Katie figures she owns 90% of the For the Run site. We haven’t checked the math. We do know her Dasher 9 Pocket shorts have been through more than half her marathons.

That’s a place we’re proud to occupy: in the rotation, out on the road, and a part of Katie's running life.

Now she’s training for marathon number seven. Her first mile took almost 20 minutes. Between those two points is the story of why she runs, who she carries with her, and what keeps bringing her back.

Katie is Running Season. Here’s her story.

I started running in 2017, a few days after my son turned one. I was dealing with postpartum anxiety, sleep deprivation, and feeling lost in my new role as a mom. A friend suggested I get outside and move my body. Run, walk—just do something to clear my mind and get some fresh air.

I ran my first mile on August 11, 2017. It took almost 20 minutes.

It was brutal. I loved it.

In the years before that first mile, I’d lost a best friend and nearly died from an AVM in my brain. Later, doctors told me that, because of endometriosis, I couldn’t conceive naturally and would need IVF.

Lots of grief. Lots of anxiety. Lots of trauma to carry.

I didn’t know it then, but the pavement would become a place to unpack it. All I had was a Fitbit and $30 clearance sneakers.

Months after I started running, my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Watching how he faced his diagnosis became the backbone of how I carried myself through each mile. The hard stuff was inevitable. He showed me I could face it head-on.

He still shows up. I carry that with me.

Somewhere along the way, I spotted another runner wearing For the Run and decided I needed to try it. As a self-described pro consumer, I was probably always going to end up here. I’m pretty sure I own 90% of the site now.

The Dasher 9 Pocket shorts have carried me through more than half my marathons. Hands down, my favorite shorts. But what I’ve loved most about FTR is the people wearing the gear.

I’ve met runners who have become friends. People showing up for different reasons, in different seasons of life, all grateful just to be out there.

Not always motivated, but always grateful.

I love those kinds of people.

Now I’m training for my seventh marathon—my sixth New York City Marathon—running with Team Fox in honor of my dad. I’ve run an ultra, more than a dozen half marathons, and everything in between.

For me, running has always been about the mental strength it gives me. The confidence. The determination that follows me off the road and into the rest of my life.

It’s also taught me to give myself some grace. To rest. To step back and heal when I need to.

There have been seasons of building mileage and chasing finish lines. There have been times when I’ve needed space to breathe. Through it all, my reasons for running have gone deeper than any single race.

The pavement is always ready for me when I return to it.

Katie