Running Past Addiction, Woman Heads to New York City Marathon

VIDEO – RUNNING UP THE HILL TO MAKE A DEAL WITH GOD –

Oct. 31, 2022 – Lara had been a runner prior to her ‘rock bottom’ moment in 2020, but the exercise became a sacred place for her to focus.

“Once you realize how capable you are of running it becomes such a beautiful escape. To me it’s my alone time,” Lara said.

And as a Latina, Lara said there is a stigma about seeking mental health.

“There is definitely a negative stigma in our culture that having therapy means you’re crazy and I feel like I had to love myself more than caring what other people thought of me. At the end of the day we have to put ourselves first, it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks it’s 2022- therapy is a flex!,” Lara said. Over the past two years Lara regained custody of her three children and enrolled in school.

“I didn’t have money to pay a lawyer – that’s what woke up the desire to be an attorney because I represented myself during the CPS case and the divorce case,” Lara said.

Right now Lara works for Hope for Prisoners, an organization that gives former incarcerated people a second chance.

She hopes her story can encourage others.