Running Update!! (10/2/26):
Hello, everyone!! To start off, I guess I owe an explanation for where I’ve been this past summer. When I posted my first running update, I thought that I would post at least one more before the end of summer. However, as this summer ended almost as quickly as it began, I still had not been able to condense my thoughts and feelings into a coherent update. So, here we are!
I am proud to say that, for the most part, I have successfully stuck to the training plan that I set out to complete, even during times of stress and on days when the last thing that I felt like doing was going out for a run.
At the end of June, I decided to stop drinking alcohol again, this time for good. I really do believe that this has helped me tremendously, not only with my training but also with my mental health. Processing the emotions of the past year have been difficult, and in an attempt to deal (or rather, not deal) with these emotions I would turn to alcohol, and in turn it would turn me into the worst version of myself.
Thankfully, this pattern finally came to a head and I realized that I simply cannot be that person anymore. Instead, I am on the path to becoming the person that I truly want to be, someone that my dad would be proud of. And on November 1st, I will be running the TCS New York City Marathon knowing that I have given this training cycle my very best.
On one of my recent long runs, I was listening to Taylor Swift’s “Labyrinth,” which includes the lyrics, “uh oh, I’m falling in love. Oh no, I’m falling in love again.” As I looked around, I realized that I, too, am falling in love again. I’m falling in love with life again.
For the longest time, it was like I was seeing the world through gray-colored glasses. Finally, little by little, I am starting to see splashes of color again. I’m nervous even writing this because I don’t want this feeling to be yanked away from me again. I cannot express how grateful I am to running for allowing me to heal in ways that nothing else could have. I feel close to my dad when I run, and I know that he is proud of me wherever he is. He was always so supportive of my running because he knew how beneficial exercise and being outdoors can be, not just for the body but for the mind, too.
The next month is going to be tough both mentally and physically. I’ve always told people that once your long runs consistently start to exceed a half marathon, that’s when training really starts to test you. Even as I said that I forgot how excruciating and all-consuming it actually is. As race day approaches, I’ll most likely be ghosting everyone while I focus on the miles and keeping myself in the right headspace. It won’t be fun, but it is something that I have to do.
Finally, I want to express how incredibly grateful I am of everyone who has donated to or shared this fundraiser. This has been such a meaningful and successful experience because of each and every one of you, and I truly cannot thank you enough. For those of you that have donated, it will be your money that go toward CPR training, research programs, and initiatives that may one day rid the world of heart disease and stroke. That may sound a little idealistic, but it’s a perspective that I am trying to embrace. I want to believe in the possibility of a better future, even when life gives us reasons not to.
Every contribution is a small part of something much bigger, and you should be proud of the role you’ve played in supporting such an important cause
Until November 1st!
Running Update! (6/8/26):
And just like that, the first long run of marathon training is done, and the road to NYC has officially begun!
Yesterday, I ran 5 miles with the Richmond Sportsbackers Marathon Training Team. It was a nice in-and-out route to start the season, but boy did I feel every mile.
I had been doing some pre-season running and strength training since you have to build a certain level of fitness before you even attempt to work toward a marathon. Although I really took an interest in lifting weights, I found myself struggling to find joy in completing my runs. It’s so easy to get caught up in all of the information available to us online about running — the best ways to train, improving your pace, nutrition, recovery, zone 2 cardio, etc. — and seeing as though this will probably be my only chance at running NYC, I tried to consume and incorporate all of it into my training. I think I started to really get fatigued by all of the noise and lost sight of just running for fun.
Another huge thing that I’ve been struggling with is, of course, losing my dad last October. A couple of weeks ago, I was looking back at the last messages I had sent him and remembered that he was the first person I would text or call after a long run or to update about my progress. Now that I don’t have that anymore, I’ve been struggling to maintain motivation. So yeah, I would be lying if I said that I’ve been doing great since last year. Actually, I’ve been really struggling as I’ve been left learning how to cope with everyone and everything moving forward while I’ve been stuck in a single moment in time grappling with the fact that my father, who I’ve known since birth, is not a conscious person on this earth anymore. The feeling of emptiness and pain even when I am doing things that I previously enjoyed, the feeling of isolation like there is a glass wall between me and everyone else, makes it tough to imagine one day feeling any different. That coupled with turning 29 this year has had me really thinking about how finite our time here is.
But today, if only for a brief moment, I was able to feel some semblance of who I was before my whole life was turned upside down. I was able to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I felt excitement to start working toward a goal again — a goal that will culminate in the experience of a lifetime. I feel a renewed sense of purpose and a strong sense that my dad is proud of me, even if from afar, out of bounds. I feel hope that things will get better.
Here is to hope.
Hello, all!
I am excited to announce that I will be running the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon with the American Heart Association's Team Heart & Stroke.
This race is especially meaningful for me as I will be running in honor of my dad, John Provost, who passed away from a heart attack last October. He was probably the biggest supporter of my newly found interest in running. It breaks my heart that he never got to see me cross the finish line of my first marathon. He continues to inspire me to do hard things every single day.
As part of Team Heart & Stroke, I have commited to raising $6,000 to support the American Heart Association's work to fund lifesaving research, education, and programs that fight heart disease and stroke while simultaneously help people to live longer, healthier lives.
If you feel inspired to support me in this cause, I would be grateful for any contribution. Just as meaningful would be to share this page.
Thank you again for being a part of my journing as well as supporting the American Heart Association if you so desire. Your contribution is greatly appreciated.
