"Running is a road to self-awareness and reliance. You can push yourself to extremes and learn the harsh reality of your physical and mental limitations or coast quietly down a solitary path watching the earth spin beneath your feet."
You really never know how strong you are until being strong is your only option. In 2013, I was put to the biggest test of my lifetime. My father was battling a losing fight with cancer, and this was the first experience that I have ever had with losing someone you truly love. In my emotional struggle to stay sane, daily rigorous workouts became my lifeline. My father passed away in March 6, 2013, and my husband, David, and I took the first chance we could to escape to California. It was in California that my husband and I decided to explore the idea of competitive running. I have always been interested in challenging, new athletic endeavors. The list I have attempted so far ranges from the flying trapeze to skydiving. I enjoy the adrenaline rush that you get the moment before you take that first step into the unknown. In order to set a goal for ourselves, David and I signed up to compete in the half marathon event of the 2013 Baltimore Running Festival. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could endure 13.1 miles of running on an open road. However, in true Laura fashion, a sporadic idea turned into a crazy new path in my life, and I am now a competitive runner...and I am loving every minute of it.
