People often ask me, “Why do you run?” and I respond with “Why don’t you run?” In many ways running has always been a big part of my life. When I was in high school, I was always seen as a fast kid. I was on the cross-country, track, and soccer teams. In my junior year of high school, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor after I had had an accident on the soccer field. And so what did I do when I first heard this? I asked my parents to drop me off at the track field, and I ran until I couldn’t run anymore. After undergoing brain surgery and follow-up therapy, I was told there was a great possibility that I would never be normal again.

My recovery was rough. I couldn’t do things I once took for granted. I couldn’t walk, was bound to a wheelchair for six months, had aggressive physical therapy, and was trying to retrain my brain to move my legs again. In addition to my walking abilities, there were other things I couldn’t do such as button my shirt, speak properly, or remember things. I worked tirelessly try to build up the strength to stand and then walk around for a couple of seconds before my legs would give out. After a year of therapy, I tried to run again, and I’ll never forget this particular run because I made it halfway down the block, felt like everything was loose in my brain, and started vomiting.

Fifteen years later I feel very blessed to be living a normal life. I ended up stumbling upon “Marathon Woman” training for my first marathon. I felt so inspired that one person could do so much to change the world and open a new path for women’s running. I find myself constantly quoting or sharing Katherine’s book with fellow runners. Running for Team 262 Fearless is like a dream come true for me!

I’ll end my story with one of my personal quotes that I use with family, friends and patients: “Sometimes we must fall before we can learn to walk again. If we never challenge ourselves, how will we know what we are capable of accomplishing?”