"Well, I was never much of a runner before

“Well, I was never much of a runner before — maybe a little jog here and there, probably never more than a mile in my whole life. Last year, I read Born to Run and it affected me profoundly — the concept of our bodies being used for their real purpose when they’re running.

I thought, “You know what, I’m going to run a marathon and raise money for the Silverlake Conservatory of Music.” As a musician, I’m about expressing what’s inside, and I think everyone has a song in them that they need to get out, whatever their gig is. And with running, my body has another way to express itself.”

“Running for a Higher Purpose: A Musician’s Journey from Stage to Marathon”

For most of his life, he never thought of himself as a runner. Sure, there were occasional jogs here and there — short bursts of movement, maybe a mile at most — but running was never something that defined him. That all changed last year when he picked up a book that would shift his perspective on what the human body — and spirit — is truly capable of.

The book was Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, a story that explores humanity’s natural connection to running, endurance, and freedom. For this musician, reading it wasn’t just a revelation; it was a wake-up call.

> “It affected me profoundly,” he explained. “The concept of our bodies being used for their real purpose when they’re running — that struck something deep inside me. I thought, ‘You know what, I’m going to run a marathon and raise money for the Silverlake Conservatory of Music.’”

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🎵 From Strings to Strides

As a musician, expression has always been the foundation of his life. Through melody, rhythm, and emotion, he’s made a career out of transforming what’s inside into sound that connects with others. But this time, he found a new instrument — his body. Running became another form of self-expression, one that didn’t require amplifiers, microphones, or a stage.

> “As a musician, I’m about expressing what’s inside,” he said. “I think everyone has a song in them that they need to get out, whatever their gig is. And with running, my body has another way to express itself.”

That connection between art and movement gave his training deeper meaning. Every step wasn’t just about endurance — it was about rhythm. The pounding of his feet on the pavement became its own beat, a living percussion line. The controlled breathing, the tempo of his heart — all of it merged into a new kind of music, one that played silently but resonated powerfully within him.

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🏃‍♂️ Finding Purpose Beyond the Finish Line

When he decided to run his first marathon, it wasn’t simply for personal achievement. His goal was tied to a cause close to his heart — the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a nonprofit organization that provides music education to children and young adults, regardless of financial background.

By merging two passions — fitness and music — he discovered a purpose that transcended both. Each training run became an act of giving, each drop of sweat a contribution toward nurturing the next generation of artists.

> “Music gave me everything — purpose, discipline, joy,” he reflected. “If I can use this marathon to help someone else find their own song, that’s worth every mile.”

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🌄 The Emotional Transformation

The physical journey of marathon training is daunting. For someone who had “never run more than a mile,” the idea of 26.2 miles might have seemed impossible at first. But beyond the muscle aches and early mornings, there was something deeply emotional about the process.

Running long distances forces a person inward — into silence, reflection, and rhythm. The musician found that it mirrored the creative process he knew so well. Where songwriting often begins in chaos before finding clarity, running too starts with resistance before giving way to flow.

> “You hit that point where it’s not about your legs anymore,” he said. “It’s your spirit doing the running.”

It was this sense of spiritual discovery that made the marathon more than just a physical challenge. It became a meditation — an act of self-knowledge.

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💫 The Symphony of the Human Body

For him, running turned into a symphony — one conducted by nature and performed by the body. The rhythm of his feet, the rise and fall of his breath, the pulse of his heartbeat — all played their parts in perfect time.

In that space, he found beauty not unlike the moments of transcendence on stage when music carries the performer as much as the performer carries the music.

He began to see running not as a sport, but as another form of art. It was improvisation in motion — raw, vulnerable, and free.

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❤️ A Legacy of Expression

Now, as he continues to train and prepare for the marathon, his motivation remains the same: to give back through movement and melody. The Silverlake Conservatory of Music, which has helped countless young artists find their voices, stands as a reminder of why this mission matters.

> “We all have a song inside,” he said. “For me, it just took running to remind me that expression isn’t limited to music — it’s everywhere. It’s how we move, breathe, and live.”

In a world often obsessed with speed and achievement, his story reminds us that expression — whether through a guitar solo, a brushstroke, or a long run under the open sky — is what makes us human.

And when the starting gun fires on race day, he won’t just be running toward a finish line. He’ll be running toward a deeper harmony — between body and soul, art and endurance, purpose and passion.

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In the end, it’s not about how fast you run or how loud you

play — it’s about finding your rhythm and letting it carry you forward. 🎶🏃‍♂️“Running for a Higher Purpose: A Musician’s Journey from Stage to Marathon”

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