She may have run her final marathon, but Ann Hager is just starting her journey to raise awareness about dealing with anxiety.
Hager completed what she said would be her last marathon on Saturday in celebration of her 60th birthday. She finished the race in about five hours, despite the extreme New Mexico heat. Hager has participated in many marathons, using running as therapy to ease her battle with anxiety.
“I grew up being afraid of everything, and fear was my biggest anxiety,” Hager told KRQE News. “As my faith just got stronger over the years, I’d run and pray and ask God to put in my heart calmness.”
Hager used her participation in the marathon to partner with Breaking the Silence New Mexico. The nonprofit, according to its website, “promotes mental health literacy, advocacy and well-being for teens, youth and adults through education, personal stories and the arts.”
Sharing her struggle with anxiety is important to Hager, who seems the most confident person in the world when she’s running. She is hopeful her 26.2-mile run will offer hope for others struggling with anxiety.
“I battle with anxiety, and I want to share that with people because it is a serious issue,” Hager told KRQE News. “If you can embrace it and talk about it, it just makes it all that much better.”