Ep. 36: Turning Pain Into Purpose with Six Star Finisher Dorina Carrillo

SPEAKER_00 0:00

So I was like, okay, I'm gonna raise money. And then I was like, well, you need to pick something that you're passionate about. And you know, my mother passed away in 2014 of breast cancer. So I've I've found a team with the Dana Farber Foundation with Harvard University. So they have uh at the time they had about 500 runners and we all had to raise at least$10,000. It was a great fun experience, you know, texting every single person that I know, reaching out to help raise the$10,000, which was a very proud moment for me that I did myself. But the company that I worked for at the time gave me like$4,000, but I raised six on my own. So it was a very cool, you know, claim uh for myself to have reached all that money for a great organization.

SPEAKER_04 0:56

Welcome back to Through Their Stride. I'm your host, Sam Sutton, and today I'm joined by Dorina Carrillo. Darina is a six-star world marathon majors finisher whose journey into running is rooted in something far deeper than just racing. She first laced up around 2012, driven by a desire to do something hard in honor of her mom, who was battling breast cancer at the time. After her mom passed, Darina stepped away from running for a few years, carrying that loss with her. But in 2016, a friend helped her rediscover the sport. And from that point on, running became not just a personal outlet, but a powerful way to give back. And since then, Dorina has raised thousands of dollars for cancer research and has inspired countless others to take that first step into running, no matter where they're starting from. Her story is one of resilience, purpose, and using running as a way to turn pain into impact. And I'm so excited for you to hear it. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to re leave a review on Spotify, share it with someone who could use a little inspiration, and follow or subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode. Let's get into it. All right, welcome back to Through Their Stride, and I am joined by Dorina Carrillo. And Dorina is a six-star world marathon majors finisher. So I am so excited to have Dorina on. Dorina, thank you so much for coming on and for reaching out to me a few days ago. That was that was awesome.

SPEAKER_00 2:23

Of course, thank you so much. You know, one of my fellow uh Sheerrown Houston Marathon ambassador friends, uh, Crystal, reached out to me. I know she had sent it to me a few a while ago, but then I just noticed it and I reached out, and here I am. So I'm so excited to be here and share my story with y'all.

SPEAKER_04 2:39

Yeah, yeah. Crystal was great. She was on uh back in around the time of the Houston Marathon, and she had run it herself. And I she's also an ambassador. So I um I was looking for Houston Marathon style stories at that point, and um she gave me a lot of good of good hints and and people to reach out to. So I was very uh very appreciative of her, but uh and very appreciative that you reached out. I uh you had texted me uh a little bit about your story, um, that you had kind of joined um the running sphere kind of in the mid- the mid-2010s, but um rather me without instead of me telling your story, do you want to tell a little bit about your story to my listeners?

SPEAKER_00 3:20

Sure. So uh growing up, I was never a runner. You know, I used to dance ballet all growing up for like 15 years, so running was never a thing. Uh, did play soccer in high school for a little bit, but you know, just short distances. But it wasn't until 2012 when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, uh, that I decided to like, oh I'm gonna do the Susan J. Comen 5K, you know, to sit in for fun, kind of run, walk with a couple friends. I did it like two, three times, and then I kind of took a break um, you know, after my mother passed in 2014. And then in 2016, I had a very energetic co-worker that she's now one of my best friends ever. And she's even even though she's 20 years older than me, she has more energy than me and anyone I know. And she loves running, she's been a running up her whole life. And you know, she was always trying to, yeah, as a runner, you know, always trying to convert people. And I was like, you know what? You keep insisting, and everybody kept telling her no. You know, Houston is such a large city, it lives in the same side of town, and I was like, all right, if you train me for a half, I'll do it. So she trained me for a half. I ran my first half marathon at the Houston Aramco Houston half in 2017, and then I was like, okay, I'm hooked, I'm doing this again. And then in 2018, I ran my full first full marathon at the Chevron Houston Marathon, and and after that, a group of friends of running friends were like, Oh, we should join like the lottery for New York. I'm like, oh but I don't know what this is about, but sure, let's do it. And I got picked first try. And then my friend's like, what? How did you get chosen? You just run one marathon. When I came back from running New York, which was life-changing, my favorite marathon ever. Um I found out about the about these, and I love to travel, so I was like, Well, what best thing that to run and travel? So I I came back brainwashed, and I was like, We're doing them. So I made him join my team for Berlin because apparently you can have a team, and we got chosen first try. So my two friends and I, we ran Berlin in 2019. So I don't know, like let's this Chicago is helping up. So we entered that one separately. And one of my other friends, Yasinia, her and I got chosen first try for Chicago in 2020. So 18, 19, 20, we we got in our other friend didn't get in. Ronnie, the one that inspired me to run. So, you know, COVID happened, we took a break, we decided to do it in 2022. So, you know, COVID was still a thing. I got, you know, COVID in December of 21, and I was like, you know what? I'm I'm gonna do Boston too, because why not? So I signed up, and you know, that was the Boston doesn't have a lottery, so I was like, okay, I'm gonna raise money. And then I was like, well, you need to pick something that you're passionate about. And you know, my mother passed away in 2014 of breast cancer, so I I found a team with the Dan Farber uh foundation with Harvard University. So they have uh at the time they had about 500 runners and we all had to raise at least$10,000. So it was a great fun experience, you know, texting every single person that I know reaching out to help raise the$10,000, which was a very proud moment for me that I did myself. Uh the company that I worked for at the time gave me like$4,000, but I raised six on my own. So it was a very cool, you know, claim uh for myself to have reached all that money for a great organization. And then after that, you know, like I need to and then I ran Chicago later that year with my friends. And then in 23 I did London. Uh I couldn't find uh cancer. I did one for children with disabilities. Um my friend Monique for some special needs. So I knew like it would be like oh that one's a good one too. And then uh for Tokyo, me and my friend Yasenia ran it uh in 2024, and this one I I got this little baby and I got the the date here, 2024, uh the when I finished it, and I did it for the Japan Cancer Society. So those weren't as much to raise, but you know, it was still like very fun, and you know, doing it for a great cause.

