From Mental Block to 10 Miles

Back in January 2025, I began training for my first long-distance race. At the time, I was still in physical therapy for what felt like forever and I had hit a plateau. More than anything, I had developed a mental block. I was in constant pain, frustrated, stuck in a cycle that I didn’t know how to break. What’s worse, I wasn’t seeing the progress I wanted, and it started to take a toll on me mentally just as much as physically. Then, something shifted.

I started seeing videos from the RunDisney Marathon races, and for the first time in a while, I felt something different. I felt empowered. Watching people cross those finish lines, push through their own struggles, and accomplish something so big made me realize exactly what I needed: a challenge. A big one.

The furthest I had ever run in my life was a 5K… when I was 12. So naturally, I set my sights on the RunDisney Springtime Surprise 10-Miler. The catch? I only had three months to train. It sounded a little crazy, which is exactly why I wanted it so badly. The first step was getting permission. My physical therapist had already encouraged me to move more and start incorporating running, but training for a 10-mile race is a completely different story. One early morning at physical therapy, my favorite time to go, I asked, “Can I run a 10-mile race?” Their approval meant everything. I knew how much I wanted this, but I also knew the last thing I needed was another injury.  So when they said, “Yeah, go for it,” I was equally shocked and thrilled. And just like that, my training began.

Before my surgery, I was really into weightlifting. I spent so much time in the gym and had built a lot of strength. But running? Training for endurance? That was a completely different world. Enter my coach. Yes, his name is literally just Coach. Not a literal fairy godmother, but pretty close. Coach is incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to fitness. What started as me asking for tips on how to train, what my weekly split should look like and how to fuel my body, quickly turned into something much bigger. Sunday morning long runs. Structured strength training. Accountability.

I suddenly had someone pushing me to become the best version of myself. Coach became my “fairy godfatha” (he’s from New York, so it fits). Since I didn’t register for the race in time, I had to find another way in. That’s when I signed up through a charity, AdventHealth. It felt like everything had come full circle, considering that’s where I had been doing my physical therapy since the start.

Running started to change everything for me. It eased my anxiety and even helped reduce my back pain. I took training seriously. Coach had one major goal for me: run 10 miles twice before race day. And we did exactly that. Training wasn’t easy. There were days I didn’t want to show up. Runs that didn’t go as planned. Moments where I questioned if I could really do this.

One of the most memorable days was when Coach and I ran two miles straight without stopping. That might not sound like much, but for me, it was huge. Especially because when I run with Coach, there are rules: if I want to walk, I have to pause my fitness watch. If we’re running a certain distance, we’re running that distance. No shortcuts. That first two-mile stretch felt like a breakthrough. Despite all the training, I made sure not to lose myself in the process. I still spent time with friends and made room for a social life. Balance mattered.

 My final long run before race day was another 10-miler. We started at 5 AM, before the sun came up and even spotted a wild boar along the way. It was one of those moments that felt surreal. The best part? Finishing that run and heading straight to a Yankees spring training game for a hot dog, beer, and ice cream. The perfect recovery.

One month before race day, I officially completed physical therapy. It was bittersweet, I had grown so close to everyone there, and walking away felt emotional. But I was leaving stronger, both physically and mentally. Running had helped shift my mindset, and that carried into every part of my recovery. Those three months flew by. The 5 AM workouts. The Sunday long runs. The physical therapy sessions. Every single moment was leading up to this. Race day.

If you’ve never experienced a RunDisney race, it’s hard to fully explain. It’s magical. People run in full costumes, many homemade, and the energy is unreal. The theme was Mrs. Incredible, and I knew exactly who I wanted to be: Elastigirl, before she was Mrs. Incredible. Not just because it fits the theme, but because she’s strong, resilient, and let’s be honest, a total badass. Standing there, ready to race, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time: Ready. Capable. And most importantly… excited.