Name: Tania Kinsella
Age: 44
Hometown: Raised in the Bronx; currently lives in Staten Island
Occupation: Running From Substance Abuse Toward Recovery
Time Running: 9 years
The Runner’s World Guide to Mental Health: The mental health component is everything for me. Running is not just about improving your physical state; it has such an effect on your mental state.
After Recovering from a Coma, He Ran a Half New York Road Runners Run for the Future Raised in the Bronx; currently lives in Staten Island 5K, I ran with a wonderful young woman and helped her push the pace, and she finished strong.
A Part of Hearst Digital Media New York Police Department’s first deputy commissioner. I’ve been a police officer since 2003, and have worked at precincts in Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. I began my police department executive career in 2016, and was named to my current position in 2023. I am also a member of the NYPD Running Club. The confidence Advertisement - Continue Reading Below.
I started running at age 35, when I was a lieutenant and only thinking of one thing: losing the weight that I gained while I was pregnant. I had my son in July 2015 and was running by the end of August.
I started with run/walk, ESPN’s Ari Chambers Nurtures a Love for Running.
The turning point came when I joined the Sunrise Running Club. My coworker was a lieutenant with the NYPD and she was part of a group of women in Staten Island who ran at 5 o’clock every morning. I started running with them and getting better and actually enjoying it. I had never really enjoyed running until I met this group of wonderful women.
Every morning, the group, which included an accountant, lawyer, mortgage broker, life coach, and NYPD lieutenant, came together and talked while we logged miles. We formed such a strong bond.
I started with marathon Nutrition - Weight Loss long runs together and they gave me pep talks. After five months of training, we all ran the Chicago Marathon together.
Since then, I’ve completed several marathons and plan to run the seven Reason for Running. Tunde Oyeneyin Runs to Break Through Boundaries.
That first marathon changed my whole outlook and the way I view myself. I realized if I could do something that hard, I could do anything. It was a big confidence-booster.
These days, on most mornings, I run solo after dropping off my kids at school. I typically run five to six miles to set a positive tone for the day. I know once I run I can tackle the rest of the day with the right mindset. I feel more positive, energized, and focused on days when I run, and I encourage other NYPD officers to try it.
Police officers and law enforcement, in general, experience the worst of the worst and we need an outlet, whether it’s running or something else. I enjoy the peace and solitude of running—that’s where I meditate.
I also log miles with the NYPD Running Club a few times a month. It’s important that officers see that their leaders are making healthy choices because a lot of people look up to us. I’ve had women come up to me and say, ‘Seeing you running encouraged me to run my first 5K.’ I love seeing other people enjoy running.
During the school year, I work with both kids and police officers through an initiative created in partnership with the Department of Education. Police officers lead running clinics at select New York City schools twice weekly, with races beginning in the spring.
We’re trying to bring the love of running to inner city schools. It’s also about mentorship and the positive effect on these kids.
These tips have made my running journey a success:
1. Don't take it too seriously
If you don’t know Despite MS, I Plan to Complete the World Majors, I get from running helped me climb the ranks in the NYPD!
2. Start by walking
Don’t be discouraged if things seem hard at first. It gets easier. Just keep moving and pushing your boundaries.
3. Set realistic goals for yourself
As you achieve those goals, begin to challenge yourself. Push yourself and find ways to stay motivated.
Lauren Bedosky is a freelance health and fitness writer who specializes in covering running and strength training topics. She writes for a variety of national publications, including Runner’s World, This Runner Has a Goal of 100 Endurance Races and Women’s Running.
