Isolina De La Cruz

My Running Journey with Luv

Three years ago, I didn’t think I could run. To be fair, I had never really tried. I just told myself running wasn’t for me. Somehow, I believed that anyone who ran—let alone completed a marathon—must have been born a runner. And at that point in my mid-thirties, running felt out of reach.

I remember in 2019, two of my friends at work were training for the NYC Marathon. The idea of preparing for something so intense completely blew my mind. They kept inviting me to join them and encouraging me to run, but I never accepted because I didn’t think I could. In hindsight, joining friends already deep into marathon training probably wouldn’t have been the best starting point anyway.

Fast forward to 2020, during quarantine—I was tired of just eating and drinking and decided to start working out over Zoom. When the gyms reopened, I joined one and began working out consistently. Then, a friend invited me to run a 5K. It felt like a big leap.  Going from being mostly sedentary to transforming my habits and my body gave me a confidence boost, so I said yes. I told my friend, “I’ve never run before. How am I supposed to go from not being able to run for two minutes to finishing a 5K in three weeks?” My friend gave me some tips, and three weeks later, I ran my first 5K. I was over the moon! I was on such a high after the race that I said out loud, “I think I can run a marathon.” My friend immediately said, “Bet. Here’s what you need to do if you want to run the NYC Marathon.”

That was October 2021. I joined NYRR and, in 2022, completed the 9+1 program to secure a guaranteed entry for 2023. Fast forward to the summer of 2023—I began marathon training. I had a fantastic training cycle. The energy and hype around NYC were incredible, and on race day, I had the best experience. Family, friends, and the entire city came out to cheer. Once the race was over, I was on a high for weeks. I couldn’t wait to do it again. Shortly after, I signed up for my second marathon in one of my favorite cities—Paris. I had another successful training cycle and race. Then, I ran the NYC Marathon for the second time.

I never thought I’d be running marathons, let alone more than one. I never considered whether that first marathon would also be my last. Now, I feel like I’ll keep going as long as my body allows. I hadn’t even heard about the Abbott Six Star program until last year, but here I am, in the process of earning my second star. More than that, I want to keep running. I want to run in cities I love, cross places off my bucket list, explore beautiful destinations, and enjoy the journey every step of the way.

Thank you to all the friends and strangers who have supported me on this journey. I can’t wait to continue sharing it with you. 

Luv,

-Iso