Meet Maria Solano

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Solano.

Maria, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In early 2017, I was out of work again, depressed and extremely anxious. To add insult to injury, my husband and life partner became really ill and landed in the hospital a day after our daughter’s 7th birthday. At first, the doctors kept saying it could be cancer and I honestly don’t remember much expect multiple panic attacks in the moments I was alone. Otherwise, I was trying to be strong for my husband and my two young daughters. Me… I break down when my cafe con leche comes out wrong! Being a mom gives you superpowers you never thought you could channel. Once Cancer was ruled out, he went home with medication. A month later, he was back in the hospital with a serious allergic reaction to the medication he was taking and had developed an extremely contagious infection. It was at this moment, in the middle of another breakdown, that I said “ENOUGH!” I could not let my mental health deteriorate when my family needed me the most. So, I began looking into what I can do to help me cope.

Walking became my therapy. Once my husband was out of the hospital for the second time, we began walking as a family. I was so out of shape, that the first 15-minute walk left me so sore and in so much pain that I didn’t think it could get better. I kept going. Even on days when my family couldn’t, I walked. I walked every chance I had. 15 minutes became 30, 30 became an hour and just like that, within 3 months I was walking 5 miles on weekends. I never thought I would be a runner but I gave it a go. That first run was a disaster because I had no guidance. I finally sat down and remembered there was a program called “Couch to 5K”. I googled it and it gave me results for apps that had the program built-in. I picked one and off I went!

It took some time for me to stick to the program. On a whim, I had signed up for some untimed fun runs and walks for charity. Before these “races” I ended up taking like a month break because of Hurricane Irma and the untimely death of a family member. I found myself going backwards and thought about giving up the running thing. However, the races were non-refundable and I was going to do them… ready or not. I ended up doing the Foam Glow 5K & Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in October 2017 and I remembered why I wanted to start running. I had something to prove. I signed up for the Baptist Health Turkey Trot 5K. In the time between races, I registered for virtual races as well. This helped to keep my motivation and spirits high. It also really boosted my confidence as I saw my paces and times get better. I ended 2017 with 12 virtual races under my belt.

For those that don’t know what a virtual race is, they are runs you do on your own time, date and location. You can do them alone or with others that have registered. I’ve done all of them on my own and I have put as much if not more effort into doing them. I absolutely love them.

I started posting my journey on my personal Instagram and Facebook accounts but I felt as though I was annoying people. I know I shouldn’t have cared because I was proud of what I was doing. I didn’t need anyone’s approval but I let people get to me. Thus @CouchPotatoTurnedRunner was born! I did not tell anyone about it, but slowly people started following the account. Family, friends, strangers started following on their own. There were a few times where I thought I would stop and then I would get messages like “You’ve inspired me to get up and move…” “Don’t ever give up because you never know who is being inspired by you…” Things like that got me right in the feels. I try to keep it as real as possible… I post the good, the bad and the ugly. I’ll also never say “If I can do it, you can do it!” I don’t believe in that. Everyone has their own stuff to deal with and people will do what they want when they are ready. When you’re ready, I’ll be your biggest cheerleader.

Walking and running have really helped with my mental health & self-confidence. I was in a dark place before I started walking and running. Although it hasn’t all been smooth sailing, my ultimate goal in all of this is to show my daughters that mommy never gave up. That even when I felt like I couldn’t do it, I still gave it my best shot. They are my ultimate motivation.

Has it been a smooth road?
Nope! It has not been a smooth road. I believe within the first month of running, I had a hip flexor injury. That was brought on by improper shoes and lack of stretching. So, I researched shoes, warmup exercises and post-run stretches. I learned that Indian food, the night before a run is a bad idea, especially when you suffer from acid reflux, heartburn and gastritis… which I do! I still struggle with resting. I don’t rest nearly enough as I should. I know it’s important but I can’t sit still!

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I run a small social media account and blog which, of course, I would love to see flourish. @CouchPotatoTurnedRunner and www.LearningAsIRun.com. This is where I write about my journey through running. I post about my struggles and triumphs. I tell you about how I suck at running but that I still go out there and do it. If it’s a good day, I’ll tell you about it. If it’s a horrible day, you will also hear about it. I believe in authenticity and that not all days are good days. Not all runs are good runs. Some days, I’ll make you laugh with my lip-syncing. Other days, I’m talking about how my anxiety is driving me crazy. If you want absolute realness, I’m your girl.

I also started a new account on Instagram: @SolanosInTheWild where I will post about our family trips to Disney, adventures through our hometown and other travels. Here is where I can be a little more lighthearted and whimsical. I love the magic of Disney and wanted a space to be able to show off our adventurous side. It’s a work in progress but I hope to get my vision off the ground soon.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
In theory, Miami is the perfect place to grow a community like the one I’m trying to. I know I can’t be the only person out here who doesn’t fit society’s view of what a runner or athlete should look like. I hid for a long time because I simply felt like I didn’t belong anywhere. I’m a short, curvy, Latina woman. I don’t look like the models that walk down South Beach or the runners and athletes you see in magazines. I don’t do 5-minute miles. I am a back of the pack runner and proud of it. I know there are more people out there that can relate to me and I would love to give them that confidence to say, “I’m a runner.” or “I’m an athlete.” Giving people that confidence will, in turn, give me more confidence to say it about myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.learningasirun.com & coming soon www.solanosinthewild.com
• Email: learningasirun@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/couchpotatoturnedrunner/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearningAsIRun/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/learningasirun
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/solanosinthewild/

Image Credit:
Alberto Solano, IG: @grey580

Suggest a story: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.