I grew up traveling with my family to watch my parents run marathons, so that’s how I was first introduced to running. I tried multiple sports growing up, but according to my mom I was never very competitive in them (anytime I got good or it got too serious I would usually quit because I was mostly interested in having fun). When I was in middle school and modified sport sign-ups started, my mom suggested I try running cross country, so I joined the modified team in 7th grade. The summer before my first cross country season, I tried to run with my mom a few times and I found it super challenging. When cross country started, I had so much fun being on a team and it made running seem really enjoyable. The races were 1.5 miles long and I still remember after my first race, I ran up to my mom and said, “guess what?! I didn’t even stop!!” After that first cross country season, I was hooked.

That’s a really good question. Although I’m always training for races long-term, I try not to be too outcome-focused, and instead try to focus on enjoying the process of training. I love setting running goals for myself and then chasing after them. Of course I don’t feel motivated all the time and training isn’t always glamorous or fun, but if I’m not actually enjoying the training then why would I run in the first place? Races are awesome because they let you celebrate and show off the work that you’ve put into training, and I love the sense of accomplishment after!

I love the challenge running provides and I’m always trying to improve myself and pursue personal excellence! I love setting running goals for myself, so that’s a huge motivation for me. My faith in God really motivates me as well, because I feel like I’ve been given a gift to help me bring Him glory through my running by inspiring and encouraging others. 

I would say, START SLOW! So many people that try to get into running and end up quitting is due to the fact that they do too much too soon because they don’t really know how to train. Anyone can be a runner, but it takes a lot of patience and consistency to get to the point of sometimes even just enjoying it. So I would recommend starting with short walk-runs and slowly progressing as you get stronger and more comfortable running.

My favorite running event that I’ve done is the Philadelphia Marathon. Being in mid-November, the race had the perfect marathon weather, and I love a big city race that doesn’t feel quite as overwhelming as some of the majors. From my own personal experience, I had the opportunity to run in the elite field for that race, so I was provided with special perks like having my own personal bottles out on the course waiting for me every few miles, which was really cool and helpful for my performance! I also had a lot of family and friends that came out to support me, and they even rented bikes so they could be at multiple points to cheer around the city, which meant so much to me having a support crew there! I was so grateful to have all the support, and it was such a spectator-friendly course, so there were pretty much people around almost constantly to cheer.

If I could run anywhere in the world right now, I would probably choose Hawaii, because I think it would be a beautiful running experience surrounded by mountains and the coast. I’m obsessed with both the beach and the mountains, so this would give me both, and I’ve always wanted to vacation in Hawaii too!