It may seem odd that Jaymie Pizarro, the woman behind the popular blog thebullrunner.com and the brains behind the “The Bull Runner (TBR) Dream Marathon”, had no sport most of her life.
“I had no athletic bone in my body,” she confessed. “I only started running at the ripe old age of 30. I was a young mom with two toddlers and I just wanted to lose weight.”
The treadmill became her introduction to the sport, then she started running outdoors. As she realized the calming effect of running for someone like her who maintains a busy schedule, she was immediately hooked
“I loved the feeling that it gave me. It became my time alone and my escape,” Jaymie said. “After that, I started joining races and I created the blog.”
She also nurtured the dream of running a full marathon. But that dream proved to be elusive in the beginning. Being flat-footed, she would always get injured whenever she’d train for the whole 42K distance.
Then, at an unexpected opportunity, that dream became a reality. She completed her first full marathon without even intending to.
“I joined a race where I was supposed to run only 32K, but I ended up finishing 42K! It became sort of an impromptu marathon,” she shared. “When I crossed the finish line of that race, I felt like I was changed forever. That evening, I told my friends that I wanted to get more people to run a marathon so they can feel the same magic I felt.”
Profoundly inspired, Jaymie immediately got to work, creating a group that would help her mount a marathon. The TBR Dream Marathon was born a few weeks later.
The first of its kind worldwide, the TBR Dream Marathon was designed to be exclusive to first- and second-time marathon runners, and promised to be a fun-filled venue for those eager to achieve their dreams of finishing a marathon.
300 runners joined the pilot run, all of whom Jaymie’s team trained and guided in all aspects of their preparation. Come race day, the runners were provided with the most idyllic environment, with “dream chasers” (experienced runners and volunteers) who will run a few kilometers with a participant upon his request, as well as provide food, hydration, and even some silly jokes to keep their spirits up.
“That was in 2010 and we were thinking we could mount it once or twice. But now it’s on its 8th year already, and over 4,000 people have run the marathon,” Jaymie shared. “A community was built organically. The people who have run the race bonded over their love for fitness and their love for running.”
Today, apart from helping runners fulfill their dreams of finishing a marathon and nurturing the TBR Dream Marathon community, Jaymie continues to pursue running herself, actively participating in marathons all over the world.
“Running changed my life. It turned my world upside down and basically gave me a more positive outlook in life,” she said. “There’s a saying that goes, ‘It's not entirely about fitness, it's about how fitness can change your life.’ That’s how it is for me. It’s not my life, but it enhances my life and makes it a whole lot better.”
Photo and interview opportunity courtesy of GoWell, Sun Life Financial’s wellness community. Learn more atgowell.com.ph.
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