At 37 years old, Julie Weiss was facing a midlife crisis—feeling depressed, overweight, and going through the daily motions as a single mother. Needing a change, she went for an barefoot run along the beaches of Kauai on a family vacation, committing then and there to turn her life around through movement. That single moment sparked a global running journey that would eventually see her complete 121 marathons and raise over a million dollars for charity.
Finding Energy and Community on the Coast
Returning home to Santa Monica, Julie started running between lifeguard towers on the beach with her dog, Jesse. Watching thousands of LA Roadrunners train on weekend mornings inspired her to step across the boundary and join them, despite showing up to her first session in heavy cotton sweats.
Her 2008 debut at the Los Angeles Marathon was a classic trial by fire—hitting the wall at mile 12 after attempting to break four hours without a formal training plan. After 17 marathons of similar struggles, she connected with pace leader and future husband David Levine, who introduced her to structured coaching, proper pacing, and sustainable recovery.
Turning Grief into Extraordinary Action
In 2010, tragedy struck when Julie’s father passed away from pancreatic cancer just 35 days after his diagnosis. Ten days after his passing, Julie achieved her dream of qualifying for the Boston Marathon, pointing to the sky as she crossed the finish line. Driven to ensure other families would not suffer from the lethal disease, she set an audacious goal: run 52 marathons in 52 weeks and raise $1 million for pancreatic cancer research.
Working a full-time job, Julie flew out every Friday, ran 26.2 miles over the weekend, and returned to her desk every Monday morning. By slowing her race pace by an hour to avoid injury and dedicating each race to a cancer survivor or family, she successfully completed all 52 marathons in a single year. Though the initial year raised $200,000, Julie maintained her pledge for over a decade, officially surpassing the $1 million milestone in 2023.
The 7 C’s to Defy Your Limits
Her accomplishments earned her a prominent feature in the documentary Spirit of the Marathon II and national media recognition as the “Marathon Goddess”. Now 56 and focusing on strength training to stay strong for her granddaughters, Julie emphasizes that running was never about proving her self-worth, but about discovering the light inside herself. Her core philosophy relies on seven principles to push past limits:
- Create: Make the decision to write down your dream and take one small action.
- Certainty: Believe completely that your best work is still ahead of you.
- Connect: Build a relationship with a community or higher power so you never run alone.
- Commit: Declare your goals publicly to keep yourself accountable.
- Consistency: Show up daily with small actions that compound over time.
- Cause: Attach your goal to something bigger than yourself for extra energy.
- Courage: Tap into 10 seconds of brave courage to get out the door.
Her “Why” Today
Julie’s mission has evolved from running dozens of races a year to taking care of her mental and physical longevity. By prioritizing self-care and staying healthy, she continues to shine a light for others who might feel overwhelmed or stuck at the beginning of their fitness path. Her message remains simple: you are inherently worthy right now, there are no fake runners, and it is never too late to start moving.
