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It took many years and many races for me to really, truly consider myself a runner. I was intimidated by the term because I am not super fast or built like a runner. I said I ran to keep in shape or as a hobby. But soon my hobby became a passion.

When I decided to run my first marathon, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I asked around and joined a running group with experienced coaches and runners. That opened my eyes to a lot. Looking back I laugh at how green I really was. For instance, I was the only person who wore pants on the training runs. I don’t know how I made it through the summer in them!

With the help of my group, I finished the marathon. It wasn’t the greatest performance but I did it. I was tired at the end of the race until I turned the corner and saw the finish line. Somehow I found the energy to sprint to the finish. I was sore for days but hooked – I wanted to do another one. From that moment on, I focused on making the next marathon better. Now, I can only learn from the mistakes I made in the past and look forward to the many years ahead of me as a runner.

Because I am a runner now. It’s not about speed, it’s about passion.