The Miles That Saved Me: Coach Harrison Warns on Running and Recovery

By: Harrison Warns, Charm City Run Timonium Marathon Training Coach

Running means far more to me than just staying fit. Running is my recovery. I ran my first mile whilst in a rehabilitation program several years back. To call it ‘running’ is an exaggeration; it was more like a cycle of sprinting and walking because I had no clue what I was doing. At the time I was at my lowest—in horrible shape both mentally and physically. I had no passion no purpose and was unable to break through my addiction. However, with the help of the amazing world of recovery and my newfound sport, my life is now unrecognizable and I am deeply grateful. 

I despised running in the beginning, but I used it to restructure my life and achieve a level of relief and accomplishment that was absent in my life. Inspired by a friend, I challenged myself, to run the Baltimore marathon in 100 days with no previous training or race history. Whilst I wouldn’t recommend this path to anyone we coach, this process changed the course of my life and I discovered my passion. 

In the beginning I could not run a continuous mile without stopping and keeling over with cramps wheezing uncontrollably. Often my gut threatened to return my lunch back to the earth. I did not particularly enjoy these runs but the feeling of accomplishment and the release of endorphins post run kept me motivated. Aerobic fitness grows very quickly in an untrained body, and it adapts to the new normal resulting in measurable gains in time, distance, and perceived effort. 

Finally, I was seeing some progress in my life day over day week over week and month over month. I was consistent if nothing else and this proved to be the key to endurance training for me and a valuable life lesson. Fast forward a bit and I ran my first race, the Baltimore marathon. Despite being severely undertrained and under fueled I was determined to leave absolutely everything on the streets of Baltimore and that’s what I did. I assumed we’d be running 26.2 miles along the beautifully flat promenade but boy was I wrong. After running up to the zoo and back down I knew we were all in for a treat. Despite the immense physical pain of running my longest run by 12 miles I felt supported and felt like I belonged. 

I nearly cried crossing that finish line after 100 days of training and a tough day on the course. Unlike my addiction, I had finally experienced my first taste of delayed gratification and the overwhelming feeling of joy and accomplishment that followed. Despite, not being able to walk down the stairs for the next week I knew I found my passion. The rest is history. I became obsessed with the endurance sports world and kept training, learning, and racing. What began as a challenge became a passion, and over the next few years I completed multiple marathons and triathlons, ultimately running a 2:53 at the 50th Marine Corps Marathon in 2025. 

My love for the sport led me to Charm City Run, where I spent the last two years learning the ins and outs of running—from footwear and nutrition to training philosophies. I am now coaching the Marathon training group alongside other responsibilities and could not be more excited. Today, running alongside my 12-step recovery program continue to give my life purpose, connection and the privilege of helping others. I hope to build a career where I can share both my passion for endurance sports and the hope I found in recovery. Never stop learning!