SPEAKER_04 7:46

Yeah, well, I think that's really incredible, you know. Um to you know, to to chase a goal, obviously, and chase the six stars, but to do it to where you're running is not just running for times, running for a goal, it's running to help people along the way and to do something that you're passionate about. Um, when you hit that ten thousand dollar goal for the first time, and as someone who, you know, for me as someone whose mom passed away from cancer back in uh January, you know, that's very moving to me, and it's something that I would love to to do someday. So, but how for you, how did that feel when you were like, oh my gosh, like I actually hit this goal and I'm I'm making a difference with my running?

SPEAKER_00 8:29

Yeah, like I I couldn't even believe it myself that like I was able to do it because you know, yeah, I've done like a fundraiser here and there, but nothing like to this magnitude and for it to be the first one that I did. So when I did London, I just rate 3,000 and for Tokyo, like you have to kind of pick yourself, which is like like$1,200 or something. But I I just couldn't believe that, you know, such a you know meaningful cause, because you know, we all have somebody we know somebody that had been affected by cancer. So my recommendation is you know, if you're gonna run for a charity, like pick a charity that is close to you, it's like a better relatable story that people can support you and you know make this contribution. And you know, when you're running, you're not running for yourself, but running for something more than that, and like I'm not fast runner, you know, I could never qualify even if I tried. Uh, but you know, I I give in with all my heart and all my passion.

SPEAKER_04 9:33

So that's so cool.

SPEAKER_00 9:35

That's like my advice to say.

SPEAKER_04 9:37

Yeah. And then also, I mean, when you're running those races, um, and when you're running with that charity kind of on your back, and and you know, that accomplishment on your back, do you kind of feel their spirit, the the people who you are helping, do you kind of feel them with you when you're when you're taking on those marathons?

SPEAKER_00 9:54

Oh, for sure. You know, every time I run, like I get emotional now thinking of it.

SPEAKER_04 10:02

Yeah. That's I mean, yeah, I I all I can I can relate to that for sure. Back in um when when she passed, she passed on January 26th. Um and I was uh signed up for the Austin Marathon, and I was like, you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna run the Austin Marathon like for my mom. And there were multiple moments in that race where I was like, could all feel her with me, and I was like breaking down in tears and just like all man, because she was like my best friend. She was a two-time Boston marathoner. Oh and um she uh she was with the reason that I started running. So like I've always been I always could feel her on my runs, even when she was around, but like it was a big undertaking. So um that's why I wanted to have you on because I I you know I feel like our stories kind of relate in that way.

SPEAKER_00 10:55

Yes, for sure. So you know how it feels when you're running for somebody.

SPEAKER_04 10:58

So yeah, definitely. Um, and then now not only uh do you have that under your belt, but you are going for the legacy half marathons, and that's super cool. So, how how did that kind of come about?

SPEAKER_00 11:12

Well, I'm very goal-oriented. I always like tell like everyone, um, oh, if you do this, you can get this. I was like, okay, what's the next challenge? So, like, you know, this one was a pretty hard challenge to do, but I already did it, so I'm ready for a new one. So, you know, I finished in 2024, and that's when I applied to become a Chevron House and Marathon ambassador. So I was an ambassador for you, you get to be an ambassador for three years, so I was in for 25, and then this past year for 26, and then I'm gonna be my last year as an ambassador for next uh January in 2027. So um when I joined the ambassadors, I found out that there was this legacy program that if you run either the fool or the half at least 10 times, you you become like it has like a special wall, and you get a special vib, and I'm like, I'll just want, you know, and I feel like I'm even though I've done nine marathons and 15 halves, like I feel like I can do a half like till I'm like really, really old. Like that's my goal, so I can keep doing this one forever. I don't know if I can do a full marathon when I'm 95, hopefully, but you never know. So um, I feel like it would be a fun challenge. I've done a couple of them already. So this year was number six, so I got like four more to go. And I feel like you know, being from Houston and having started my running journey in Houston, it would be like a nice place to be a legacy runner for this half marathon in in the city that you know gave me all my love and passion for running.

SPEAKER_04 12:49

Yeah, that's awesome. That's amazing. Um, I actually have a friend who was on this podcast when it in its first few episodes, and he's a legacy marathoner for Houston. Um he served all oh man. I don't know if it was I can't remember now if it's the army or marines, and now I feel bad about that. But um he he would come back like when he was deployed and would take his like vacation his PTO.

SPEAKER_00 13:17

Oh, just to run the marathon.

