Pittsburgh woman shares how her mental health journey led her to run marathons

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh woman will run in the New York City Marathon on Sunday.

Nicole Mirani is running for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Mirani was diagnosed with depression when she was in middle school.

“I just wasn’t, I don’t wanna say vibing, but I wasn’t opening up. I wasn’t finding myself,” she said.

Mirani went to therapy and counseling but it was hard to remain consistent as a young adult.

She told Channel 11 she got into a groove while at Slippery Rock University, but when COVID-19 hit, she began to struggle.

“I did have a friend take his life, and I witnessed that first on, in front of me. So that was very overwhelming,” Mirani said. “I struggled with opening up, finding people I could find comfortable or trusted even, or having even a superior to go to.”

Less than a month later, she tried to take her own life.

“A lot of self-doubt, self-shame for him taking his life,” Mirani said. “Just like very extreme, like, very overwhelming self-doubt feeling, and I was just very disturbed with how I was in that moment.”

In the immediate aftermath, Mirani said she felt incredibly guilty and self-shame bubbled to the surface when she saw her parents.

“I think they were just sad that I didn’t reach out. I think they felt the same how I felt like they could have done more,” she said.

Mirani was transferred into psychiatric care, something she says changed her life for the better. When she was eventually released, COVID still had a massive impact on the world, so she turned to running.

“I needed to stay stimulated. So I just started running a track where my campus or my college housing was across from so I’d walk to a track, do a couple miles here and there, and then, you know, that satisfied me for a while,” Mirani explained.

She kept pushing it further to see how far she could go.

“What I did learn, I would say, in the psych ward, is like solitude, like getting to know yourself on a personal level, on an inner level. And that was something I do not take for granted. Now, like I love my independence, I love I run for three hours by myself, and that is my cup of tea,” Mirani said.

New York City will be her fourth marathon. She ran her first in Summer 2020.

“I just went on a trail, and I just did it myself. It took all day. I hated it. I would never recommend that. I got up to, I think I got up to 15 miles, and then I was like, ‘Okay, like, how hard can it be?’ It was awful,” she said.

As she raised funds for NYC, Mirani started to share her story.

“I just want to spread awareness. I want to educate people. I want to help people. I’m a trainer for a reason. I like to help people reach their goals,” she said. “I don’t believe anyone should ever go through that what me and my friend have gone through.”

Mirani wants to reassure people they’re not alone.

Her biggest piece of advice to someone who is struggling is that it’s okay and important to talk about mental health.

“Yap it out, talk it out. I’m a yapper now, and I will not change from that. Anybody. It could be someone on social media who’s vulnerable about it. There’s so many people out there that like you’re gonna find somebody who you connect with,” she said.

Mirani told Channel 11 she’s ready for all the emotions that will hit as she crosses the finish line on Sunday.

“I’m going to love it. I think it’s going to mean a lot, just the amount of work I put into it the amount of support I’ve had,” she said.

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