2025 May VFE Featured Athlete – Maria Delgadillo; Sport – Running; Top Dog for Azusa Pacers

My running journey started in 2016. I started as a hiker, before my passion for running evolved. It all started when a friend from the hiking group invited me to run a 5K in La Miranda (a day before the race). I said I can’t run, she said it’ll be FUN! She had me at “FUN”, so I went ahead and agreed to join the event. To my surprise, I won in my age group, and yup I got the bug to run!

In 2018 I completed my very first marathon. I never thought I could run a mile, much less a marathon. Through this journey, I’ve had my share of challenges and obstacles, but every setback has been an opportunity to come back stronger. From a torn ligament, to foot surgery, to battle wounds. It seems that there is always something that gets in the way of me reaching my goals. My faith is what keeps me going, and helps me to remain positive, and to move forward and not to give up.

In 2019, I tore a ligament while tripping over a pinecone at a 5K, as one of the runners kicked the pinecone out of their way and into my direction unintentionally. I was able to cross the finish line, but once I stopped, that’s when the unbearable pain began. I went to Urgent Care, the good news, nothing was broken or fractured, the bad news I had a torn ligament, which takes longer to heal. As I was being wheeled on a wheelchair at a race, there was a runner in front of me with a Boston Marathon jacket, I thought to myself, “SOMEDAY” even though it seemed impossible.

Fast forward to 2022, I trained to run the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon to possibly BQ. Well that dream quickly came to an end, when at mile 23, I collapsed and blacked out. I was blessed to have two of my friends running behind me to be by my side, and call the paramedics. It was the scariest thing I experienced, I lost my memory, I didn’t know where I was, what my name was, what my age was, I had no memory of anything. I was taken to the hospital and when I finally regained consciousness, the first thing I asked, was “did I make it to the finish line?” I was told by the nurse that I didn’t, but that not everybody gets as far as I did. I started crying, because I felt I failed everyone, especially myself. Thereafter I was traumatized, I was scared to run long miles, thinking the same incident might occur. I pushed myself to get back to running for my runners in my club, gradually and eventually I was back to where I left off.

In 2023 I ran the OC Marathon, where to my surprise I BQ’d. However, the standards to running Boston changed due to the breaking numbers of applicants and I missed the buffer time by a minute. I did not make the cut. At first I was disappointed, but then I told myself, I needed to work harder.

In 2024 I ran Ventura Marathon where I BQ’d this time with 13 minutes cushion. I finally made the cut!!! An exciting moment for me! I trained even harder this time and made sure to make my appointments with Evelyn at VFE for my sports massage to avoid injury, which helped tremendously. It kept me injury free.

I am happy to share that my dream finally came true on April 21, 2025, I ran the 129th Boston Marathon. It was a very tough course, but I DID IT! A day I will always cherish. DREAMS DO COME TRUE!! Never give up on your dreams, no matter how difficult it may seem. If you BELIEVE in yourself, ANYTHING is possible, no matter how old you are.