Three Runs That Changed My Life
“That’s the thing about running: your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success. They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is.”
You know the feeling after a particularly great run, the feeling of being unstoppable, exhilarated, and incredibly proud of yourself? The one where you find the elusive runner’s high (see previous blog) and you are totally in love with the sport? Or what about the feeling after a particularly terrible run—the one where you felt like your legs were made of lead, you ran in the pouring rain, your headphones died, the one that leaves you wondering why you even laced up your shoes and left the house? What is it about this sport that leaves us elated, defeated, everything in between, and yet, continues to keep us coming back for more?
While every runner has a different answer to this question, my answer is: I keep coming back to running because every run is so different, challenges me in different ways, and teaches me more about myself. And out of all the miles I’ve run in my life, there are several runs that have changed my life, and for very different reasons.
RUN #1: THE BOSTON MARATHON, 2014
Running the Boston Marathon in 2014 was truly an experience I will never forget. Before we get into this run, and the profound impact it had on me, we need to rewind to the Boston Marathon in 2013. This was the first year I ran the Boston Marathon—the race I had been most looking forward to in my fledgling career as a distance runner. I ran for charity, and toed the iconic start line in Hopkinton on a sunny, slightly warm but ideal running conditioned late morning. Fast forward four hours, and my life was forever changed. Seconds after crossing the finish line, while I was looking back on Boylston Street to take in the views after completing 26.2 miles, the first of two bombs went off just yards away from me and chaos ensued. I was ushered into the nearby Westin Hotel along with other runners, EMTs, police officers, and the injured. While the lasting impacts of this day on our city and myself are a blog for another time, this led to the running of the marathon in 2014. Since I was unable to make it very far from the finish line, and was in a very small group of runners who had technically finished but unable to collect their medals, I was gifted an invitational entry to the next year’s race from the Boston Athletic Association.
Leading up to the next year’s race was a year of mental and emotional struggle for me. I was dealing with intense feelings of survivors’ guilt, was having a hard time turning on the news or even thinking about running again—not only because of the fear of a similar incident, but also because I felt guilty for taking a bib when there were so many others who suffered and lost far more than I had.
Ultimately, I did decide to run in 2014, and I will forever be thankful I did. The crowds that showed up that day were unlike anything I had, or have since, experienced. It was another beautiful Marathon Monday, and the entire city came out to celebrate the race that means so much to the city, especially in the wake of the horrible tragedy that had happened the year before. In addition to the insane amount of love and support I felt in the city, I personally felt that this was my opportunity to take back a finish line that had been robbed from me, and our city, the year before. I felt a love and connection to this city and this marathon that I had never felt before, and will run deep for the rest of my life. #BOSTONSTRONG forever. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to run this race in 2014 and every year I’ve run since.
RUN #2: BRUSH CREEK RANCH, SARATOGA, WY, 2023
On a very different, but just as important, vibe, comes the second impactful run: a nine-mile trail run in Saratoga, Wyoming, in August 2023. My wife and I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Brush Creek Ranch as guests of friends who were hosting a company retreat. I was given the honor of teaching fitness classes to attendees, and in exchange, we had the chance to partake in all the activities the ranch had to offer: we went fly fishing, skeet shooting, horseback and ATV riding, and took in the beautiful scenery. Of course, I couldn’t wait to test my fitness with some runs in the altitude, but was also a little wary of running too far on the mountains myself because I had never ran trails before, and was very aware of the potential wildlife dangers: bears, snakes, mountain lions, and wolves, to name just a few.
However, the first afternoon we were there, I happened to walk right into a man in the ranch’s guest center who complimented my cowboy boots and asked if I was a runner (my marathon jacket gave it away, I’m sure). I said I was, but needed running route suggestions in the area due to my intense and borderline irrational fear of bears (rational in that area, irrational in Massachusetts). It turns out he was not only the manager of the ranch, but also a very experienced trail runner. Instead of giving me suggested routes, he told me to meet him outside of the fitness center the next morning and he would take me on a trail run with him.
