In 2018, while on an exchange program in Honolulu, Hawaii with my girlfriend, Bree (we've now been together for 7 years), I would frequently go on morning walks around downtown to explore the area and enjoy the beauty of the island. I would often see people jogging through the streets and running along the concrete path next to the ocean. I always thought it looked enjoyable; however, I played sports growing up...where the only time we ran was for punishment. Like most people, I always had a distaste for running and cardio exercise. 

 

At the time, I had never run more than a mile in one continuous effort. But I decided I would try it out. I put on my old worn-out gym shoes and headed out the door. I started my watch and took off running as hard as I could. I stopped when my watch hit the first mile. I was sweating, out of breath, and everything hurt. I thought to myself, "People do this for fun??? I'm never doing this again." I turned around and walked back home.

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Something inside told me I had to keep trying... so I decided to try it again the next day. And the next day. And the next. For the whole first year of running, I didn't go more than 4 miles at any given time. Most days it was simply 1-2 miles. I would run as hard as I possibly could the entire time. I thought every run was supposed to be a suffer-fest. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. But I kept at it. Around the same time, I picked up David Goggins' first book. If you've read his book or know who he is, you know that I was ready to run through a brick wall.

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For the last 4+ years, I have been continuously learning, working, and striving to be a better runner. I have since ran several half marathons, marathons, a 52-mile ultramarathon, and qualified for the coveted Boston Marathon.

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Even though we may start with little to no experience, we can all learn and improve. All it takes is some dedication, hard work, and patience. 

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Now I strive to get Stronger, run Faster, and go Farther every day.