My running journey started in middle school when I would compete in the fitness testing and would break all the records for my age. Seeing that I had a natural talent, I began running on my own and thought about high school cross country and track and field. I even joined a middle school running club to enjoy running and spending time with my friends.
“What are you going to do – stop? No way.” That is what my teammate said to our relay squad right before the gun went off for the 4x800 at the New England Division 3 Indoor Championships. We stood huddled in our group overflowing with nerves and excitement while the rest of our team lined the track waiting to cheer us on. But with my teammate’s words, I was instantly brought back to one of my first runs ever. My dad had taken me to run the “Barn Loop” – a wooded trail that the entire Hereford cross country and track teams know by heart. As we ran, my eight-year-old self kept thinking, “I’m not going to stop, I’m not going to stop.”
Often when we think about goals around running or exercise, the focus is entirely on our body and the physicality of the movement. How can I lose weight? How can I tone or cut? Should I run or lift weights? What will give me the best results? But what doesn’t come up is how our mental and emotional health play into these decisions.
Running has always been a big part of my life. I took my first steps at one of my dad’s races at the Inner Harbor. I played soccer because I could run up and down the field for 90 minutes, and ran track in high school. Running took a back seat during college and early 20s because I was enjoying life to the fullest.
I never considered myself to be a runner until high school. I joined my cross country team simply to make friends since I was the new kid on the block. I was lucky enough to have my first spike night at the old Charm City Run in Clarksville. It was a great experience, and I learned immediately that running was more than just quickly putting one foot in front of the other. I developed a passion for the sport thanks to my team and coaches, and realized that I could be a runner if I just took the chance.
My relationship with running has been a long journey of ups and downs, stretched over thousands of miles, three coaches, and countless races. When I joined my high school team after running somewhat recreationally in middle school, I was both excited by, and apprehensive of, the tradition of excellence I was joining. I had always been a competitive person but being the best freshman on a team fresh off winning a state championship came with an immense pressure that I continuously struggled to manage for my entire first year at Dulaney.
One mile at a time. One day at a time. Two strong mantras that can refer to so many different things in life from running, recovery & addiction, to so much more. Five years ago as we were planning how to celebrate National Running Day, our town and people like us were being affected by the opioid epidemic, and we knew this is where we could help out.
Running is something that, for me, evolved over time. It began with friends as a way to get exercise and connect with other women. Most races in the 1980s were co-ed…The Rite of Spring, The Constellation 10K, The Crustacean Crawl, and the Father’s Day 5K. The Lady Equitable was unique because it was a women’s only race. It was sponsored by Equitable Back and the course was in downtown Baltimore. After many mergers, Equitable Bank no longer exists nor does this race.
