Cheryl Kyrias, a beloved social science teacher, dedicates a huge portion of her life to running and training for marathons. That was until February of 2023. 

While training for the Bayshore Marathon in Michigan, Kyrias discovered a stress fracture in her hip which slowed her training tremendously and prevented her from competing in her marathon. 

Growing up as a runner, Kyrias was no stranger to injuries. She had been challenged with many knee issues throughout her running career, but this was her first ever hip injury. 

“Injuries are common in female runners because our hips are aligned differently, which puts a lot of pressure on our knees,” Kyrias said. 

After taking nearly seven months off from exercising, Kyrias was finally able to get back into her routine. Her day to day training varies as she continues to strengthen all parts of her body. 

“I run three times a week, and then I bike three times a week. I do a lot of weight lifting and core, and I’ve recently started taking adult ballet classes, which I’ve found to be really helpful,” said Kyrias. “This totals to about eight to ten hours of training per week, kind of like a part time job.” 

Kyrias started running when she was a freshman in high school, but it wasn’t until college that she actually took it seriously. In 2008, she competed in her first marathon after graduating from the University of Illinois.

After having her son, Kyrias took a short break from her training, but the 2020 pandemic gave her the time she needed to get back into it. Later in 2021, she met her goal of breaking four hours (a seven minute mile) in the Indianapolis Marathon. 

“This is my hobby. Some parents go to Zumba and some are part of a book club. I work out. It’s really the only other thing I do besides teaching,” Kyrias said.  

After months of physical therapy, Kyrias is now recovered and is working towards qualifying for the Boston Marathon within the next year or two.