SPEAKER_04 13:19

He has to come run the Houston marathon every year, and he was like, Houston's a I hear is a wonderful experience.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

Yes, and then like um it's such a flat course, so a lot of people can PR and you know qualify for any make marathons, and the weather, you know, usually Houston is really hot, so usually in January is like kind of cold week. Yeah, and so you can you know really do well and and do your personal best uh for these traces. So if you haven't done Houston, you know it's a great, you know, easy route because it's flat. I would say it's our our best sellout. Uh but also, you know, having done my first half marathon 2017 and how it is now, almost 10 years later, and how much it has grown in the energy. And you know, being an ambassador, like I'm so proud of how much it has grown and how many people want to join. Like this past year, like it's sold out like the fastest it ever has. Even the 5K, you know, I've been able to participate in the 5K on Saturday, and and it's just like so much, like many people how much it has grown. And you know, the going to the expo is always really fun and good energy, and it's just so much bigger now than it used to be. So it's almost up there, close to you know, one of the majors. So it's getting there. So I love Houston and I love being an ambassador and like talking about this race in my city.

SPEAKER_04 14:51

So yeah. Houston, we my first marathon was supposed to be Houston uh back in 2023. Um, and my friend and I were gonna run it together, and we uh we signed up. Well, we registered for our Airbnb before we signed up for the marathon, and it was like late December, and I was like, Oh, we'll be fine. And then like a week later, we tried to register for Houston, and it was already sold out. And I was like, Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

Yes, I know it's just crazy how much it has changed uh of like as it like like 10 years ago, how it was and how it is now. I actually ran my second full Houston in 2023. So I've only done the full twice, and I've done the half six times, the Houston one. So it's just very fun and good crowd, because that's you know, like run running, you need a crowd cheering me on to keep going. So Houston's a good place.

SPEAKER_04 15:48

Awesome. All right. And then talk a little bit more about you and and your running journey. So when you when you started running, um, what for you was that experience like? What kind of hooked you into running? Um, you said you had run the half marathon, and that kind of was a big, you know, and and full marathon, and that kind of helped, you know, you get into it. But what did you love uh about running when you started?

SPEAKER_00 16:12

Well, it I feel like having a friend there with you that has some experience that can be like, oh why am I feeling this way? And like, oh, that's normal. Like, oh okay, oh this for this, do that. Just having a friend to like cheer you on. Like, I I personally have never been one of those people that joined all these run clubs. I know they're like super popular, and I've done a few here and there just for fun for certain events, or you know, or being an ambassador for the show records of my marathon. I've done a couple, but I just like to have like my board friends that we're kind of the same pace and we can all push each other. Um, you know, I've run with some wonderful ladies. Um, then the fun thing is like we're all like different ages and like different stages in our life. So we all can like share something for each other, you know. Like one of my neighbors is also part of our little running club that we get together sometimes. But I just feel like having a little cheerleading partner to get you going because you we all get kind of lazy sometimes. So, like, oh well, I said I was leading somebody, so that I encourage you. So my friend really encouraged me, like, I promise you you want more. And then now I made her do a challenge. So she just uh did Tokyo this year, so she's a five-star finisher, so she's got Boston left. And then my other friend that you know I they were all jealous of me for getting in first try. Um, she is doing uh London in a couple of weeks, so she'll be a star five finisher too. So it's kind of like the the teacher, like the coach, then yeah, the student then becomes the coach. And then like I'm the one that's done more, then I'm the one that has pushed my my own friend that convinced me to do it, so I convinced them to do more. So I just love that story. When me and my friends have me run a couple of them together, and then I inspire them to do part of this challenge too.

SPEAKER_04 18:17

Yeah, all right. I love that because it's you know, what like you said, you know, when you get into running at first, you don't know like what it feels like. You're like, I'm gonna run three miles. I've never run three miles before, I've run around, I'm gonna run a half miracle, you know, as you go further up, and you're like, this is you know, if if you're it's just if you're just doing it alone, you're like, I don't know if I can do this. But if you're running with somebody and you're like kind of trail tracking the paces together, you're like, wait, no, I can it hurts, but it hurts for her too, or him too. And you're like, I can, you know, I can do this. And then of course it gets easier as you go on, and then you get to kind of like start sharing the sport a little bit and start inspiring others. So I think that's that's one of the best parts about running, is that how we grow the sport is through community and then through inspiration.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

For sure. Then like it's funny how like my friend convinced me to run. So now I try and convince others to run. And this is nice seeing how they went from a 5k to a 10k to a half. So like, oh my god, I'm so proud of you that you're actually passionate about it too. And you know, as being an ambassador, like, oh, come to this event, and then they make coming and they're you know getting acquainted with more runners in the community. So, you know, being an ambassador has also been a great way to meet more people that share this love and passion for running. And then even though we all are, you know, we're all different, you know, we all have different paces, but that love and community is always there. So that's one of my other favorite things about you know being an ambassador, being part of this Houston running community.

SPEAKER_04 19:53

All right. No, I think that's so great. I think it's it's seems like all of you, the Houston ambassador, have incredible stories. Because um, you know, Crystal, and then I talked to Sarah Amex um about team up ago, and her story was awesome as well. So I'm like, y'all have y'all have like a powerhouse team over there.

SPEAKER_00 20:13

Yeah, we're we're very lucky. We have a great team, and you know, they've done a great job of like having this connection for us and like having these times for us to share our stories, to support each other, these communities. So I'm just so proud and so thankful that I've been able to be part of the Chevron Samarathon Ambassador like group. And and even though, you know, we all kind of graduate, this is like my senior year, so I'm excited to when the announcement of the new ambassadors are going to be, so we can, you know, welcome them like we were welcomed and encouraged and empowered, like we've been. So I just can't wait and see who was going who's next on the list. So we can share them with you so you can feature them too.

