Danny Gallagher is a 28-year-old fitness entrepreneur.
When did you start running?
I had no prior athletic experience, not even in high school. My father was a jock, so it only made sense that I would appreciate fitness. However, I had opted for a sedentary lifestyle of video games and processed food for the previous decade or so. In 2012, after experiencing homelessness and suffering from alcohol and substance addiction, I turned to running as a coping mechanism. I had no idea that it would eventually become one of my biggest passions.
Why did you start running?
I started running because I had little to nothing going for me in life. I had just finished my undergrad, but I wasn't able to find a job. I had blown through my savings and ended up homeless because of my lack of ambition and motivation. I was teetering on the edge of giving up completely and ending my life. Running became my foundation for goal setting. It gave me something to work toward every day, even when nothing else was working in my favor.
How has running changed your life?
Running, and fitness as a whole, has drastically transformed my life. I went from a sad, lonely, unhealthy and obese man, to a happy, carefree, vibrant and ambitious young man, with an incredibly tenacious goal to make the world a better place. Without running, I don't believe I would've been able to cope with the depression, nor conquer my drug and alcohol demons. Running truly saved my life!
What encouraging words or advice would you give to someone who wants to start running?
Just do it—one foot in front of the other, every single day. Get up, and get it done. There will be days where you're going to feel like giving up. It's going to test you in every way imaginable, and you're going to wonder why you felt compelled to commit yourself to such a ridiculous goal! But I promise you, if you decide to take on the challenge, the rewards it will provide you are totally worth the temporary discomfort.
Running is not about being better than someone else. It's not a competition, and there is no "race." It's a battle that you fight with yourself and only yourself, to be better than you were yesterday. Engage in consistent action. Fuel your body with nutritious food. Trust the process. Keep your dreams alive. Love yourself. And most importantly, never give up!
Devon Gray is a 47-year-old manager and business systems analyst.
When did you start running?
I began running in the fall of 2015 after finding the Couch to 5K® app for my phone.
Why did you start running?
I'd been walking daily for many months and decided to make running a 5K a personal goal for me. My journey started in February 2015, when I decided I was tired of being overweight and tired all of the time. I'd hit a point where I was about 60 pounds overweight. I was getting out of breath during simple tasks and just felt generally horrible. In February, I started tracking my calories and set a weight loss goal through another phone app, LoseIt.com. Slowly, I began losing weight and increased my activity.
In December 2015, I started running through the Couch to 5K® app and have been running almost daily ever since! I'm as slow as a turtle but am seeing improvements in my endurance and speed. After doing my first 5K in late February, I hope to start training for my first 10K (the Austin Capitol 10K) to be held in April. As of right now, I’m running about three miles per day, five to six times a week.
How has running changed your life?
Running at first was not fun. It was a chore and it was difficult. I have found over the last several weeks that I miss it if I don't get out and run. It has become a tool to help me relieve stress, stay fit and get outside more. It has made me feel more confident and positive about myself.
What encouraging words or advice would you give to someone who wants to start running?
The biggest advice I can give someone would be to take it a day at a time. Use a training app to help you learn to run and slowly build up your distance and endurance. Don't push yourself. It gets easier day by day, and the benefits are worth the effort!
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About the Author
Jackie Veling is a past Senior Editor at ACTIVE.com. She’s passionate about overall wellness and body positivity, and her favorite way to stay active is through running. You can follow her on Twitter.
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