Sunday was a journey. The 26.2 miles I ran along the Pacific Coast on California’s Highway 1 made for one of the most challenging marathon courses I’ve ever completed—the Big Sur Marathon. Each mile was filled with not only out-of-this-world beauty but also a series of never-ending ups and downs through the mountains. It all began with a 4am bus ride to the start line and I’ve never been gladder to reach the finish line!
Here are just a few photos from along this amazing course. I couldn’t help but take the time to pause and capture the breathtaking scenery since I was fortunate to experience a corner of the world that many don’t get to see—especially on foot! I’ve also included a Relive of the entire course to retrace my steps!
Relive ‘Big Sur Marathon!’
My journey to Big Sur wasn’t simply to check this marathon off my bucket list. I ran Big Sur to support an incredible organization that’s transforming lives of the homeless each day—Back on My Feet (BoMF). BoMF is currently in 12 cities nationwide (and expanding). I run weekly with the BoMF DC chapter when I’m home and elsewhere when I’m traveling. I’ve seen the impact of BoMF firsthand. They’ve helped almost 7,000 individuals find housing and employment and have more than an 80% success rate. And it all starts with running. Showing up to run at 5:45 a.m. three times a week is a commitment, and volunteer support helps builds the foundation for a successful transformation from homelessness to a new life.
So many supporters have helped me reach the finish line at Big Sur, and I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to each of you—whether you helped me train, offered words of encouragement, or made a donation! To date, generous supporters have donated over $2,500 to my fundraising effort, more than my initial goal! In addition, I was recently awarded a Top 100 Volunteer Grant from Salesforce, which provided an additional $10,000 grant for BoMF based on the hours I’ve volunteered! Combined, these contributions will have a huge impact on the organization. Thank you again! If you’d still like to donate, it’s not too late. Head on over to my fundraising page by May 15th. I’m less than $100 away from being in first place on the Big Sur fundraising team!