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Brianna Van Orden never thought of herself as a runner. Growing up in a rural town in Vernon, New Jersey, her days were filled with tennis and martial arts—not long-distance miles. But when she moved to Boston for Northeastern University’s demanding Doctor of Pharmacy program, everything changed. Surrounded by a new city and a new routine, many of the hobbies that once grounded her faded away.

McKenzie Ward’s running journey didn’t begin with confidence—it began with a challenge. In March 2025, just a few months into her weight loss journey, McKenzie set a goal that once felt impossible: run a 5K. She still remembered struggling to complete a single mile in high school gym class, unsure if she’d ever be capable of going farther.

For Sayuri Lopez, running began with a life-changing moment. After undergoing a lobectomy and losing half of her right lung, everything shifted. What once felt like “maybe someday” dreams suddenly became urgent, meaningful goals. The experience forced her to reflect—not on what she had done, but on everything she still wanted to do.

Lily Wetherington didn’t start running for competition—she started running to heal. Living in Hope, Maine, Lily was navigating anxiety that brought on heart palpitations and tachycardia. Searching for a way to cope, she turned to running—not knowing it would transform her life in ways she never imagined.