How it all started ...

Hey there — I’m Daniel. Welcome to Miles & Motivation!

If you’ve landed here, chances are you’re curious about how I got started running — especially since I used to hate it.

Back in 2023, during a casual soccer match, I tore my right ACL. It was a major setback that forced me to slow down. In 2024, I finally had knee surgery, and the long road to recovery began. It wasn’t fun, and it definitely wasn’t easy — but it taught me a lot about resilience, discipline, and mindset.

My physical therapist encouraged me to stay active, keep my knee moving, and rebuild strength. That meant walking, stretching… and eventually running. I hadn’t run in months, and after surgery, my right leg had noticeably lost muscle. My first attempts felt more like limping than jogging — frustrating and humbling for someone who used to be in decent shape.

But I didn’t quit. I set a simple goal: sign up for a local 5K and give it my best shot. I trained consistently, tracked my progress, and slowly started to see results. I was hooked. Not just on the improvement — but on how good running made me feel, physically and mentally.

This blog exists to share that journey and help others — especially beginners — discover the same benefits I did. Whether you’re recovering from injury, starting from scratch, or just trying to get healthier, you’re not alone.