SPEAKER_04 21:00

Definitely. Awesome. And then for you, for uh when you're training and and you're taking on these goals, um what uh what do you how how is it like around your life and when you're running, um, when you and when you're training for these big marathons, what what do you do to kind of manage your time and balance your balance your time? I always like to ask those questions because like as a full-time person with a full-time job and trying to it's hard. Yeah, training for a marathon is basically a part-time job. So how do you manage it with with training in life?

SPEAKER_00 21:34

Sure. So my boyfriend actually, he's a runner too, but he's like one of those hardcore ones, like she plow dives and it's crazy. Uh, but I'm not that crazy like him. But he has really inspired me to be more disciplined. So he's been like a good coach of like, okay, here's like what you should do, but then it's kind of up to you what you're gonna do. So he has. Helped me manage my time better. I'm kind of a lazy person. I don't like to wake up super early. So we're making sure I make this time to run and then continue to, you know, do your full-time job and also be engaged with your family and invest in them and not be like not present. So still be present, still be with your friends and your family and and stuff to have a normal life. That's why it's important to have friends that are as crazy as you so they can understand and like, okay, we can hang out while we run and then we can have brunch. But then you know, like life goes on. So he has really helped me manage my time better and you know have this like personal goal improvements of like 10 minutes every time for An. So he's he's really done a big help with my time management.

SPEAKER_04 22:55

That's awesome. Yeah, I that's so cool that he's also a runner. Do y'all do y'all ever get to run together? And is that kind of a bonding experience for y'all?

SPEAKER_00 23:03

Well, he's too fast. Well, like those. I I taught him to like do like fun runs. We haven't done one in a while. He actually I encouraged him to do Berlin. So because he had he had qualified to New York, Boston, and Chicago. So he already ran all those three. So he had a great time that he did for the Houston Marathon, I think back in 22. So he was able to use that time. And he ran Berlin last September in 25. And so it was like so cool to also be cheering somebody on for the first time for a full marathon and like finding him and stuff like that, and being in Berlin where I already ran before. So that was a really cool experience. Uh you know, we actually just signed up. We're gonna run the Philadelphia Marathon on November 22nd.

SPEAKER_03 23:53

Nice.

SPEAKER_00 23:54

So I haven't ran a full marathon since Tokyo in 24, so I'm starting to prepare for this new thing, full marathon. You know, what's so crazy is November 22nd is my mom's death anniversary. So wow. Yeah. It'll be her 12th year.

SPEAKER_04 24:16

That's that's incredible. Um and oh that's that's so cool. That's moving to me. Um the training for it, do you kind of like do you are you do you think about her like in this build, or have you started the build yet?

SPEAKER_00 24:31

Uh well, I'm starting to, you know, start, you know, my my last I didn't I went out of town this weekend, so I didn't really run. Uh, but last weekend I did nine miles. I hadn't run that since, you know, January, since I did the marathon, the half marathon. So I'm I'm starting to set up my pace to like maybe like late summer, really focus. And you know, in Houston, Texan, you know, like it's blurry in the summer. That's what you're like, I might have to choose this as my hobby.

SPEAKER_04 24:59

And look at the humidity too.

SPEAKER_00 25:01

Yes. Oh my gosh, Houston. Just I don't recommend it. Uh, but like I said, I'm very goal-oriented, so I have a goal now, so I signed up for this. So November 22nd, here we come, Philadelphia. Back on a full full course again. So good deal.

SPEAKER_04 25:20

I've heard good things about about Philadelphia.

SPEAKER_00 25:22

So uh I heard some good things too. That it's a pretty flat one too.

SPEAKER_04 25:26

So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:28

Hopefully the weather over there won't be like here.

SPEAKER_04 25:31

Yeah. Yeah. You I mean you never know in November, but in the northeast you should get some pretty fair.

SPEAKER_00 25:37

It's late November, so for sure it should not be 100 degrees.

SPEAKER_04 25:41

So yeah. Awesome. Well, cool. And then uh now going into your training and looking back at all the trainings that you did 2024 and prior and all of your uh marathon majors, what are some things that you're looking to change and what are some things that um that it helped that you kind of like lessons learned?

SPEAKER_00 25:59

Yeah, so one of the things that I really enjoyed that I felt that really helped me was you know doing like HIT classes with like the ones that you do, like the treadmill, and then you do strength training. So that really helped me with like the the fast little like segments. Yeah. But then just adding more. So like I'm ready to be committed because you know, I focus on improving my time for the half these past years that I've been an ambassador, and you know, just adding more um even though I'm not going crazy, you know, just even something doable for myself, like something that's doable that's not gonna interrupt my everyday life, but just challenging myself to make the commitment to have more runs during the week and then continue to add the strength training, the Pilates, the yoga, the stretching, and just making sure that you know it's a full thing, not just one. Because that's like something that I've learned that it's like, oh, just just run, you know, there's more than just that, and also like your nutrition and making sure that you're eating certain things to support you know your growth with your goals. So it's all been a learning curve. You know, it's been almost 10 years of of running. So at first it was just more recreational, but now that now I have some real street cred, I kind of felt like really uh do a little bit more. So I'm excited to see like what my new goal, my final time will be. So hopefully I'll be able to do a new PR.

