Our Collective Stories

At Still I Run, we believe that true self-care runs deeper. It’s about consistently taking care of your mental health, showing up for yourself even when it’s hard, and building habits that help you cope with life, not escape it. Which means it might be time to rethink what self-care really means.

Since Madai was a teenager, she has been tired of the stigma around mental health. Starting from a young age, she dealt with feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. She felt isolated by cultural norms placed on her by her Hispanic heritage and was constantly told, "You're just a kid, what do you have to be depressed about?"

Prior to spine surgery in 2014, pain management was an overwhelming daily battle for Jaime. Running became more than an athletic pursuit for Jaime—it became medicine, purpose, a vehicle for philanthropy, and ultimately, a platform for change.

When anxiety starts to take over, most of us just want one thing—relief. Fast. For some, that means turning to medication, which can be a literal lifesaver. For others, the idea of popping a daily pill might feel overwhelming, intimidating, or just not the first step they want to take. So here’s a question we hear a lot in the Still I Run community: Can running replace anxiety medication? The short answer? It depends.