Story by Emma

 

I started running after feeling strong enough from a knee surgery; having that injury wanted me to go after something physically challenging to see if I could reach those limits with finally having healthy legs. It wasn’t until I volunteered at the NYC Marathon that I knew I wanted to run a marathon, but I never acted on it because I was a bit scared. I joined a run club and they gave me the final push to sign up for my first race. I was inspired by the energy, people, and the community.

 

Something that I think is beautiful about running is that we are all on our own journey and that it’s so special when the running community lifts each other up. The journey is what makes us stronger both mentally and physically.

 

My biggest running challenge involves being in my own head and second guessing my fitness and abilities, this particularly gets prevalent during taper periods. However, I’ve relied on my coach and a lot of positive self talk to lift my confidence in this area, and now, I can change my mindset quicker when I have these intrusive thoughts. This challenge has taught me to trust myself, trust the process, and have fun doing it.