I started running in 2019, not because I loved it, but because I felt like my body was changing in ways I couldn’t control. My metabolism felt like it had slammed on the brakes, the scale crept up, and I convinced myself running was the answer to staying skinny.

The truth is, I had never been a distance runner. A mile used to feel like a punishment, not an accomplishment. But at that point in my life, everything felt chaotic — work, relationships, even how I saw myself. Running seemed like something I could control, a tool to shape my body when everything else felt unshaped.

At first, every step was fueled by insecurity. I ran because I was chasing an image of myself, not because I enjoyed the miles. My legs burned, my lungs ached, and I counted calories harder than I counted distance. But somewhere along the way, something unexpected happened. Running started to quiet the noise in my head. Instead of punishing myself with it, I started using it to breathe, to think, and to heal.

Most of those early years, I ran alone. I wasn’t part of a running club. . But by 2022, something shifted. I decided it was time to see what I was capable of. I wasn’t satisfied with just logging miles to stay in shape; I wanted to push myself, to test my limits, to see how far I could go and join a community of like minded people.

I showed up to run clubs, I signed up for races and got involved in the community, not to prove anything to anyone else, but to prove to myself that I could do hard things on purpose. Those miles were different — they weren’t about shrinking myself; they were about building myself. I wasn’t running away from something; I was running toward something.

Looking back now, my running journey is something I am immensely proud of. It’s transformed me far beyond the miles — it’s given me resilience, confidence, and joy. And that’s a gift I knew I wanted to share with others. I decided to become a coach so I could help people discover what running can do for them — physically, mentally, and emotionally. I earned my NASM personal trainer certification and became a Level One Road Runners Club of America coach so I could guide others with both passion and expertise.

Running taught me that you don’t have to be “naturally talented” to grow stronger, faster, and braver — you just have to be willing to start and to keep showing up. Now I get to help others take that first step, find their strength, and maybe even fall in love with the miles along the way.