It was Spring 2025 and I needed a place to escape from the news cycles. After having enjoyed running for most of my life and completing a couple of half marathons in prior years, I decided to make the leap and committed to the Portland marathon. Some say running is a mental vs a physical activity and after 5 months of training that required every ounce of focus; I couldn’t agree more. I hit highs (42 miles in a week), I hit lows (21 miles in pouring rain after a flu shot, I questioned my choices) and had the most nervous week prior to the race but managed to slap a smile on my face on race day and finished. I failed to meet my time target but felt overwhelmed by the feeling of being out there for 5+ hours. The training taught me resilience, to step out of my comfort zone, to go slow (to go fast) and to lean on other people for help. Running may not be your thing but if you are taking the time to read this, I suggest stepping out of your comfort zone. It will change you in ways you can’t imagine. All the best!!

 

PS: Special thanks to my family for tracking my progress, Master Hogan (our Taekwondo coach) for his guidance on nutrition and to our CEO for the inspiration to make the leap.

~AA