SPEAKER_04 27:32

Awesome. Yeah, and they um the what you said about it being kind of a holistic situation, it's it's whole body. It it's so true. I had um coach Jeff Cun Jeff Cunningham on last week, and he said, you know, it's like the diet is so important, you're like your nutrition being topped off is so important, you know, it's not just you go run, like you know if if you're running all of the time, you're gonna get you're you're only gonna get so fit. Like you've got to put the strength training in, the the stretching in, the yoga. So I think that's awesome. I have I haven't done uh yoga as much yet in Pilates and everything, but um the strength training has been very beneficial for me.

SPEAKER_00 28:14

Yeah, just feel like entering your run so much, like it the like your hamstrings get so tight, and like I mentioned, you know, I used to dance, so like like that losing that flexibility, like it really just really helps you like just come back and like alright, I'm good. It's a good refresh, like reset button. Sure, me. And also like that mental piece. That's all like about mental health as well. So just making sure that you're at peace with yourself, that you're comfortable with yourself. So incorporating that has also with that part piece of in the feeling of a whole wellness, yeah, like mind and body.

SPEAKER_04 28:57

Yeah, that's awesome. What are uh what are some wellness things and some mental health things that you do um they for during training?

SPEAKER_00 29:05

Yeah, like it like a little meditation, like you know, just even if you don't come up with your own, but you know, on Spotify they have a lot of things that you know, like I'm all about you know manifesting and law of attraction. So just make giving yourself those own personal goals that include your mind and well-being, and then incorporating it, you know, with the rest of your plans for for your next race. And you know, so it's it's back to a full, you know, it's a lot more intensity, you know. After mile 16 and 18, you're just like, why am I doing this? So to help with that piece of like, why am I doing this and remind yourself that it's actually like great and that you can totally do it because you've done it before. Because you know, it's it's a mind game, especially towards the end. Like, I've done this before, I can totally do it. You just keep going and the people chewing you on, believing in you always gets you through.

SPEAKER_03 30:01

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 30:03

And I I did want to touch a little bit more on your why and um and what kind of keeps you going in the sport. Um, you've mentioned your mom. Is that kind of your main why? And or or what what is kind of your overall reason for chasing goals and staying in the in the sport?

SPEAKER_00 30:20

I feel like it just brings peace to me because uh you're with yourself for so many hours writing and running and doing everything, and even if you run with a group of friends, you all kind of have your own pace and then you kind of meet again. But I just like why I'm still running is because it's that time you get with yourself, yeah. To really analyze things, and you know, I work in the communication, so I'm very creative. So I feel it's like a big piece of time that I can feel like, oh, I can do this, and then I can incorporate that, and like I've come up with a lot of ideas in the kind of runs I've been on, so it's just I feel like what keeps me coming back to running is that time I get to spend with myself with my thoughts, and it how it refreshes me and empowers me to keep doing something else and just keep running, and and I want others to feel that way, so I just like hey, you know, you should try it, and then like you'll feel this like you're right, like I'll know they'll do more miles. So I feel like that's what you know the feeling I get that I want others to feel too, and I've convinced my family of I've made them like one of those turkey trot runners. So every Thanksgiving for the past like maybe seven years, we do it together, even though they're they're there runners, but one of them has become quite the runner, and he ran a path, and I think he wants to do a full. And my other cousin, she she did her first tankey last year, so I'm just really excited that like you know, my my passion has touched others and they're running too, and they because they feel the same thing.

SPEAKER_04 32:06

That's awesome. Yeah, that's funny because um, so my wife wasn't wasn't a runner when we met, and she was like, you know, she she ran a little bit, but she just wasn't like someone who chased the sport at all. And then the first thing that we did together was uh train for a half marathon. All but when she got into my family, she realized that we were turkey trot. Oh, yeah. Yeah, she was like, all we do is like cook and then sit around at the table. But she was like, I guess running on Thanksgiving is good too.

SPEAKER_00 32:39

But yeah, so I turned my family into that, which I never thought I would ever do that. But my friend, when she encouraged me, like I've been doing it for for 10 years now, so uh it's just so funny that I became those people.

SPEAKER_04 32:54

Yeah. But what you said too, though, about the the mindfulness and in and in being alone with yourself for a long time, I feel like that's one of the reasons I love running, you know. Like I ch I chase times and goals, but like the the main thing is like every time I go for a run when I get back from the run, I'm like, I feel so even if it was a bad run, I'm like, I feel so much better.

SPEAKER_00 33:16

Like I did it, and it just makes you feel good.

SPEAKER_04 33:18

Yeah, yeah. Like, even if I felt bad the entire way, like I'm like, I'll sit down and like during my rest, I'm like, I'm I'm still so glad I went out and did that. Like the whole day of it.

SPEAKER_00 33:29

It was a bad day, but at least I ran and I thought like Renned on Marvin in my straw, so I'm good.

SPEAKER_04 33:34

Yeah, awesome. Well, um, so talk a little bit too uh more about your marathon majors. So I was curious, uh, what what were some of your favorite of the six uh races? And um what were some of the hardest? All right.

