Mission
Years ago, I started dreaming about a space where I could encourage and connect with athletes. Though social media can be a great resource, I wanted a place to dive a bit deeper with my words. Creating a website and blog was a clear means to do both: to write and unite.
Why? Because sport is hard. My running career thus far has shown me both peaks and valleys, and I’m still learning to navigate every season with grace. But one thing I know: I couldn’t do any of it without the support and inspiration I’ve received from others. My aim for this site is to pay it forward to you, to share stories, resources, lessons I’m picking up along my journey and, most of all, to be real in the messiness of pursuing dreams. I deeply hope you leave feeling uplifted and knowing — whatever you’re going through — you’re not alone.
Behind the Name
So what is “Running with (He)art”? I became drawn to the concept of “(He)art” while cross-training a few months after my ACL surgery in 2016. I was staring at the heart rate screen, and realized the word “heart” has two beautiful component parts: “he” and “art”. “He” refers to God, and human beings could be considered His greatest work of “art”: (He)art. He made us the epitome of Creation, called for freedom, joy and purpose.
As an athlete, I strive to fully embody this truth of who I am. Yet, sport often makes it difficult. There’s injury, disappointment, the unexpected and uncertain. There’s fear, anxiety, doubt, loneliness, and shame. I’ve often found myself wondering, “How can I be free, joyful, and purpose-filled in the face of all these barriers?”
Here’s what I’m learning — the very struggles “holding me back” in sport can actually unlock my potential. In fact, the Latin word for “heart” is “cor”, which is the root word of “courage” — persistence in the midst of fear, grief, or pain. To “take courage” literally means to “take heart,” and it requires struggle. This isn’t automatic, however; it’s a choice I have to make when met with hardship, to respond not with self-pity, but a humble willingness to grow. If I courageously choose the latter, hardship has the power to reveal where I really am, and what I really need.
In the end, it has shown me that no matter my circumstances or my performance, I am still loved. As a person of Christian faith, I’ve found love is unfailing only in God, through Jesus. Yet wherever you are, know this – it’s your relationships of unconditional love that will ultimately define you and fuel your optimal performance in sport. Hardship has a way of bringing us back to this truth over and over again. Knowing this is freedom and joy, and it allows us to find a purpose in sport beyond ourselves.
To embrace this lifelong process of struggling and growing into who we’re made to be, is to run with (he)art. Here’s to doing that, together!