Running was never part of my game plan, although I’ve been an athlete all my life. After suffering major knee injuries in my teens and a dozen doctors (except one) suggesting surgery, I defied the odds: I didn’t go for surgery. I picked up scuba diving. I continued to strengthen my knees, muscles, and tendons. Last weekend I ran my first marathon.



When I look back and go through my sports memorabilia, I can’t stop smiling. Ballet, figure skating, soccer, and martial arts were only a few of the sports I practiced before my knees got busted. By the age of 16-17, I was diagnosed with arthrosis degree 2-3, meniscus rupture, and the list goes on and on.



I had massive inflammation in my knees and could barely walk. I went to orthopedic surgeons and sports orthopedists in different countries and all but one suggested surgery. I tried acupuncture and other alternative methods but nothing worked.



Time passed. I started uni and continued to hit the gym twice a week to work on strengthening my muscles. Things got slightly better but knee pain accompanied me everywhere. Walking longer distances was a disaster, and climbing stairs was an absolute no-go.



From Under-Water to Above-Water



As soon as I finished uni and had my first corporate check, I picked up scuba diving. I loved the underwater world since I was a kid and always wanted to dive. My parents used to take us to the seaside every single year. I got my first underwater goggles from my father by the age of four. I would spend hours upon hours watching fish hide in the sand bank and admire the different light patterns reflected from the sun.



In 2009 I became a rescue diver. I’ve been diving for well over twenty years now and the underwater world has become my second home. I’m super grateful that I had the opportunity to dive in some of the most amazing spots on our beautiful planet while hanging out and befriending fantastic people from all walks of life.



While scuba diving made things easier on my knees and joints, I still wasn’t satisfied with my abilities above water. Walking longer distances continued to be an issue although the inflammation and swallowing vanished. Incorporating yoga into my practice further strengthened certain muscle groups and improved my mobility which was always good thanks to ballet and figure skating.



The next major shift in my sports career happened a few years ago when I stumbled upon the KneeOverToesGuy. His unconventional methods to strengthen the knees immediately caught my attention. Unlike mainstream sports, fitness, and gym trainers he teaches one to walk backward and practice exercises while allowing the knees to cover the toes. This guy who had several knee surgeries while playing professional basketball had come up with a training method that managed to not only get him back on the court but also enabled him to train world-leading athletes to get back into their professional arena.



I resonated with his story and I started incorporating several of his elements into my training. Watching my tendons, joints, muscles, and knees become supersonic was the reward.



Fast forward to last year in June upon watching runners go through the finish line of a marathon, I decided to run the marathon in one year.



A few days ago I ran at the Vienna City Marathon.



Discipline – My No. 1 Weapon



Discipline is my number one ingredient. While despised and ridiculed by most people on planet Earth,