SPEAKER_00 33:50

Oh, I uh I got them. Every time I would finish, mom like, oh, you've been placed on this level. So my favorite is New York, even though it was my second marathon in my first major, and even though like I didn't even know it was a major, and I just did it, and that's when I discovered. Yeah, just the vibe and the feeling of the that amount of people everywhere. Yeah, no other marathon is like that, and even though this was back in 2018, like it changed my life. I would love to do that marathon again. Like, if I can give any other marathon, I would do that one. Um, just like every single mile there was somebody cheering you on. Oh, it's so amazing. Number two, Chicago, yeah, very similar vibe, the different neighborhoods and fun. Like it was fun. I had a great time. Number three, I would say, is London. Um it was um there's a lot of people, a lot of spectators, and then you know, like nice, like, oh my god, there's Big Band in almost time, you know, almost there. Uh so that one was really cool. Boston was nice, but it was definitely the hardest. Like that, you know, heartbreak kill, like it really breaks you like, oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 35:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:15

Like I remember because you know, Houston is very flat, so it was very hard to train for it.

SPEAKER_01 35:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:21

And um just I had to like go to my where I used to work. It was like in a building, so go into the parking garage on Sundays and just go up and down a bunch of times, and then I would take these HIIT classes at once wet, and I would put the the incline on the what is it called? The highest level, the uh just uh on the treadmill, yeah, just so I can get that because you know you you can't train for that, you physically cannot, and then there's like some sort of bridge uh here in Houston that you can kind of do it. Then you know there's so many cars, it's not a pedestrian-friendly city, so just try not to die to get blocked over by the car. But that one was definitely the hardest. Berlin was nice, however, when I ran it in 2019, it rained the entire time.

SPEAKER_04 36:15

Oh no.

SPEAKER_00 36:16

So that part was like, um, you know, and then I got like I get a lot of my my muscles get like tight, my calves. So it got like has like a little episode, so then you're in like enough your band and it's writing, so that that didn't make it like a top one for me, but it was my first international one, so that experience was cool. And then um Tokyo, like it I just love Japan and the culture and the food and everything. But I was kind of disappointed, it was not my favorite one, it was my most favorite one, and it was my last one, and I was like, uh, and I felt like it was more than 26 miles, and like, this is more, this is more, you know, and and like and then I felt sick towards the end, so I didn't reach my like tithe goal, so I was mad, and I was like, kind of cool off, and then like you're getting the six heart finished room metal, like yeah, over control. So because of my personal experience of like what happened, like it kind of even though it was this special one, because when I got the medal, it wasn't like my favorite race overall. Yeah, that was with my friends that had to tell me cool off like once she finished, and then she came with me to get my my special medal, but that's my ranking.

SPEAKER_04 37:43

Man, I hear really good things about uh about Tokyo, so that's crazy that it wasn't your wasn't one of the best.

SPEAKER_00 37:50

Um so at least for me, it wasn't my favorite.

SPEAKER_04 37:53

Yeah. Um and then Boston, yeah. I mean, like the hills there.

SPEAKER_00 37:58

It's hard.

SPEAKER_04 38:00

Yeah, I think it's so funny because they say, you know, like for because it's a point-to-point course and because it's like technically net downhill, um, like you can't actually set American and world records there. And I'm always like, yeah, but those hills are brutal. Like, where are the space? Like mile 21 and my like all the Newton Hills, and like like that's just ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00 38:27

I know, and it's like when is this gonna end? Why can't I just like when is it going to be flat again? And then like, oh, I gotta go up one last time, and then that turn at the end, you see it's like this the stoplight, and then you turn right, and then you take a left, and then you can finally see it. It's also kind of like Berlin. You see the Brandenburg Bridge, like, oh, I'm done. Like, no, you got another mile left. Yeah, trying to do that little whoop around to get a shout. But you know, they've all been amazing, they've all been super special, but as for ranking for dirt, yeah. Everybody else has a different ranking. My experience, the weather, how I've personally felt that's my roster.

SPEAKER_04 39:13

Yeah. Well, good deal. Well, um, so after Philadelphia, um, do you plan on running more marathons, more fulls, or uh do you think that might be your last, or what do you think?

SPEAKER_00 39:25

So this one would be my tenth one, my tenth full. I kind of have this goal of doing like maybe 15 fulls and then kind of retiring and just doing halves.

SPEAKER_01 39:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:36

Um, there's a couple that have on my list, like Marine Corps. I have listened to wonderful things about that one. I really want to do Paris. Like Paris is like one of my favorite cities in the world, so I would love to do that one. And then um I'd heard the Big Sur is a really cool one too, and then you can actually do it as a relay, so I feel like it would be fun to do with my friends. But that one, I also heard that Honolulu is a pretty cool one. Um, because you know there's one time limit, and you just get to have fun and like see the beautiful beach and the vibes. In the fifth one, like I would just love to do New York again. Or Chicago, you know, Chicago, New York. I'll be happy to do any other day. Yeah. Oh, if I get the opportunity, I'd love to do those again. But that's fun I want to have, and then some other random uh challenge I I have, and I'm just waiting for my boyfriend and my friends to finish up so they can catch up to me.

SPEAKER_01 40:34

Very good.

SPEAKER_00 40:35

A new challenge. Um, I saw there's one these like six super havs. They're in Europe. Okay. And they also have a special medal, so it's like Lisbon, um what's it called? It's Berlin, too, then uh Prague. Oh, cool. And somewhere in in England, and I can't remember the rest. I'm I'm not there yet. You know, I'm not there yet. Um, but that's my next challenge. And then, you know, become the legacy at Houston. I'm gonna continue to do that forever, hopefully. And yeah, so those are my goals. Uh why running wolves.

SPEAKER_04 41:13

Dang, that's um I didn't know um I didn't know there was a six basically like a six star in in uh Europe from half.

