Introducing Rebecca. She is an international CMO and former tennis player from London, now living between New York and Amsterdam. All her life, Rebecca told herself she couldn’t run, but encouraged by family and friends, she had her first run six months ago at age 42.
Running has now become part of her weekly training routine, including recently completing her first 10k, with an eye to push further next year. Running has taught her that it’s never to late to find joy in something new.
Rediscovering a Love for Sport: My Journey from Tennis to Running
I’ll be honest: I never thought running was for me. Although I loved watching the Olympics, especially the track and field events, tennis was always my sport and, truthfully, my first love. Growing up, I played competitively and would be glued to the TV during Wimbledon, watching every match I possibly could, especially those featuring Steffi Graf! But unfortunately, at age 15, a severe knee injury put an end to my tennis career.
Life’s Detours and a New Beginning
Fast forward 26 years. Life had taken me from a small town in the UK to London, then NYC, and now Amsterdam, where I currently live. I got married, adopted our rescue dog Rosie, traveled extensively for work, renovated a house—you name it. Running still didn’t cross my mind; I always felt too busy. But everything changed last year on a trip to Athens with my husband, Greg.
A Magical Moment in Athens
Two things happened in Athens that planted the seeds of change. First, I watched Greg, a longtime runner, take a run in the Panathenaic Stadium, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Seeing him run in this incredible marble stadium was awe-inspiring. Watching him do something that brought him so much joy had a huge impact on me. It felt raw, monumental, and reminded me of the feelings I had stepping onto a tennis court: the excitement, the challenge, the sense that anything was possible.
Second, after that run, Greg—who is also a fashion designer—shared an idea with me. He envisioned a women’s running apparel and footwear brand, inspired by the origins of the sport and the ceremonial ethos of ancient running. Just two weeks later, we found ourselves at Amsterdam’s local government office, setting up our new business, Philos.
My First Run (at 42!)
Fast forward to this past summer, just before the launch of Philos, I finally decided to give running a try. While we were spending July 4th with family on Lake Michigan, I laced up my shoes for my first-ever run: 4.15 kilometers! To seasoned runners, this might sound trivial, but for me, it was exhilarating. I couldn’t believe I had run for 25 minutes straight—a personal milestone I’d never come close to before. For the rest of that week, I went running nearly every day.
Making Running Part of My Routine
Since that trip, I’ve kept up running on a weekly basis, and so far, my furthest distance is 15 kilometers. Running has become a wonderful outlet for my natural competitiveness, letting me channel that energy in a healthy way. It’s my “me time”—usually accompanied by a playlist featuring Jay-Z—and it’s time spent outdoors in the fresh air. While I still miss tennis, running has given me a renewed focus, a way to enjoy moving my body, and a growing confidence in my physical ability.
Now, after just four months of running, I’m amazed at how quickly our bodies adapt. I’ve realized that often it’s our minds holding us back, not our bodies. I’m even contemplating running a half marathon next year! If you’d told me that six months ago, I would’ve thought you were crazy.
Rediscovering the Joy of Movement
Starting this journey has taught me that it’s never too late to find joy in something new. Running has given me something I didn’t even know I was looking for—a way to reconnect with the thrill of movement I thought I’d left behind with tennis.
