Why I Decided to Run A Marathon

How It Started vs. How It’s Going 👆🏻

As you may know if you’ve been following me on Instagram or Facebook, I am running a marathon this fall. What you may not know is why I’m doing it THIS year in particular.

The Journey Started 10 Years Ago 

On December 10, 2011 I crawled through an emergency room door with a racing heart experiencing what would come to be the first of two heart attacks – and just one month apart. I was only 26 year old.

I had been a vegetarian for a decade, a runner with no lifestyle risk factors and had just begun training for my first half marathon (13.1 miles). I never expected this to happen and yet it did.

I’ve since dedicated myself to the American Heart Association, including sitting on the board in two cities, telling my story as much as possible in the hopes it will help spare one more person from experiencing what I have.

Forward Progress

Since that fateful December day, I have completed not one, but seven half marathons and am upping the ante this November as I run my first full marathon (26.2 miles) to celebrate my 10 year anniversary of heart health.

This marathon is not just about me, but rather bringing attention to the fact that heart disease can affect ANYONE. I am proof of that, which is why it’s even more important for everyone to know their risk factors (family or lifestyle) and mitigate them as much as possible. 

How You Can Support

I’ve got just about six weeks of training left and while I am running, I hope you will join me in supporting AHA’s mission with a contribution towards my fundraising goal of $10,000 in honor of my 10 years of heart health.

I hope no one has to follow the path I have crawled, walked and (eventually) run and your support of AHA’s research, awareness campaigns and community outreach programs will help make that a reality.

Thank you in advance for your support. You can continue to follow my training leading up to the race on my Instagram @ChanningMuller.