SPEAKER_00 41:22

Yeah, but they're only in Europe, they're only in Europe. Yeah, so they're called super half. So look them up on Insta and you can see them. They have they have a cool big medal too. So I was like, I don't even know how I run into it, you know, like calling me all these different running things that advertised something with a hashtag, or I don't know, but I discovered it like maybe a year or two ago. So I was really focused on on getting this one first. So now that I have it, I need a new medal to chase.

SPEAKER_04 41:51

Yeah, that's awesome. I uh uh and as far as Chicago and New York, I've never done a major yet. Uh I haven't I'd love to, but I think Chicago would be the one that I would want to do before Boston, just because um my mom ran Chicago uh once in '94, I believe. Um and uh she she loved it. She would like rave about that race.

SPEAKER_00 42:16

Yeah, like I said, it's my number two. So good vibes. Goodbyes.

SPEAKER_04 42:20

So she broke that was the first time she ever broke four hours, and so um she was like, Yeah, because that one's a pretty slap one too.

SPEAKER_00 42:28

So you can really do a good personal best.

SPEAKER_04 42:31

Um yeah. I don't know, so I don't know if like the course itself is what she loved or the fact that it was such a good day, but like uh I would love to try to try to that one. Um New York too. Uh I have a lot of friends who live in New York, so it would be cool to like make that a a weekend, but I hear like going through all the five boroughs is oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:50

I mean, and then there are just people everywhere just like oh this and that, and then you'd be like, Oh my god, I'm the Central Park, but I'm not done yet. I saw that six more miles, so it's like uh it's just such a cool yeah.

SPEAKER_04 43:05

All right, I feel like marathoning is kind of like the traveler sport. Like, I feel like like if you're if you're a travel heavy person, if you someone who loves to travel, like you should get into marathons because there are so many beautiful places.

SPEAKER_00 43:20

Yeah, so that's why I decided to combine both of my hobbies and and achieve that goal and inspire my friends and my boyfriend to also do it because I mean he was just good, so he just did them. But I was like, how about you just do other ones? And you can't have medal too. So he's got he's trying to qualify for London and the the Philadelphia one, and then I know that the Tokyo ones really hard to qualify because they only take like a very small amount of foreigners to qualify. I mean, you gotta be pretty much pro. So you most likely would have to just Pay for that charity one. But at least he's gonna try his best to get into London. Because I know it's like super crazy now. I'm just so glad I'm done. Yeah. Because it's so much harder now than it was when I did it just a few years ago, two years ago.

SPEAKER_03 44:19

You're like, I picked that box. I'm gonna know.

SPEAKER_00 44:24

It's changed so much, and like every single one I've done is like more, more, harder, harder. And it's like yeah.

SPEAKER_04 44:31

All like even to even to qualify for Boston is getting harder and harder, like all of the races, like everything is getting faster and faster, and like and then more money to raise too.

SPEAKER_00 44:42

Yeah, I didn't really 10,000. I think it's more now. So yeah.

SPEAKER_04 44:46

And then I was gonna ask about that too. So, what is the process to um to raise money for uh for Boston? How do you choose a charity? And then like um how did you raise the money?

SPEAKER_00 44:58

So there's like windows of when they open up, you know, for the other ones that do have a lottery. If you don't you know get into the lottery, you can do step two, which is uh the what's called the charity piece of it. And you know, I'm just never gonna call it fly, so that was never an option for me. So um, so then there's a website where you can see all the different charities, and then you can see what is their goal, and then they sell up fast. Um, so you've got to make sure that the one that you want to do um is still available, yeah. And then what is their goal? So then they create a landing page for you so you so you can uh raise the money, and people can directly uh uh make the donation and like for then it goes towards you. They make it very easy. Um I must say that the the one for Dana Farber was excellent. They were amazing. They they would send you once you would reach a certain goal, there was a t-shirt and a patch, and you would add your patches to your shirt. Um once you would finish, and then you know, since it was in in 22, like and there was like that hiccup with COVID, they gave us some like 2020 gear that was never used. So that was kind of like a cool thing that they did. But um, even for the London one, you know, being abroad, um, they were very supportive, you know, they create a landing page, they kind of check in on me, like, how are you doing with your goal? Um, everybody does their own style, but I work in communications and community partnerships, so my line of work kind of aligns with this type of setting. So it was not too hard for me, you know. Working cons and made videos for myself, like, oh hi, donate, help me reach my goal. And um my my friends were supportive and very persuasive as speakers yep, make three people do the majors, too. There you go. Uh I'm very pushy and but it but it's for their it's for a good cause, you know. So um I texted every single person on my phone book, and of course I started off with people wrong, people who I know in touch for a similar story, and um also with you know, just connecting with people that could help me connect with more. Like, like, oh well my my company matches, so I'll believe me this much, and my company will match yours type of thing. So that was also very nice. Uh, but also, you know, having people like like you and I shared the story about you know cancer losing our our parents to that, so we're like, oh, I understand. So I'll donate to your cause type of thing. So people can who can relate to it was also something, you know, picking up something that you're passionate about. Because like I remember they had one to fundraise money for for rowing. I'm like, I I've never been involved with rowing, I'm sure it's great. I cannot commit to raising ten thousand dollars for rowing, yeah. You know, like I never wrote, like I don't know anything, I don't know anybody who rows. I can't commit to that one. I have to connect to somebody that is special to me. So that's my advice. Picking one that is something that because you can tell the story better and people can understand why you're doing this. Like because of this, you know, with this whole raising money for awareness and money for cancer, I'm part of the American Cancer Society Gen Now board. And you know, this past year I raised over$2,000 uh being on their board, and so it's this is my second year, and I didn't got an award. I'm like, oh thanks. Uh so you know, I I I'm really passionate about it and yeah, you know, raising awareness and you know, early detections everything.

