Finding His Stride: Ali Akhtar's Marathon Journey

The day that Ali Akhtar was supposed to take the MCAT, he decided he didn't really want to be a doctor. He just thought he was supposed to. He wanted to help people, but differently, so he started down the road to be a therapist.

He found that through running, he was able to improve not only his physical well-being, but also other aspects of his life. It made him a better therapist, dad, and husband. He ran his first half-marathon on a whim and hasn't looked back since. Now, he's headed to New York City to run the NYC Marathon with Team Still I Run.

Ali's Career

Ali is a licensed marriage and family therapist in the LA area. As an undergraduate student, he studied cognitive psychology, worked as an EMT, did pharmaceutical research, and planned to go to medical school to become a doctor.

On the day he was scheduled to take his MCAT, he realized that it was not the career path he truly wanted. So, he explored his options, and he decided that becoming a therapist was a better fit for him. He went back to school to get his master's in clinical psychology and has been working in the field ever since.

Why Do You Run?

Ali started running on a whim. He had been regularly attending Orange Theory classes for a few years when he had to take a break because of changes in his schedule. Still wanting to stay active, Ali joined his friend in training for a half-marathon.

From there, he was hooked. "It was just funny because I was having so much fun, but if you had told me three years earlier that I would be running a half and enjoying it, I would've laughed in your face."

The first half-marathon he ran was at Disneyland, so not only did he accomplish something amazing, but he also got to share it with his wife and kids, making memories that day with them as well.

Ali decided that if he was going to run a full marathon, it was going to be for a good cause, which was how he was introduced to Still I Run.

Strides Toward New York City

Training for a marathon is no small feat, especially when you have a nine-month-old at home and live in a city where the heat is nearly unbearable by 9 AM.

Having a baby that's so young means waking up throughout the night to take care of them, but still having to get up to get that early morning training session in before the heat. Ali found that even though the process was rewarding, it could be stressful to juggle.

"Thankfully, my wife's been super supportive, and we've developed a rhythm that works for us so that I'm still home when they need me."

Ali has grown to love his early morning runs, saying that they help him feel grounded for the rest of the day. It's dark and no one's around, so he is fully focusing on himself, which is a rare occurrence for a therapist and a dad.

Running and Community

Ali loved his Orange Theory classes because of the sense of community that came with them. He liked to be in a setting where everyone had a common goal, and it was important to him to find that with running. Stumbling across Still I Run provided just that for him.

Not only has running for a cause been a motivator for him to keep pushing through his training cycle, but it's also been a great way to connect with other mental health professionals who he'll be running alongside in New York on Team Still I Run.

"I think that it's been a great motivator, and I'm really appreciative of the other people who are participating in this. I'm excited to meet everyone in person and hang out a bit before the big day."

Cheer on Team Still I Run at Home

Don't worry about missing out on this marathon! You can stream it live on ABC7 to cheer on Ali and the other members of Team Still I Run from the comfort of your home. We'll also have lots of content headed your way on social media throughout the marathon weekend.