Running for Her Mental Health: Angela DePaul’s Journey to the NYC Half Marathon

Angela DePaul didn’t set out to become a half marathon runner.

Like a lot of people, she started running for a much simpler reason. She needed a way to deal with stress.

Now, she’s preparing to run the New York City Half Marathon with Team Still I Run. But her story started long before race bibs and training plans. It started with a few miles here and there during a stressful season of life.

A Stress Outlet During College

Angela went straight to college after high school to study civil engineering. She had always been athletic growing up, so movement was already a part of her life. But engineering school quickly brought a new level of pressure.

Her college was in a rural area where there wasn’t much to do outside of schoolwork. The workload was heavy, and stress was constant.

So she started running occasionally.

Not in a structured way. Not with a training plan. Just a mile here and there when she needed a break from studying.

It was a small habit at first, but it helped.

Running gave her a moment to step away from everything that felt overwhelming.

When Life Started to Feel Like Too Much

After graduation, Angela moved to Albany for her first job as a civil engineer. Starting her career was exciting, but the transition was harder than she expected.

She had moved to a place where she didn’t know many people. She was adjusting to a demanding job. At the same time, she was dealing with some difficult family experiences connected to her childhood.

All of it started to pile up.

She remembers feeling like she was drowning in anxiety and stress. The pressure wasn’t just affecting work. It was starting to impact other parts of her life too, including her relationships with friends, family and her now fiance. 

Running was still something she did occasionally. Maybe a 5K once a year. But it didn’t yet feel like a consistent outlet.

Eventually, she decided to talk with her doctor about what she was experiencing.

A Simple Suggestion

Her doctor suggested something that might sound familiar to many runners.

Move more.

Specifically, he encouraged her to run more regularly as a way to support her mental health.

Angela took the advice and kept running. Over time, it became something she could rely on when life felt overwhelming.

“It’s mine,” she says. “It gives me an escape from my personal and professional life.”

Running became her space to think, process, and reset.

Slowly Building Confidence

Over the next ten years, running started to become a bigger part of Angela’s life.

At first it was just the occasional race. Then she started setting new goals.

Eventually she decided to try something that once felt impossible: running a half marathon.

For Angela, that was a huge leap. Thirteen miles felt intimidating. It was something she never thought she would be able to do.

But once she did it, everything changed.

Now she runs a few races each year. Having races on the calendar keeps her motivated and gives her something to look forward to.

Life hasn’t suddenly become stress-free, of course. Work, relationships, and everyday responsibilities still bring their own pressures.

But running helps her manage it.

She says she can feel the difference when she goes a week without running.

Encouraging Others to Join

Angela loves encouraging friends to run whenever she can. She knows firsthand how powerful it can be.

Another runner who has helped push her is her fiancé’s mom. She’s a big runner and has encouraged Angela to test her limits and try bigger races.

That encouragement helped lead to her next challenge.

Why the NYC Half Marathon

Angela signed up for the New York City Half Marathon somewhat on a whim.

It’s a huge race, and she didn’t get in through the lottery. That meant the next step was looking for a charity team.

She wanted to run for a cause that meant something personal to her.

When she saw Still I Run, the decision felt obvious.

Running had already played a huge role in supporting her own mental health. Being able to run for an organization that focuses on that exact connection felt like the perfect fit.

Still I Run works to promote running as a tool for mental well-being and to create spaces where people can support each other through movement.

For Angela, the mission felt deeply personal.

Not Running Alone This Time

Most of the races Angela has done in the past have been solo experiences.

She would train on her own and show up on race day without really knowing anyone else running.

This time feels different.

Through Team Still I Run, she’s connecting with other people who understand the connection between running and mental health.

“It’s fun to not be doing this alone.”

She’s excited to meet other runners who are running for their mental health and to stay connected with them after the race.

Using Strava to See How Far She’s Come

Angela also uses Strava to track her runs, but for her it’s more than just numbers.

She treats it like a journal.

Scrolling back through old runs is one of the things that keeps her motivated. She can see the difference between where she started and where she is now.

Those early miles during college look very different from the runs she’s doing today.

Seeing that progress reminds her how far consistency can take you.

She also likes looking at her personal bests. They’re goals that belong completely to her.

They aren’t tied to work or anyone else’s expectations.

They’re just hers.

A Holistic Approach to Mental Health

Running has become Angela’s main way of managing anxiety.

She has never needed anxiety medication. Instead, she’s been able to support her mental health through movement.

For her, running provides a holistic way to take care of herself. It gives her time to think, breathe, and process what’s happening in her life.

It’s not about running faster or longer. It’s about feeling better.

Her Advice for New Runners

When Angela talks to people who are just starting their running journey for mental health, she keeps her advice simple.

Take it day by day.

Progress doesn’t always happen as quickly as we expect. And comparing yourself to other runners can make the process harder.

Instead, she encourages people to focus on their own journey.

Don’t compare yourself to others. Do it for yourself.

Because when running becomes personal, it becomes something you can return to again and again.

One Step at a Time

As Angela prepares for the New York City Half Marathon, she’s thinking about more than just the race.

She’s thinking about the journey that got her here. The early miles in college. The difficult transition into adulthood. The stress that once felt overwhelming.

Running helped her find steadiness during those moments.

Now she’s using those miles to support something bigger.

By running with Team Still I Run, Angela is helping raise awareness for mental health and showing others that movement can make a real difference.

And like so many runners before her, she’s proving that sometimes the biggest changes start with just one mile.