- T
- R
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in running."
Every life is divided into a past, present and future. All three of these contain a network of innumerable and timeless stories. The stories that seem to retain the most power are ones where we have encountered peaks of happiness as well as fallen into moments of despair. Since birth each story has operated together, sculpting and building us into the product of our current self, thus defining our life. This is the story of how running came to define mine.
It was Fall of 2010. I was a committed full-time sophomore at Nebraska Wesleyan University striving for two majors while performing a balancing act between playing on the women's tennis team and earning an income. Outside of a manual performance was also a young woman transitioning into adulthood, arriving upon that dreaded fork in the road. Amidst apprehensively wandering a foreign course towards discovering my true being, I lingered, entangled in several callous secrets very few knew existed. Although I walked with a visually composed demeanor, my entire essence was sorely decaying. Before long, as if plucked by the hand of God off the fallen path of delirium, I plummeted back to earth and hit the ground running.
Literally. But why?
I hated running. I viewed it the way a vegan views a slab of steak; distasteful and not on my plate. In fact, being bullied by a girl in middle school for the way I ran was forever engraved in my memory along with the embarrassment of joining and quitting track and field in the same day. In high school I picked up my first tennis racket, wincing every time the words “warm-up run” were used simultaneously. During my senior year I played an arbitrary tennis match against a cheating teammate which resulted in taking a lower position on the team ladder. Before trolling off the court, I requested permission to tear through a few running laps in hopes of calming an exploding negative energy.
Sophomore year of college came around. It wasn't until then running became my therapy, distraction and addiction. For me, running became a road to self-discovery and reliance. It was something I could do by myself under my own power as I could decide the speed and direction. I could push myself to extremes and unearth my physical and mental limitations, or become lost in a day dream as I coasted quietly down a solitary path watching the world spin below.
By 2012 I was passionately running with a little more than a year of dedication beneath my feet. That summer I decided to enter a short 5k race for the Cornhusker State Games. Without a strategy or inkling in how to approach the upcoming physical performance, I sought one's most familiar asset; mental strength. With a determined “I can and I will” attitude, I sailed across the finish line acquiring not only first in my age division and second female overall, but a new clarity for running. Only having ever competed against my own physical and mental being, racing others became motivation to push beyond where I thought my boundaries existed. And so, for the following two summers I approached the same event, adding two more winnings before reaching the year of 2015.
On January 3, 2015 at the ripe opening hour of 3am, I signed away the following 4 months of whole hearted dedication towards training for the full 26.2 Lincoln Marathon with the mere goal of simply crossing the finish line. There was no doubt with a touch of extra effort I could reach the distance of a half marathon, but I followed an unfaltering mantra that "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life” (Muhammad Ali).
Courage guided me to the starting line the morning of the marathon as I was propelled by an emotional state of euphoria through the 26.2 mile journey. With the harmonizing sound of thousands of feet striking the ground, hearts pulsing with adrenaline and heavy inhale and exhale, together we ran. Although each individual ran with different stories, each poured their complete entity into the race as our path was direct and foreseen goal of the finish line secure. The amount of support and love that radiated from friends and family, but mostly innumerable strangers filled my soul as I began to float, existing somewhere above the crowds lost in a dream. This was it. This was not only about the past 4 months of determination and dedication manifested by blood, sweat and tears, but my collection of stories leading up to this moment that no amount of training could've prepared me for. As I reached those final seconds, breaking across the 3:26:27 time barrier, it was in that moment I knew I had found my path. And it was in that moment I knew I could do anything.
End of story.
Shortly after finishing the Lincoln Marathon I was approached by a pacer in congratulatory appraisal for qualifying for the 2016 Boston Marathon and weeks later an unexpected package appeared on my doorstep. In the box to my suprise was a plaque for first place in my age division. Less than two weeks later following the Lincoln Marathon I took on the Papillion Half Marathon placing first in my age division and second female overall. Later that summer I completed a 10-mile race in the State Games of America, again receiving first in my age division and second female overall. Lastly at the start of the fall season I competed in the Omaha Half Marathon accepting first in my age division and third out of 747 females. Stepping out for my first run a few years prior, I could've never fathomed that it would bring me to this point. Passing up the honor to run among 36,000 qualifiers in the Boston Marathon would mean sacrificing this now undying dream and gift I have been blessed with.
From the beginning I have kept my devotion to running, racing and achievements in a very low key position. The need for new running shoes every few months, apparel for all seasons, racing fees and a gym membership has cost me hundreds of dollars that I have thankfully been able to afford and have never asked or expected anyone to support me with. As much as I would love to be able to fully fund a trip to run in the 2016 Boston Marathon, the race entry fee alone exceeds my budget not to mention the cost of airfare, hotel stay, transportation and food. Having journeyed this far with only relying on myself, I am now at a standstill without the financial support of others. What I hope to convey in this story is the transformative power of running in my life and my potential for further evolution. Also, I hope I have proven how genuinely and whole heartedly grateful I would be with any financial support you would be able to provide me.
As it is entirely out of my comfort zone to ask for help, I feel it is necessary that I pay it forward by donating a portion of the proceeds I receive to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. If you are unfamiliar with the foundation, Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions in the United States and its territories. Unlike myself, no matter the amount of financial assistance anyone could provide, most of these children will never have a chance to uncover and follow the path leading to their dreams, therefore ending their story short. As running came into my life during a time of need, I would love do the same for a child.
Again, I can't express how incredibly thankful I am for those of you who have and will be supporting me. If not financially, I would love for you to support me by leaving any words of encouragement as I continue to train for the Boston Marathon on April 18, 2016. Thank you x 26.2 :).
"I ran to be free;
I ran to avoid pain;
I ran to feel pain;
I ran out of love and hate and
anger and joy."
