Story by Mariana
Running started as simply a way to lose weight. Having grown up with sports-loving parents who encouraged physical activity, I’ve always been drawn to athletic challenges and competition. Once I began seeing improvements in my running, I became motivated and never looked back. Today, running has become one of my greatest sources of joy and personal fulfillment—some of my life’s best moments have come through this sport.
Running brings me joy through personal fulfillment, achieving goals, and creating dreams. It offers precious moments of solitude, as well as shared experiences with others. The sport takes us to new places, promotes well-being, deepens our connection with ourselves and nature, and fosters camaraderie. These experiences make running an incredible source of happiness in my life.
I think it’s knowing that our progress depends entirely on ourselves. We train even when unmotivated, exhausted, in freezing cold or scorching heat, sacrificing other activities—and knowing that each choice, each sacrifice, has led us toward our goal. Running builds our self-confidence, helps us overcome impostor syndrome, and teaches us that anything is possible with dedication. It’s challenging, yes, but that’s where the beauty lies—in discovering our inner strength.
People in running
Running is often called the most collective individual sport, and I couldn’t agree more. While I cherish my solitary training moments, sharing this passion with others brings even greater joy. Running with friends, enjoying post-run breakfasts together, traveling to races worldwide, and sharing our victories, failures, and lessons—there’s a special spark in our eyes when we connect through running. People are truly essential to this journey; without them, I wouldn’t feel such deep passion for this sport.
My biggest challenge was the 2024 Boston Marathon. Having not run that distance in over a year, and with significant progress under my belt, I arrived with high expectations for my first Boston experience. But Boston, true to form, had other plans. I failed to rest adequately before the race, and race day brought unexpected heat. Instead of adapting my strategy, I pushed forward—only to feel exhaustion creeping in by kilometer 15. My memory grows hazy after kilometer 25, and it was in the Newton Hills where I hit the wall for the first time in any marathon. The remainder was a fierce mental battle against crushing fatigue and cramps, but I persevered to the finish line. Though grueling, this race taught me more about running than any other day.
Marathon Pour Tour – Paris Olympics 2024
Words can hardly capture the magic of that day. Being selected for this experience felt like life had given me an incredible gift. Paris had always been my dream city, and I’d always been passionate about the Olympics—so combining these with my love of running created the perfect moment.
The race itself was challenging: running at night during the peak of European summer, with a staggering amount of elevation gain. I set a simple goal—to enjoy it and finish. And that’s exactly what happened. I never once looked at my watch. That’s when I realized our best marathon isn’t necessarily the one where we set a personal record, but the one that brings us the most joy.
Running the same course as the Olympic athletes, absorbing the energy of the Games, witnessing the celebrations in the streets, and feeling the incredible support from the crowd—it was beyond description. Even now, tears well up in my eyes thinking about it. It truly was the best day of my life.