I grew up in Nebraska but have moved around quite a bit, from the wide-open plains to life abroad, and later to Hawaii, Texas, and now California, which I proudly call home. My running story began back in middle school when my stepdad, a long-distance runner, entered my life. He encouraged my mom to sign up for a local 5K called the Daiquiri Dash, and I decided to tag along, even though I’d never run a mile before.
After that race, I felt the biggest runner’s high and was sore for weeks, but I was hooked. My stepdad promised me a good pair of running shoes if I did another race with him, so we ran Bay to Breakers in San Francisco together. That became the start of everything.
When I joined my high school cross-country team, I instantly fell in love with the community, the early mornings, the shared exhaustion, the laughter at the finish line. I wasn’t the fastest runner by any means (I was actually the only senior who didn’t make varsity), but I loved the process, especially pushing myself on the hills.
During my exchange year in France, running became something more profound. I lived in a small, isolated town and needed something to hold onto. I didn’t have proper shoes or a real training plan, but I decided to train for a marathon on my own. I never made it to 26.2 miles (my furthest was 16), but those runs gave me something to look forward to every day and helped me through some of the loneliest moments of my life.
After high school, I joined the military and somehow found myself leading the runs for my division. Between hospital shifts, full-time school, and life’s chaos, running was the one constant that kept me grounded. During that training cycle, I ran the Surf City Half Marathon in Huntington Beach before taking on my first full marathon at Rock ’n’ Roll San Diego. Running taught me that you don’t have to be the fastest to belong, you just have to show up. It’s been my outlet, my challenge, my calm, and my reminder of who I am.
My favorite runs are early morning runs in new places, when the world is just waking up, and I can watch the day begin. There’s something about that quiet start, followed by a long shower and coffee, that makes me feel ready for anything.
I created Wanda’s Running Report because I want to build a space that feels like the running community I fell in love with, one that is supportive, encouraging, and full of passion. Running helped me through times when I didn’t have many people to connect with, and now I want to be that connection for someone else, a friend from afar cheering you on.
I’ve always loved sharing what I’ve learned along the way, every little lesson, mistake, and tip that helped me keep going. One day, I’d love to create my own training plans and help others chase their own goals. For now, this blog is my place to share, teach, and hopefully inspire you to fall in love with running too.
My favorite mantra — one I heard shouted during my half-marathon, still sticks with me:
“It hurts so good.”
Because that’s precisely how running feels, tough, humbling, healing, and worth every step.