Every life is divided into a past, present and future. All three of these contain a network of innumerable and timeless stories. The stories that seem to retain the most power are ones where we have encountered peaks of happiness as well as fallen into moments of despair. Since birth each story has operated together, sculpting and building us into the product of our current self, thus defining our life. This is the story of how running came to define mine.
It was Fall of 2010. I was a committed full-time sophomore at Nebraska Wesleyan University striving for two majors while performing a balancing act between playing on the women's tennis team and earning an income. Outside of a manual performance was also a young woman transitioning into adulthood, arriving upon that dreaded fork in the road. Amidst apprehensively wandering a foreign course towards discovering my true being, I lingered, entangled in several callous secrets very few knew existed. Although I walked with a visually composed demeanor, my entire essence was sorely decaying. Before long, as if plucked by the hand of God off the fallen path of delirium, I plummeted back to earth and hit the ground running.
Literally. But why?
I hated running. I viewed it the way a vegan views a slab of steak; distasteful and not on my plate. In fact, being bullied by a girl in middle school for the way I ran was forever engraved in my memory along with the embarrassment of joining and quitting track and field in the same day. In high school I picked up my first tennis racket, wincing every time the words “warm-up run” were used simultaneously. During my senior year I played an arbitrary tennis match against a cheating teammate which resulted in taking a lower position on the team ladder. Before trolling off the court, I requested permission to tear through a few running laps in hopes of calming an exploding negative energy.
Sophomore year of college came around. It wasn't until then running became my therapy, distraction and addiction. For me, running became a road to self-discovery and reliance. It was something I could do by myself under my own power as I could decide the speed and direction. I could push myself to extremes and unearth my physical and mental limitations, or become lost in a day dream as I coasted quietly down a solitary path watching the world spin below.
By 2012 I was passionately running with a little more than a year of dedication beneath my feet. That summer I decided to enter a short 5k race for the Cornhusker State Games. Without a strategy or inkling in how to approach the upcoming physical performance, I sought one's most familiar asset; mental strength. With a determined “I can and I will” attitude, I sailed across the finish line acquiring not only first in my age division and second female overall, but a new clarity for running. Only having ever competed against my own physical and mental being, racing others became motivation to push beyond where I thought my boundaries existed. And so, for the following two summers I approached the same event, adding two more winnings before reaching the year of 2015.
On January 3, 2015 at the ripe opening hour of 3am, I signed away the following 4 months of whole hearted dedication towards training for the full 26.2 Lincoln Marathon with the mere goal of simply crossing the finish line. There was no doubt with a touch of extra effort I could reach the distance of a half marathon, but I followed an unfaltering mantra that "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life” (Muhammad Ali).
Courage guided me to the starting line the morning of the marathon as I was propelled by an emotional state of euphoria through the 26.2 mile journey. With the harmonizing sound of thousands of feet striking the ground, hearts pulsing with adrenaline and heavy inhale and exhale, together we ran. Although each individual ran with different stories, each poured their complete entity into the race as our path was direct and foreseen goal of the finish line secure. The amount of support and love that radiated from friends and family, but mostly innumerable strangers filled my soul as I began to float, existing somewhere above the crowds lost in a dream. This was it. This was not only about the past 4 months of determination and dedication manifested by blood, sweat and tears, but my collection of stories leading up to this moment that no amount of training could've prepared me for. As I reached those final seconds, breaking across the 3:26:27 time barrier, it was in that moment I knew I had found my path. And it was in that moment I knew I could do anything.
End of story.
Shortly after finishing the Lincoln Marathon I was approached by a pacer in congratulatory appraisal for qualifying for the 2016 Boston Marathon and weeks later an unexpected package appeared on my doorstep. In the box to my suprise was a plaque for first place in my age division. Less than two weeks later following the Lincoln Marathon I took on the Papillion Half Marathon placing first in my age division and second female overall. Later that summer I completed a 10-mile race in the State Games of America, again receiving first in my age division and second female overall. Lastly at the start of the fall season I competed in the Omaha Half Marathon accepting first in my age division and third out of 747 females. Stepping out for my first run a few years prior, I could've never fathomed that it would bring me to this point. Passing up the honor to run among 36,000 qualifiers in the Boston Marathon would mean sacrificing this now undying dream and gift I have been blessed with.
From the beginning I have kept my devotion to running, racing and achievements in a very low key position. The need for new running shoes every few months, apparel for all seasons, racing fees and a gym membership has cost me hundreds of dollars that I have thankfully been able to afford and have never asked or expected anyone to support me with. As much as I would love to be able to fully fund a trip to run in the 2016 Boston Marathon, the race entry fee alone exceeds my budget not to mention the cost of airfare, hotel stay, transportation and food. Having journeyed this far with only relying on myself, I am now at a standstill without the financial support of others. What I hope to convey in this story is the transformative power of running in my life and my potential for further evolution. Also, I hope I have proven how genuinely and whole heartedly grateful I would be with any financial support you would be able to provide me.
As it is entirely out of my comfort zone to ask for help, I feel it is necessary that I pay it forward by donating a portion of the proceeds I receive to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. If you are unfamiliar with the foundation, Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions in the United States and its territories. Unlike myself, no matter the amount of financial assistance anyone could provide, most of these children will never have a chance to uncover and follow the path leading to their dreams, therefore ending their story short. As running came into my life during a time of need, I would love do the same for a child.
Again, I can't express how incredibly thankful I am for those of you who have and will be supporting me. If not financially, I would love for you to support me by leaving any words of encouragement as I continue to train for the Boston Marathon on April 18, 2016. Thank you x 26.2 :).
"I ran to be free;
I ran to avoid pain;
I ran to feel pain;
I ran out of love and hate and
anger and joy."