SPEAKER_04 49:04

That's so great. I I gotta say, like this conversation has really inspired me.

SPEAKER_00 49:09

Um good. I'm long.

SPEAKER_04 49:11

I've been wanting, I've been thinking about trying to raise uh money and uh uh for charity for again maybe like with Boston or something. Um so now I think I'm gonna go try to do it.

SPEAKER_00 49:21

Yes, Dana Farber, that's the one for you.

SPEAKER_04 49:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:25

They usually pick like 500 runners, but you have to commit to doing it because if you don't raise the money, they will charge your credit card. So go why i. They will get the ten thousand dollars, but it's up to you. I mean, you can give it yourself, or you know, you can get money from others um to do it too. So, but if you don't, they will charge your park.

SPEAKER_04 49:50

It will charge you, it is a hundred percent. Wow, but that's that's so cool. So, um, and yeah, I mean that I just wanted to say thank you so much for coming on and for talking about this and sharing it because I know it can be pretty vulnerable to talk about this kind of stuff. So I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 50:08

Of course, and I know even though it's been over 10 years, yeah, like it comes and goes.

SPEAKER_04 50:14

Yeah. Yeah, it's it's it's one of the things for me too, like with grieving my mom, like it I'm just it's still very early in it, and it's like it's every day that I can I think about it, and it's like you know, very heavy on me. But um, you know, it's it's good to know that other people are out there, and I can like you know, you can lean on on people who you who can help, so that's great.

SPEAKER_00 50:40

Of course. Well, thank you for having me in. It's been a pleasure sharing my story, and I hope you know, at least one person can't fire to Right for Charity, and you know, can you know continue their running journey that way too?

SPEAKER_04 50:54

All right. And then before I let you go, I always like to ask uh three rap at least three rapid fires before uh before I let everyone go. So do you mind if I ask you a few questions? So, first off in Houston, what where is your favorite place to run?

SPEAKER_00 51:09

Well, I live in the West U area, which is very close to the Rice University, and then there's that running path that also, if you want to add more miles, you can connect to Burbim Park. And then you can also do some other extensions into um Ellen Parkway that you know the lot of the T-Sune races go through there. So that is my personal favorite one that is also like kind of safe that you don't feel like you're gonna be running a ride car. Memorial park uh is another great one, and they've done a lot of remodels and a lot of extensions that you can do in that area that are also like safe for you to run around there that you want with a ride car. And it's also very scenic. They made it very beautiful, and um a lot of ponds and trees, and it's just you feel like you're not in Houston, like you're escaping somewhere else.

SPEAKER_04 52:01

Awesome. And then what uh when you when you are running and train in training, what is your fueling strategy of choice? All right, my sorry, I can hear the lots of what is your your fueling of choice? What is your like gel?

SPEAKER_00 52:15

Oh, fueling, fueling. Oh, okay. So I like you know, the nun tablets or also the IV uh ones, literally IV ones, those are always good. You know, in Houston in the summer, you gotta have a lot of spot, you know, refuel like a like add some more water or an ice, or sometimes just have to strain up, like get a gator in and like share it, like share it, eat a banana, and to go to like a coffee shop or something. Oh goose. I I've been doing goose for a long time, but I've also tried like plenty of stingers, and you know, I know there's like three more new options now. Like every year there's new options out there, organic.

SPEAKER_01 52:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:56

Whatnot. I haven't tried all of them yet, but those are the ones that I've used for the past 10 years uh that I'm more comfortable with. But I'm always open. If somebody persuades me enough, I'll I'll try something new too.

SPEAKER_04 53:09

Oh, excellent. And then when you are on your longer runs, what do you like to listen to?

SPEAKER_00 53:15

Oh, I have a very specific playlist that I create. It's called the Ultimate and Running Playlist that I constantly update, but it's mainly EDM and uh reggaeton. Those are my two types that it needs to be very upbeat. It needs to be approved by me. Like I can't just be like, oh, Spotify, I don't need any new suggestions today. It needs to be a song that I know that I'm currently enjoying, but EDM is like 75% of it. Like I really like Art of the Big Part of Girl back in my day, so I really like upbeat music. I have some old like uh rap music. I'm not a big fan of this new stuff. I guess it's showing my age and I'm not cool anymore. But I like a mix of those three, like really, really upbeat stuff. I don't really listen to books or anything like that. It's just focus giving me the crazy beats and all the kings.

SPEAKER_04 54:14

And then lastly, if you could give anyone a reason to go for a run today, what would it be? All right. A reason? Alright.

SPEAKER_00 54:22

Oh, just to have fun, you know, like just to clear your mind and just to spend some time with yourself, you know, and just figure out like all these things about yourself that you didn't uh were in there.

SPEAKER_04 54:37

I love that. Well, Dorina, thank you so much for coming on. And um, yeah, this has been this has been very motivating for me, and you've been you've been you are becoming such an inspiration for me. So I'll definitely keep following your journey. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 54:51

So happy to hear that, and thank you. It was my pleasure to be here and to share my story with you and everyone. So thanks again.