Looking back, I have to laugh at the outfit I showed up in (hindsight is 20/20—keep in mind, I hadn’t ever run trails before, and had limited room in my suitcase!). I had a sports bra, short running shorts, and… Nike Pegasus on. No grip, no stability, no ankle support, and no coverage from the elements. But nonetheless, I was ready to go. The three of us (me, my new friend Niels, and his dog) embarked on our journey. I had no idea how far we were going or truthfully, what I was in for. I quickly learned that Niels brings his dog not only for his exercise, but also because he can sense wildlife and potential danger (read: BEARS) before we can. We immediately started an incredibly steep climb, and I was reminded immediately that I am not the most coordinated runner in the world. The conversation was amazing, the pace was very slow, the run was challenging in a way I had never experienced before. We saw the most amazing views. There was not another human around for miles. The threat of animals or injury was ever present, and it was a dream. We saw very fresh bear scat (Niels informed me that it belonged to a very big and very dangerous bear, and it was probably very close to us, and pulled out his bear spray just in case). I learned about the environment of Wyoming, and the history of the ranch, and saw trails and running routes that no one besides me and Niels had possibly ever been on before.
It was absolutely incredible and exhilarating and I learned that fast runs on pavement would never ever hold a candle to the joy I felt running slowly up steep hills in nature. My life as a runner was forever changed. I immediately signed up for my first trail ultra marathon, which I ran the following June, and cannot wait for the day I am able to travel to Wyoming or a similar venue to experience the incredible trails out there. Mountain runs > pavement runs for me, any day!
RUN #3: BERLIN MARATHON, 2023
Coming off the highs of the Wyoming run in August, I ran the Berlin Marathon with my wife, Emily, in September 2023. I touched on this race in my last blog, but at the risk of sounding incredibly cheesy, this is the most meaningful run of my career to date.
When I first met my wife, she was an avid Crossfitter and had done one half marathon, but would never describe herself as a distance runner. However, with a little coercion on my part, she wound up signing up for the Chicago Marathon in 2019 and loved the training aspect of it—she loved the structure and the feeling of accomplishment after. She then proceeded to run the Boston Marathon, Chicago again, and the New York City Marathon in close succession. We both ran all of these races together, but separately—this was during my stint of PR-chasing and I loved being able to cross the finish line, circle back, and cheer her on at the end of her race.
We decided to run the Berlin Marathon in September of 2023, and Emily casually mentioned to me that she wanted to PR this race (which for her would be anything under 3:55). Since I was running the Chicago Marathon a couple weeks later, and because at the time my ego needed to run a fast race that training cycle, I agreed to run this race with her to help with pacing and to be my “last long training run” before Chicago.
I had no idea how much this race would mean to me and forever change my outlook on marathon running.
It was an incredible experience sharing this race from start to finish with Emily. We walked to the start line together, took selfies and nervously giggled at how scary the German announcements sounded, took in the sights of the city, documented each mile with videos and photos, went through bouts of energy and pain caves together, and I was able to hype her up when needed. She not only got her well-deserved PR, but the memories from this race will last a lifetime (including at mile 12 when I had to pee, so told her to keep chugging along while I went to the porta-potty, and then had to run a 5:32 mile pace to catch up with her because while she will deny it, she *absolutely* sped up a little when we separated!)
I even let her cross the finish line first so I could capture the moment on my phone—which was a massive moment of growth for me, the recovering selfish marathon runner of the family.
Not only did I have the time of my life running with Emily, but the lasting impact of this race has carried over to every marathon I’ve run since. Before this race, I spent all of my time looking at my watch and missing the views around me. I was so concerned with my time, that I was missing the entire experience. Once I realized how joyful and fulfilled I felt after running a 3:52 in Berlin, I committed to running every race moving forward for the fun of it, not for an arbitrary number on a time clock. My mindset shifted from pressuring myself to hit a certain time, to finding the thrill in the challenge and the experience.
While writing this blog, my emotions are extremely high. I feel such a sense of gratitude and love for the sport of running and all the adventures it has brought me on so far. Whatever season of running you are in, I strongly encourage you to take every run as a lesson and a building block. While some runs are more enjoyable or feel easier than others, let’s change the narrative to: no run is a wasted run. Take in each moment, each mile, and enjoy the experience.
One of my very favorite signs I’ve ever seen while running was at mile 22 of the 2014 Boston Marathon, and it said, “One day, you won’t be able to do this anymore. Today is NOT that day.”
Running is a gift. Cherish it, respect it, learn from it, and love the hell out of it.