Told to stop running as a novice monk, he'll run the NYC Marathon on Sunday
· Yahoo Sports
For Griffin Oleynick , competing in his first TCS New York City Marathon is about more than completing 26.2 miles. It represents a journey of healing, recovery and connection after overcoming trauma.
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"The last time I ran a marathon was in 2014, and at the same time, I was preparing to enter a monastery in Italy to become a monk," he said.
He said he grew up Catholic and pursued religious life to deepen his spirituality.
"I grew up Catholic, but I was becoming more religious and more spiritual, and I thought this would be a great way to learn to live alone with God and to explore my spirituality, and make a contribution to the world," he said.
While in the monastery, Oleynick said he was told to stop running and later experienced abuse.
"My novice director, who is responsible for helping me to become a monk, told me I couldn't run. And then he began to abuse me, so I had to leave," he said.
After leaving, he said running became central to his recovery.
"And then after that, running became, basically, like a salvation tool. Like it really saved me. Like I had to deal with the trauma, process the trauma," he said. "And it became, along with therapy, just a way of healing over the years."
Oleynick said the trauma affected his ability to trust others and led him to isolate himself.
"It was very scary to be around other people. I had a lot of issues trusting other people, getting close," he said. "And I just wanted to be alone."
He said his perspective changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"And it got to the point in the pandemic where suddenly everybody was living alone. And I felt my own loneliness. I thought, this is no longer working for me in the way that it used to. I don't want to be alone anymore. And so I started reaching out to clubs, and that changed everything for me," he said.
"I remember starting with the Prospect Park Track Club and going to group runs. And realizing how much better that felt than being alone."
Oleynick said the running community helped him rediscover a sense of belonging and care for others.
"There's a phrase in Catholicism, in religious life called cura personalis. It's Latin for care of the person," he said. "And that's what I discovered in running clubs, especially the Prospect Park Track Club, is there's so much care given to each person from the other members of the team."
"It's not about times. It's not about splits. It's about camaraderie. It's about feeling for each other. It's ultimately about togetherness."
Today, Oleynick said his life is markedly different from what it was when he left the monastery.
"My life is now completely different. I have a family. I'm married with a child who's 1, and my dad has been coaching me," he said.
Running remains closely tied to both his spirituality and daily life.
"Mostly I pray when I'm running out here along the Hudson River, in Central Park, all over the city," he said.
"When I'm running, I'm one with everything. I'm one with the river. I'm one with the path. I'm one with the people that I see training."
As he prepares for the New York City Marathon, Oleynick said the sport still plays a vital role in his life.
"Running is everything to me. It really saved me. And keeps saving me," he said.