Saving Myself One Step at a Time

For decades, T. J. Bryan devoted herself to her profession, rising upward constantly. Suddenly, after reaching the pinnacle of her career, she plunged from her lofty position. To save herself from despair, she, at age 63, impulsively decided to pursue running although, throughout her entire life, she had demonstrated little athletic ability. As an African-American woman, she belonged to a group that was underrepresented in road running and racing. She knew little about the sport. Nonetheless, she signed up for a half-marathon training program, hardly an appropriate distance for a first-time runner. During the next 12 years, she ran thousands of miles, and she embraced racing at a variety of distances, including the marathon. Along the way, she learned much about herself.