Story by Alyssa

 

In 2018, at 34 years old, I felt trapped—by my poor lifestyle habits, in my own body, and by the resigned belief that I was the way I was and there was nothing I could do about it. Early that year, my family and I signed up to run a 5K for our kids’ school fundraiser.

 

It was challenging to run those 3.1 miles, but I surprised myself by finishing. I thought to myself, “Maybe if I do that a couple times a week, I could lose some weight?”

 

At first it was really hard to hold myself accountable to those runs, but a few months into it, I began to enjoy the alone time and the way my heart and lungs and legs felt. I felt ALIVE out there. Every mile broke down physical and mental barriers I didn’t even know I had built for myself and had been hiding behind for years.

 

Before long, I started craving foods that would fuel my runs—lean proteins, complex carbs, loads of fruits and veggies. I learned that the crap I was eating wasn’t serving my body or my mind.

 

Making myself feel good during my runs became a priority. I began lifting weights to make my runs stronger and longer and to avoid injury.

 

I dropped fifty pounds of fat mass, and by late 2019, not only did I look like a different person, I WAS a different person. I spent most of 2020 learning more about health, macronutrients, running and lifting, and I committed to staying healthy and fit even during the pandemic-related shut downs. In 2021, I had clocked over 350 miles of running, and as a New Years Resolution for 2022, my brother challenged me to run 1000 miles with him.

 

Not only did we smash that year-long goal, but I also ran my first half marathon that year. My goal for 2023 was to run a full marathon—and now I’m currently training for my THIRD!

 

Running has changed my life. Every run unveils a little more of who I am and paves the way for who I can be. Each time I lace up and go, I re-discover the truth that I AM in control of my health, my body, and my life. I’m grateful for every stride, every mile, and every lesson.