I started running 5 years ago. I was becoming certified in Hawaii to become a yoga instructor. I had never run over a mile. I hated everything running and even told people that I had runners asthma (is there such a thing?) to get out of running. While in Hawaii the weather, ocean, and energy sent me on my first run. I quickly became addicted.
I ran the rest of the days of my training and when I got home I was convinced by some friends to run a half marathon and raise money for The American Cancer Society. Since I have lost family members to cancer I signed up for the cause and a training program was included. I was quickly humbled my first “long run” to find my pace was just naturally a slower pace. I embraced it and became an 11-12 minute mile runner. I completed my first half and had never felt more accomplished. I had two babies, ran half way through both pregnancies, and then picked up quickly after they were born. I ran another half last fall with only a month of training.
With 2 half marathons under my belt I decided to take the plunge and sign up for my first full marathon. I wanted to run my first one when I was 30! I was SO dedicated to my training only missing a couple days for additional rest for sore ankles. It was my everything. My physical, spiritual, mental outlet. It gave me confidence beyond anything I had ever experienced. Marathon day was amazing. The course was a lot harder then I anticipated with hills and heat. I finished, slower then I expected but I finished. Strong!
I rode that high for a week and then the unthinkable happened. The Boston Marathon was bombed. I was still in marathon mind and it was literally traumatizing for me to watch. My family was standing in the same position where the bomb went off only a week prior. I knew the emotions of those runners so fresh and real. I went for a run that evening, the fastest 3 miles of my life in the pouring rain and got an idea. A blog where people could pledge their miles and we could all run on a specific day. To empower us. To rid the helplessness feeling. To unite. To strengthen. To run. I started the blog and set the date as April 25th. Something that I thought I would get 10-20 friends to sign up and maybe 50-100 miles gained momentum. By April 25th I had over 150 people, 4 Continents (N America, S America, Australia, and Europe), over 27 states, and countries including Canada, Grenada, Brazil, Scottland, and England. We had all pledged over 1000 miles! My emotions are full in this moment for the unity and support. The running community is tight. We are a force to be reckoned with and can’t be stopped. We empower each other, love and support each other. It is a beautiful thing that I am blessed each day to be a part of!
Stephanie is a lover of everything fitness. She has been practicing Vinyasa and Hatha yoga for 13 years and became a certified instructor at the Konalani Ashram on The Big Island in Hawaii through The Shambava School of Yoga in 2008. She also developed her love of running while studying yoga. She has since completed multiple 5k, 10k, and 10 mile races, along with 2 half marathons and her first full marathon on April 7, 2013. Stephanie resides in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband and two lively little boys. Read more at Fit and Healthy Mama!
