way more. It keeps my energy up. It helped me with labor. I swear by women exercising through pregnancy. During my first pregnancy, I would run 2-3 miles along the waterfront in my town. Toward the end, I was more walk-running.

As long as I can, I’ll keep running through this pregnancy, too. I feel great. The first trimester, I was tired a lot. The only time I didn’t feel bad was when I was running. Running helped me keep my energy and stamina up. Being pregnant is like my own little marathon.

I haven’t done Boston but it is my goal one day. I’ve always wanted to do Boston. It’s the most competitive marathon. That makes me really want to do it. It’s on the post-baby agenda. Something to motivate me to get back in shape.

I have the best view of Manhattan from the other side of the river. I run along Frank Sinatra Drive. It’s a beautiful run. It’s the perfect distance. From door to door, it’s exactly a half hour. If I want to do it twice, I just loop around. The loop road in Central Park is my favorite. We’ll come into the city sometimes on weekends with my son. I like the hills. You work your way up the hill and when you come over the other side, you feel great.

There’s definitely room for improvement. I’d put me on a six. With my schedule, I’m doing about what I can now. I’d like to do more miles during the week. I run three to four days a week. When I was training for the marathon, I’d do 30 miles during the week, plus long runs. Now I’m doing about 15 to 20 miles.

People always say to me “you’re so thin.” I eat whatever I want. But the reason I can do that is because I run. Of course, I don’t give myself license to overindulge. I don’t eat a lot of sweets. But I can have dessert no problem because I know I’ll run it off.

I mix it up. It’s weather dependent. If it’s cold, rainy I’ll work out inside. Treadmills aren’t my favorite thing but they get the job done and you’re more efficient on a treadmill, though you’re probably not pushing yourself as much.

We’ve done five marathons together. The last one (in 2006) was my husband’s best marathon. He’s usually in more pain than I am — he doesn’t have as much time to train as I do. Once I leave work, I go home in the afternoon and that’s my training time. Our first marathon, in Central Park, he started to get leg cramps and slow down. I was walking and running with him, telling him you can do it, we’ve only got two miles to go. We always finish together. It’s funny, usually he was the one who always hit the wall at mile 20 to 22. He would start to cramp or slow down a lot. In 2006, he was the one saying to me, come on, we’re not going to make it. I was like, wait for me. He could have left me in the dust but he stayed with me. If it wasn’t for him, I probably would have done it in 3:40. He kept us on pace and we crossed the finish line together. He was able to do more (training) than the last time. Our times are listed as 3:31:01 for him and 3:31:02 for me. He rubs that in my face all the time. I beat you by a second this time.

My ambition is to run a marathon in every major city. I’d love to do Paris and run down the Champs-Élysées. There are so many other places around the world to do a marathon. After Boston, I’d like to find time to travel and do a couple marathons overseas.

We get so busy and tend to make everyone else a priority. You have to give yourself an hour a day, whether it’s for running or reading a book. But you have to make yourself a priority and make it happen. You can create all kinds of excuses. Some days I don’t feel like running. But I put on my gear and after a mile or two I feel great.