Hello! I am from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania currently working full time as an occupational therapist. When I am not working, I enjoy traveling and training for running marathons. I decided to combine my two passions to create a positive community full of inspiration, motivation, and advice.
Fun fact I bet you didn’t know is I didn’t start running until after I graduated college. I was always a competitive distance swimmer growing up and through high school. As I got older, finding time and a pool made swimming harder and harder to do.
I started running to try something different and for the convenience. I hated it for the longest time! I couldn’t run one mile without walking. But I never gave up! I continued to run, invested in good shoes, and began to find the joy in the sport. I ran my first marathon 3 years later! I was running 2 marathons a year for several years. I slowed down in recent years but never backed away from my running journey. I will be running my 10th marathon in October!
I can thank running for curing your anxiety disorder ((….while also still seeking other help 👩⚕️))
Anxiety, along with many other mental illnesses, is beyond paralyzing. You can’t breathe, you can’t sleep, you don’t feel free to be you, and sometimes you can even leave your home. Iykyk. And if you don’t know, please count your blessings because you’ve been given a gift.
I have battled anxiety most of my life. It has its worse seasons and best seasons. Ultimately I have grown into an incredibly strong woman who now has the tools to manage her anxiety. One of the many tools I use is running. Distance running (just like distance swimming used to be for me) is a place of peace and comfort for my soul. Being alone in my mind for hours at a time allows me to sort through all the “junk”, solve problems and brainstorm. At the end of my long runs, I reach a truly meditative state in my mind that’s unmatched.
While anxiety is difficult to navigate, it is part of my personality and allows me to be an amazing OT, runner, travel planner, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and the list goes on and on. I wouldn’t wish anxiety on anyone. However, I am proud of who I am, the growth I have made over the years and the community I have built who support and love me for who I am 💕
Come join me on this adventure! Let us support each other as we continue on this running journey!
The Traveling Runner 