There’s a Runner in All of Us
The greatest feats in life all involve one thing, moving forward.
In everything we do, there are obstacles, distractions, and noise that get in the way of our true selves. I call all of that Hooplah.
Until we push through the Hooplah, we can’t truly understand who we are meant to be. Sometimes that process begins with one mile, one kilometer, one small walk, one step.
The Moment That Changed Everything
October 12th, 2019. Like millions of others scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled across a video that stopped me cold.
It wasn’t an NFL highlight or a silly meme, it was something entirely different. A tall African man, surrounded by all nationalities, running freely and powerfully. There was something about his face, calm, focused, unbothered by the weight of the world, yet clearly enduring an unimaginable test of physical strength.
As he grew larger on the screen, the crowd’s roar intensified. The finish line came into view. When he crossed it, the explosion of celebration was unlike anything I had ever seen, a moment of pure human triumph.
The caption read, “Eliud Kipchoge has broken the 2 hour marathon barrier.”
At that point, my knowledge of marathons was vague at best. But something about that clip stuck with me. In 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 40 seconds, the world changed forever.
The Proof Is in the Pudding
Like any natural skeptic, I wanted to see what all the excitement around running was about. So I started to look closer, and the proof was right there in front of me.
Around that same time, the world faced one of its toughest tests, the COVID 19 pandemic. Life paused. Work stopped. Schools shut down. And in that stillness, many of us, myself included, began exploring new parts of ourselves.
For me, it was running.
Each year since, more and more people have joined the movement. Running clubs, local meetups, social media communities, the sport has exploded in popularity. And it all traces back, in some way, to that single morning in Vienna when Kipchoge made the impossible possible.
The Man Who Started It All
Eliud Kipchoge’s career before that historic sub 2 hour marathon was already legendary. His journey was marked by years of training, injuries, setbacks, missed qualifying events, and reinvention.
One of my favorite moments in his career came during the 2014 Chicago Marathon. It was his first major marathon, his first chance to prove that a former track athlete could still dominate on the roads. And he did just that, with grace, grit, and quiet determination.
My Own Chicago Dream
Inspired by Kipchoge, I have set my own goal, to bring a small bit of excellence to the same Chicago streets that helped launch his marathon career.
In 2026, I will be running the Chicago Marathon, raising funds for the American Cancer Society (ACS), an organization that works tirelessly to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support.
If you would like to help me reach my fundraising goal, please consider donating here:
👉 Donate to the American Cancer Society through my marathon page
If you are also inspired to run for a cause, you can learn more about ACS charity teams and other amazing organizations here:
👉 Chicago Marathon Charity Teams
The Spark That Ignited a Movement
The sub 2 hour marathon wasn’t just a personal victory, it was a cultural spark that set off a global running movement.
Today, you can find runners everywhere, from TikTok creators to local community groups, all sharing the same drive to move forward, one step at a time. The sense of connection, achievement, and self discovery that running brings is unlike anything else.
Finding Beauty in the Struggle
Like Kipchoge, I am learning to find beauty in the struggle, to appreciate every mile, every ache, every victory.
Because when you strip away the Hooplah, what is left is simple, motion, progress, and the incredible feeling of becoming your best self.
One step, one breath, one run at a time.
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