Running To Where I Am Today Part 1

So I as many of you know, I am more than just a dietitian, but I am also an athlete. I run and train on a local competitive stage and my love for running is one of the reasons I fell in love with running. My blog, although not super active right now, is about nutrition topics and wellness topics that apply to active individuals who want to become the best versions of themselves. I've found that many people, through Instagram on my personal account, also have a desire to learn about running and my journey through injury and success, so this journal was created!  Here I will talk about races, training, recovery, personal mental struggles, etc. as I build a business and train as an athlete in Chicago, Illinois. 

For those of you who don't know my story, here you go :)

My running journey started at age 10 through and organization named Girls on the Run. I had just moved to a new school, from home schooling, and making friends was tough. I made a few friends through recess at kickball, because shocker, I liked to run, but those relationships didn't continue into the classroom. Then one day two women came into my school and told our classes about this awesome after-school program where we got to run around and play games and be around other girls our age, all while learning about how to deal with conflict and how to learn how to view ourselves through a positive lens. So I begged my parents and since joining GOTR in 2002, I haven't stopped running since then. Some of my lifelong friends came from GOTR and running and fitness has kept us together as we travel around the world. 

Some GOTR friends after our first 5k race

From then on, I joined a cross country team and learned the benefits of competitive running and what a team mentality looked like with an all female team. Being the youngest on the team, I was nervous and scared, but those women really helped me blossom and grow into the woman I am today. My coaches were some of the best a young runner could ask for, as I was trained smart and never felt the pressure of weight or body image from my teammates or coaches. This is something that, now, I look back and am so thankful for as I know many unfortunately had that pressure put upon them in high school. The coaches I had were part of the influence on my choosing to work with athletes, as I always wanted to work with helping athletes become better, now through nutrition.

Those fundamental years of my running shaped me into a focus, determined, healthy runner, that somehow had positive influences around me all those years. That strong base is what I'm so thankful for all these years later. I was able to grow and develop into a strong, physically and mentally, runner. And all those lessons learned carried over into my personal and professional life. 

This beginning brought about all the amazing experiences, and further growth in the coming years. More to come on the rest of my running journey, but as with anything, the fundamentals must come first.

How has your beginnings shaped who you are now? When did you running journey begin? Sharing your story can only inspire others because it is a reminder that we are not alone.