I didn’t grow up as a runner. I started at 30 years old, lacing up for my very first marathon back in 2004. I crossed the finish line just over 4 hours—and honestly, I was proud. But deep down, I knew I could go further.
Then I worked my way down to a 3h30 finish… where I plateaued for many years. I was just following traditional running training plans, and I thought maybe I had reached my limit.
Everything shifted when I took on trail running. It challenged me in new ways — not just physically, but logistically, mentally, and emotionally. To keep up, I had to rethink totally how I trained, planned, recovered, and fueled.
That’s when I started connecting the dots. I realized progress wasn’t just about running more — it was about improving across all areas that impact performance. That insight laid the foundation for what would become the 12 Dimensions of Running.