Running, Motherhood, Rewritten

Danielle didn’t grow up running. It wasn’t something she loved early on, or even something she thought she was good at. Like many people, her relationship with the sport has been complicated, shaped by family, body image, motherhood, and long breaks away from it altogether. Today, Danielle focuses on balance, support, and letting goals come when they feel right.

What was growing up like for you? Were you always into sports? How did you get into running?

I had a pretty typical, happy childhood. I grew up in northern Indiana with older brothers. I’m the youngest child, but the only daughter, so I still claim a lot of the “eldest daughter” qualities. I was a bit of a tomboy growing up. I played sports and roughhoused with my brothers, but I wasn’t particularly athletically gifted. I wasn’t very fast, and skills needed for sports didn’t come very naturally to me.

I played volleyball and basketball and ran track in junior high. I really hated track. I wasn’t good at it, I didn’t like my coach, and since I wasn’t naturally gifted, I feel like they kind of ignored me. Like a lot of people, I viewed running as a punishment, not something to be enjoyed. I dreaded the mile we had to run each year in PE, but I usually surprised myself with my ability to complete it.

I didn’t start running until I was almost 20, in 2011. My aunt was visiting and was running a local 5K and talked me into signing up. I had about a week to prepare, and I was shocked by how much I enjoyed the practice runs and the race itself. The cherry on top was beating my brother, who had also signed up. I was hooked from there.

You ran your first marathon in November. What was your goal, and how did it go?

When I signed up, I wasn’t even sure I could finish a marathon. I had just run my third half marathon in 1:50, and I felt that with a solid training cycle I could aim for a sub 4 hour marathon.

Training went well. I hired a local running coach to keep my training on track and in check. I tend to get caught up in what other people are doing online and think I should be running more mileage than my body is ready for.

I ran a half marathon about six weeks before the race and finished in 1:45. That gave me confidence, and my coach and I adjusted my marathon goal to between 3:45 and 3:50.

Race day in Indy had great weather. The first half was uneventful, but my heart rate was higher than it had been in training, and I should have backed off earlier. I went through halfway at 1:52:31. Around miles 14 or 15, things started to feel much harder, and my pace slipped without me realizing it.

The rest of the race was a blur. I finished in 3:51:10. I was happy to break four hours, but still disappointed that I didn’t execute what I felt capable of.

I’m not currently training for anything. I’m still figuring out where I go from here, what my goals are moving forward, and what I want running to look like in 2026.

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What has been the hardest part of your running journey? Are there current struggles you have?

My running journey has been complicated, and I’ve had to navigate away from it and find my way back several times. I think I’m in pretty good company with many other runners, especially women, who have found running as a means to control their body size or have otherwise abused the sport.

In my early twenties, I developed an eating disorder and used running to burn excessive amounts of energy while underfueling. I didn’t end up with any serious injuries, and I’m lucky for that, but I was forced to stop running for a time and didn’t come back to it for several years.

I tried running again in my mid-twenties after restoring weight, but I found myself slipping back into old habits and unhealthy thinking. I got married and became pregnant in 2017, and as much as I wanted an active pregnancy, I wasn’t able to manage that. I ran after my oldest child was born, but I wasn’t consistent enough to reach a point where it felt enjoyable.

I had my second child in 2021 and wasn’t very active then either. I nursed both of my kids into toddlerhood and struggled to make time for myself outside of work and motherhood. I finally got back to running in 2024, working up to a 10K in the fall and a half marathon in the winter. I had a great, consistent 2025, and I’m proud of how I’ve kept things balanced and healthy without going overboard.

My current struggle is the lack of routine now that my big goals are done and there’s nothing new on the calendar. I’m trying to be patient and not rush into another goal without appreciating what I’ve already done.

Is your family supportive of your journey?

My family is incredibly supportive and my husband encouraged me early on when I felt like I needed permission to take time for myself away from my kids. My parents were more cautious, having seen running become unhealthy for me before, but they’re proud of how I’m managing it now without slipping back into old habits.

My husband brings our kids to races to cheer for me and helps them make signs. It’s one of my favorite parts of running.

I also have a very supportive friend group. There are five of us, all moms, and I’m the only runner. They surprised me by traveling to my marathon this fall with signs they made together, finding me twice along the course and again at the finish. That experience really inspired me to show up for the people in my life the same way.

What’s next for you?

I’m not totally sure. I’m going to keep running, and I do feel like I left a lot on the table with the marathon distance, but marathon training is such a commitment that I’m holding off for now.

There is a 5K in early March, and a local running coach is offering drop-in speed sessions over the winter, so I’ll probably attend as many of those as I can and see what happens. I’d like to lower my 5K time, along with my 10K and half marathon. Right now I’m okay with not rushing anything and just doing what feels fun.

You can follow Danielle on Instagram. 

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