Run.

“You don’t need a reason, you need a road. Believe in the run” - Nike

One of the many things I love about running, is that it’s completely up to you. You control your speed. You control your mind. You can completely let go, and just go.

I discovered the feeling of how freeing it made me feel back in college when I started runs before and after class to help me clear my head, energize, and de-stress. Now, I run races in New York City’s beautiful breathtaking Central Park. I’ve beat some of my own records and I’m constantly setting new goals to surpass. Running has provided me with an outlet to escape whatever clutter is inside my head, it fills my veins with energy and I have this sense of calm and peace that last long after I return home.

The most meaningful races I ran were the LiveStrong Challenge and the ABC Father’s Day Race for Prostate Cancer. My dad is a survivor, and he inspires me in many, many ways. He’s a yogi, he surfs, he believes in the goodness in life, he’s the best father and he and my mom have shown me what it means to be kind, honest, and nurturing. I am forever thankful to my parents for always showing me a life of love. So when I ran these races the year my dad battled through cancer, and had such a positive energy the whole time, I ran those races for him. He never compained, he never showed a sign of faltering belief, he remained strong and even laughed about it. I cried as I was running and knew I could not stop, I could not slow down. Because my dad didn’t stop, he didn’t slow down, he didn’t let anything get him down. The following autumn we went to Hawaii and went hiking in the rain forest, surfing in Waikiki, and island hopping. And then we did it all again the next year, with more surfing, more island hopping, and more hiking. Having my dad as my fearless travel buddy was the coolest. He inspires me to run without hesitation, without fear for the unknown. He inspires me to never give up. To always believe in myself. When I lace up my kicks and head to the pavement, or when I’m running barefoot in the sand, I don’t think about where I’m going. I don’t think at all. I just run and take in the beauty of the world around me.