Yellow Backpack Adventures

Let’s rewind the clock 10 years. It’s January 2015, and I’m in my last semester of college. I find myself at the starting line of a 5k, and as someone who had always despised running (mainly because it was used as a “punishment” in the sports I played) I was super nervous to be taking on three miles. I bet you’re wondering how I even got to that point. Well, we need to go back a little further for that.

When I transitioned from high school to college I went from being a three-sport athlete to only participating in intramural sports, which was great but came no where close to the structure I was used to. Although I did eventually join our club basketball team, for a long time I was feeling really lost without my daily dose of sport. I was going to the gym, albeit infrequently, but without something to work towards I was feeling super uninspired.

One semester, I made a decision to take a “Lifetime Fitness” class to stay active, which centered on yoga. It was nice, but not something I really saw myself continuing. The next semester, I picked up another Lifetime Fitness class, this time for running. I was a bit skeptical that I’d like it at first, but the class helped me reframe my view of running. When we were out on our runs around campus it really gave me a chance to destress and focus on the moment, rather than all the other things I had going on in life. 

After finishing up that class I felt inspired to sign up for my first race. It was an MLK Day Celebration 5k and it was freezing cold. At the time, I had no idea about proper running gear. I just laced up a pair of sneakers, dressed in warm layers, and set a goal of finishing sub-30. The race itself wasn’t bad, but my college campus is very hilly, so that made for a fun challenge. I finished the race in 28:46 and remember crossing the finish line so proud that I had stuck to my training and accomplished what I had set out to do. That day, I set a goal to work my way up from a 5k to a full marathon. 

Over the past 10 years I’ve run various types of races including 5ks, half-marathons, and relay races, but was always too nervous to sign up for a full marathon. The mileage seemed so daunting and I questioned if I had the stamina to complete the entire race. With 2025 being the 10-year anniversary of completing my first race, I knew I had to make it happen.

Would I be a true millennial if I didn’t throw up peace signs in every picture?

I wanted whatever marathon I ran to be meaningful, and I’d been seeing ads for the Every Woman’s Marathon on social media. After doing my research, I felt that this race would provide a supportive environment to help me succeed. I registered, and then began my training. The race organizers even provided a training guide, which was super helpful.

My summer and early fall was spent preparing for the race. Of course life got in the way, and I wasn’t able to train as frequently as I would have liked, but I made a commitment to myself so I had to see it through. I didn’t really get nervous until the pre-race expo. After picking up my bib, reality set in that I would be running 26 miles.

Race day came and I nervously lined up in my corral. We were counted down and my race was underway! I won’t get into all the details here, but I can proudly say I conquered my marathon and completed that goal I set for myself back in 2015! I’m not going to sugarcoat it…running a marathon was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done in my life. It took both physical stamina and mental fortitude to complete 26.2 miles over various terrain (and a monster hill during miles 18-20). I can now proudly say I’m in the <1% of the population who has a completed a marathon.

I look back over the past 10 years and appreciate the people I’ve met at races, the friends and family who have cheered me on along the way, having a body that is able to handle the physical toll of running, and each race-day experience. I’ve learned many lessons, but the moral of the story is: Goals take time. Even if you have to tackle them piece by piece or step by step, never give up on your dreams! 

Now that I’ve accomplished my goal, I haven’t decided whether I’m ready to fully retire from running or if I still have some miles left in the tank. Who knows what the next adventure may bring. 👀

enjoy the journey.