Thank you, Mom and Dad, for the perfect name.

August 1, 2021—Day One of Training.

So Why a Marathon?

I have never been a runner. Never have been. Never will I classify myself as one. I hate running. I still fucking hate it—right now, as I am editing this. I let it consume my mind. No matter how painful it felt—no matter how much I made it out to be in my head.

So why a marathon?

The impossible idea—sparked by a mediocre chick flick I watched in March 2021—of running 26.2 miles took over me.

Wouldn't that be something.

And so we try.

This is day one of a journey to find the girl everyone else already sees—and to start living as her.

It’s time.

Time to find my mental security and make it part of my future. Time to prove myself without expectations. Time to learn, to forgive, and to love. Not for the athlete inside me—for the person. Time to welcome myself as the strong, beautiful girl everyone always tells me about—only me.

So why a marathon, I ask myself?

Simply—because why not.

November 8, 2021—Last Long Run of Training.

Well, here we are.

You are right there. There wasn’t an hour in the past months that I didn’t think of you.

There were times—more than I’d like to admit—I thought I’d never get to you. Didn’t appreciate you. Didn't respect you. Doubted you. Didn’t accept all I was learning. Didn’t embrace your full beauty. The beauty of this all.

This whole idea was sparked by why not. I refuse to accept that as my reasoning now—it minimizes the story.

The story of finding you. The story of healing. The story of accepting what once seemed impossible. The story of learning to love you.

Regardless of this ending, I am so proud of you. This was never the end—it was always your start. That’s the point. That’s the beauty—

November 21, 2021, will always be your day. The day you turned something you hated into a story—your story.

This has never been about 26.2 miles. It’s about the girl who showed up.

The girl who trained. The girl who bought $200 running shoes thinking they would help. The girl who never missed a day on her calendar. The girl running in this race. The girl who is going to finish this race. You are it. You are the girl.

Thank you.

Thank you for letting me see you. Thank you for letting me feel you. Thank you for breaking me. Thank you for the tears, the doubts, and the hours. Thank you for accepting the full beauty of this journey. Thank you for finally allowing me to meet you—and for letting this happen.

You already did it.

You already won.

Whatever needed to be found was right there—she has always been right there.

Go on. Go on for now. Go on and run with her—always for her.

Marathon #5: Chicago—October 11, 2026

And… we keep running. 

Run straight, motherfucker.