Stephanie Johnson: Running Full Circle
From October 17 through November 1, more than 24,000 runners from over 150 countries around the world will be running the 2020 Virtual TCS New York City Marathon. All of them have incredible stories of getting to the starting line in this challenging year. We're inspired to share just a few of them here.
You can still register to run the Virtual TCS New York City Marathon! Whether you're running or supporting this spectacular virtual event, check out our info hub for tips, special offers, and more.
Stephanie Johnson grew up in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Life was not easy—Stephanie and her sister were raised by their mother and the family lived in poverty, unable to afford furniture or a car. They received their meals at a food pantry.
To get around, Stephanie took to running. “I used to run by the Verrazzano Bridge,” she recalled. “There was a path underneath that took us from Bay Ridge to Bensonhurst.” She enjoyed her runs, and on weekends her mother would take her by the Brooklyn Bridge to run for fun.
One day a year, running was extra special, as Stephanie and her mom watched the New York City Marathon. “My mother used to take me to the route to give the runners Gatorade and be their cheerleaders,” Stephanie said. “I saw the runners’ faces light up when we would cheer them on. [I remember] the many high fives we gave them as well.” She dreamed of one day running the marathon herself.
Stephanie kept running, even after she joined the military and was deployed to Kuwait and Qatar. “I ran a few 5K races in the desert,” she said. “We did it early in the morning because it was much cooler than the daytime heat of 140 degrees.” She's pictured below with her sister, Melanie Rodriguez, at Fort Jackson, SC, right after graduating basic training in 2004.
Stephanie now works as a U.S. Army Reserve career counselor in Mason, OH, and provides career advice for Reserve soldiers. The photo at the top of this post shows her and a colleague at the Best Warrior competition at Fort Devens, MA, in 2018. She ran the Army 10-Miler in Washington, DC in 2017 and 2018 and has competed in various Color Runs and Spartan Races.
When the pandemic hit, Stephanie turned to virtual racing—she completed the Virtual Volvo Cars Million Mile 5K in September and the Virtual NYRR Staten Island Half on October 2.
On October 24, she will run the Virtual TCS New York City Marathon. “I am planning to have my friends support me along my route to cheer me on, play music, and provide hydration,” she said.
Her children, 8-year-old Ethan and 6-year-old Ariella, will also come out to support her. This will be a beautiful opportunity for Stephanie’s marathon journey to come full circle; just as she once was inspired by the excitement of marathon race day, now her own children will get watch her run, cheer her on, and give out high fives.
Stephanie holds tight to her dream of someday running the TCS New York City Marathon through NYC streets. “I want to run it,” she said. “It has been a dream of mine since I was a child.”
