I can't believe I'm here.

If you had asked me three years ago if I would even consider running a marathon, I would have laughed before launching into myriad reasons why running is not for me and never would be. And yet here we are, three years (and one pandemic) later and I am actually going to run the Boston Marathon next year.

After beginning to run (or run/walk/stand and wonder why everything hurts) in December 2020/January 2021, I was really only interested in seeing the slightest bit of progress with each successful run. First I was happy I was able to run a mile without stopping, then my daily runs became 2 miles, then I was able to do a 5K! And after that I got injured because I was running every day... the all-or-nothing mentality of the addict strikes again.

Seeing my results improve gradually was enough for me when I was running alone, but I really began to appreciate the power of physical exercise and running specifically when I showed up at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir one cold January day in 2022.

On my first day at a Boston Bulldogs run I was welcomed in warmly, and
so began a journey that has, without any hyperbole, saved my life and offered me a life beyond anything I could have imagined. Running with the Boston Bulldogs has been totally life-changing for me in so many aspects (health, social, wellness, recovery), and now I feel like I need to give back to the group that offered me hope and a future.

I am running with the Boston Bulldogs to hopefully spread a little awareness of the transformative power of showing up, being transparent about how things are going, and putting in hard work with a group of like-minded individuals. It is my sincere hope that all who need it are offered the opportunity to find the Bulldogs or something like it, because as Coach Mike Ferullo says "in isolation we suffer; through connection we heal." I am no longer isolated and have been able to heal because of the Boston Bulldogs, and for that I am forever grateful.