There’s something both terrifying and thrilling about starting over. You know exactly how much it’s going to hurt — and you can’t wait anyway.
This February 28th, 2026, we’ll stand side-by-side again at the starting line of The Woodlands Marathon, just a few miles from home. It will be our second marathon together, more than a decade after the first. And though time, age, and life have changed a lot, that familiar flutter in our stomachs feels exactly the same.
Looking Back: Berlin 2013 – The Race That Started It All
Our first marathon was the Berlin Marathon in 2013. We were living in Germany then, juggling work, parenting, and the chaos of everyday life as we prepared to move back overseas to America. Training for a marathon felt like a wild idea — something reserved for “real runners,” not two ordinary parents trying to keep it together.
But Berlin changed everything. The cobblestone streets, the energy, the sound of thousands of feet hitting pavement, friends saying you just had to take it one mile at a time — it was electric. We crossed that finish line side-by-side, exhausted and emotional, realizing we were capable of more than we’d ever imagined.
That race planted a seed. It taught us that endurance isn’t just physical; it’s emotional. It’s about showing up again and again, even when life pulls you in other directions.
Between Miles: What Life Taught Us in the Years After
Life after Berlin didn’t slow down. If anything, it accelerated. We moved back to the United States, raised a growing child, built businesses, and somewhere in the middle of it all, let our running shoes collect dust.
Then came the curveballs — including Tiffany’s sudden cardiac arrest in 2022, a moment that split our lives into before and after. Health stopped being a number or a race pace; it became a daily act of gratitude. Having the opportunity to train for a marathon feels like a miracle.
We realized that running had always been there for us — not as a competition, but as a compass. When everything feels too loud, running brings us back to center. It’s our moving meditation, our therapy, our reminder that we’re still alive, still moving forward.
Why We’re Running Again
So why another marathon? Why now?
Because we missed it — the rhythm of shared miles, the early-morning cool air, the quiet satisfaction of finishing a run together before the rest of the world wakes up. Because it’s something we can do as a team again, side-by-side, literally and figuratively.
This time we’re training for The Woodlands Marathon, our hometown race. It feels like coming full circle — starting and finishing in a community that’s become our home base between adventures. We’ll also be taking our training on the road, weaving long runs into our RV travels over the winter holidays. Few things beat discovering a new trail in a new place, knowing it’s part of the same big journey.
And somewhere in the back of our minds, we can feel that this marathon might spark something bigger — a new project, a new way to share what we’re learning about health, balance, and starting again. But for now, we’re just focused on the miles ahead.
Training Together: Strength in Partnership
Running together has always been our thing. We talk, we plan, we dream mid-stride. There’s something about moving forward in sync that keeps our connection strong.
But let’s be honest — training as a couple isn’t always smooth. Some days one of us feels great while the other is dragging. Sometimes the pace feels too slow, sometimes too fast. The trick is communication and patience: checking in, listening to each other’s bodies, and remembering that the goal is togetherness, not competition.
If you’re thinking about training with your partner, start with grace. Run for the shared experience, not for matching splits. Celebrate progress, not perfection.
Following the Plan – and Learning to Adapt
We’re following the Hal Higdon Novice 1 training program again — a tried-and-true plan we used for Berlin. Back then, we didn’t stick to it as faithfully as we could have (life happened, as it does). This time, we’re embracing it with more balance.
Consistency beats intensity. Some runs will be early-morning slogs; others will feel effortless. The point isn’t to crush every workout — it’s to show up, again and again.
Traveling while training means we’ll log miles in different states, at different altitudes, and in all kinds of weather. One weekend might be a crisp jog through pine forests; another might be a coastal sunrise run somewhere along the Gulf. It’s all part of the adventure.
The Road Ahead: Eyes on The Woodlands Marathon
The Woodlands Marathon holds a special place in our hearts. It winds through tree-lined streets, crosses familiar paths, and finishes along the Waterway — down streets we’ve driven and walked hundreds of times now. This race is home.
By race day, we’ll have spent nearly five months building back the foundation we first laid in Berlin. But this time, it’s not about chasing PRs. It’s about presence — being in the moment, mile after mile, together. Below is the marathon race course (from 2021, but it’s the same route still).
Every Mile Matters
Running a marathon is never just about the marathon. It’s about the person you become on the way there. It’s about discipline, patience, and the quiet confidence that comes from keeping promises to yourself.
For us, this marathon training journey is about rediscovery. It’s proof that even after setbacks, after health scares, after life takes unexpected turns — you can start again. You can rebuild. You can grow stronger than before.
We’re not the same runners we were in 2013, and that’s the beauty of it. Every version of ourselves has a place on this road.
So here we go again — two runners, one goal, and a whole lot of miles between now and the finish line.
Follow along as we share our training journey — the highs, the lows, the long runs, and the lessons.
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