Why I Decided to Run the Broad Street Run

This post is my official announcement:

In 2026, I’m running the Broad Street Run.

If you know me, you know this isn’t something I’d casually say just to say it. This decision represents a shift — in mindset, discipline, and the way I’m approaching my personal health, creativity, and growth moving forward.

Simply put, I’ve never done it before.

And this year, I’m embracing challenges.

Doing Things Outside My Comfort Zone

I’ve lived in Philadelphia most of my life, and the Broad Street Run has always existed in the background — something other people did. Friends. Coworkers. Runners.

But not me.

This year, I’m intentionally stepping outside my comfort zone. Not because it’s easy. Not because it’s trendy. But because growth doesn’t happen in familiar territory. Running ten miles down Broad Street is uncomfortable, demanding, and very real — which is exactly why I’m committing to it.

Reaffirming My Commitment to Personal Fitness and Growth

Over the past year, I’ve made a conscious effort to realign my life with better habits, stronger routines, and long-term thinking. Fitness isn’t just about weight loss or aesthetics — it’s about discipline, consistency, and proving to yourself that you can show up even when motivation fades.

Training for this race is about more than crossing a finish line. It’s about building structure into my days, respecting my body, and committing to progress that compounds over time.

Broad Street Tough 💪 — Philly Pride, Fully On Display

This race isn’t just a run — it’s a Philadelphia institution.

Running Broad Street is a statement. It’s loud, gritty, communal, and unapologetic — much like the city itself. Training for and completing this race is my way of showing pride in where I’m from and what that toughness represents.

Being Broad Street Tough isn’t just about endurance. It’s about resilience, humility, and grit — traits I aim to carry into everything I do.

Proving Discipline, Determination, and Follow-Through

I’ve set a personal goal to lose significant weight and rebuild my fitness the right way — sustainably, intelligently, and without shortcuts. Training for the Broad Street Run gives that goal structure and accountability.

This race is proof to myself that discipline beats excuses, that consistency beats intensity, and that long-term commitment wins every time.

I’m not chasing perfection.

I’m chasing follow-through.

Why I Stepped Away — and Why I’m Back Now

I want to address something honestly, without overexplaining or dramatizing it.

Content slowed — and eventually stopped — last year because life hit hard, fast, and repeatedly.

In a short span of time, I lost three family members. One of them was my grandmother on my mom’s side — a woman who didn’t just exist in my life, but helped raise me and my sister. Not long after her passing, I lost my cousin Cenice. Then, on my birthday, I lost my great-grandmother.

There wasn’t time to process one loss before the next arrived. It felt like emotional whiplash — the kind that leaves you functioning, but hollow. The pause in content wasn’t about quitting, losing interest, or giving up. It was about giving myself room to breathe when everything felt heavy all at once.

2025, personally, was an incredibly stressful year — and without exaggeration, a strong contender for the worst year of my life. Grief has a way of distorting time, energy, and focus. I needed space to exist without expectations.

But I don’t want to carry that weight forward unchecked.

Choosing Structure, Purpose, and Forward Motion in 2026

This year is about reclaiming momentum.

I’m intentionally building structure — through training, through creative work, and through commitment to goals that matter both short-term and long-term. Running the Broad Street Run is part of that structure. So is returning to this blog. So is creating again with clarity and purpose.

I’m not interested in wasting time anymore — not creatively, not physically, and not personally. Loss has a way of sharpening priorities, and for me, that means showing up fully for the life I’m building now.

This isn’t about rushing or pretending last year didn’t happen.

It’s about moving forward with intention and honoring those who passed on by living your BEST life.

What This Means for the Blog (and YouTube)

This post also marks something else important:

my first blog post of 2026 and the beginning of a brand reset.

Moving forward, this space will be active, intentional, and aligned with the life I’m building. Here’s what you can expect in the coming weeks and months:

🌱 Garden Prep Series

A practical, step-by-step blog series focused on preparing for the 2026 growing season — including container gardening, planning, soil prep, and layout strategies. When my container gardening ebook becomes available, excerpts and expanded guidance will be featured here.

🍅 Fruit & Vegetable Crop History

Deep dives into individual crops — their origins, historical significance, and how they shaped global food systems. This series blends gardening knowledge with food history, one crop at a time.

🍳 Recipe Features

Each recipe post will be paired with video content and will eventually live inside my upcoming Fall 2026 cookbook. These are real, practical recipes — built from scratch, budget-aware, and rooted in culinary fundamentals.

🌿 Garden to Table Series

Later in the growing season, I’ll document cooking with the herbs and vegetables I grow — showcasing the full journey from seed to plate.

🔥 Cooking × Gardening Collaborations

More content that highlights how these two worlds naturally intersect — techniques, planning, flavor building, and seasonal cooking.

📜 Food History Spotlight

Exploring the origins (and sometimes myths) behind some of the world’s most popular foods — where they came from, how they evolved, and why they matter.

Closing: Why This Race Matters More Than the Miles

Running the Broad Street Run isn’t just about ten miles — it’s about choosing momentum over stagnation, structure over chaos, and intention over waiting for the “right time.”

Grief slowed me down, but it didn’t stop me.

This year is about honoring what I’ve lost by fully committing to what I still have — time, opportunity, and the ability to build something meaningful.

The work starts now.

And I’m not looking back.