WHEELING — For one Ohio Valley mom, the Ogden 20K Run was not just a personal challenge, but one that started at work.
Olivia Bryniarski of Bridgeport ran her first 20K Saturday, in hopes of showing her coworkers she was up to any challenge. The 30-year-old Bryniarski is a physical therapist at Wheeling Hospital.
After the birth of her second son, Bryniarski said her fellow employees at the hospital told her she would never be able to run a 20K. The new mom accepted the challenge and began working toward her goal.
Bryniarski has trained for the last four months to get ready for the big day.
On Saturday, cheered on by her husband, Josh, and two sons, 4-year-old Caleb and 1-year-old Xander, Bryniarski took off with plans to reach the finish line.
During the race, Bryniarski’s husband was able to contact her by cell phone.
“She sounded good, she should be coming down the road soon,” Josh said upon learning she had made it to Elm Grove.
About 20 minutes later, Bryniarski could be seen in her bright yellow running shirt turning the last corner and headed for the finish.
Caleb clung to the orange netting at the edge of the crowd, waiting to cheer his mom across the finish line.
Bryniarski, though exhausted, smiled as her husband passed her youngest into her arms in celebration of her personal victory. Bryniarski finished the Ogden 20K Run in 2:07:13:70.
