Meet Maria Lazaridou whose running journey began during her time as a master\u2019s student in the UK, where she faced significant mental and emotional challenges. Feeling overwhelmed and trapped, she turned to jogging as a coping mechanism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over time, running became her therapy, offering relief from stress and a sense of well-being. What started as a simple jog evolved into a passion, leading her to complete two marathons in just one year. Maria also ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon, raising \u20ac800 for Tommy\u2019s to support pregnant women and children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What initially made you interested in running?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I began running during my time as a master\u2019s student in the UK. I was dealing with significant mental and emotional challenges, feeling overwhelmed and trapped. To cope, I started jogging, and I found it to be a soothing escape. Running gradually became a crucial outlet for my stress, helping me channel my emotions and improving my overall well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell us your story, why you run.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Running started as a way to manage my stress and emotions. Over time, it evolved into a passion. I developed a keen interest in running longer distances and felt a deep sense of accomplishment and clarity with each run. It\u2019s become a form of therapy that helps me stay balanced and grounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have you ever participated in any races or marathons for a charitable cause? What motivated you to combine running with supporting a cause?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, I\u2019ve participated in the London Landmarks Half Marathon as part of Team Tommy\u2019s. We raised \u20ac800 to support pregnant women and children. Combining running with a charitable cause has added a meaningful dimension to my runs, making each step feel more impactful. Running for a cause amplifies the personal benefits I gain from the activity. It transforms my passion into something that helps others, which is incredibly fulfilling. Knowing that my efforts contribute to a greater good gives my runs even more purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please give us more details if you are running for a specific cause this year.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My focus remains on the impact running can have, both on my personal well-being and in supporting important causes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Meet Maria Lazaridou whose running journey began during her time as a master\u2019s student in the UK, where she faced significant mental and emotional challenges. Feeling overwhelmed and trapped, she turned to jogging as a coping mechanism. Over time, running became her therapy, offering relief from stress and a sense of well-being. What started as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12179,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[94],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-94"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n