From sidewalks to finish lines: Claudia's story of wellness & drive

At Sparkle Wellness, we believe in connecting with the real people who inspire us. Claudia was just another stranger a few months ago — one of those people you see yet never really meet. But when we spotted her jogging, we couldn’t help but stop her in her tracks.

Claudia looked like a seasoned runner with her matching gear, vibrant running shoes and confident smile. The surprise? Not only was she not a professional runner, she had just completed her first three miles without stopping. We were thrilled when she exclaimed, “I just signed up for my first marathon!” We couldn't wait to hear more of her story.

A chance encounter, a lasting friendship

At Sparkle Wellness, we believe everyone has a story. And Claudia’s was one we were lucky to discover. Just a few months ago, she set an audacious goal: running the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon. “I’m not a runner,” she admitted. “I actually hate it, but I love challenging myself.” We were impressed and inspired by her determination to push herself so far.

After learning a bit about her, we immediately wanted to support her marathon dream, so we decided to meet up regularly. Throughout each visit, we discussed every aspect of her wellness journey and marathon prep, including her goals, the highs and lows of training, her 5 a.m. routine and her nutrition struggles. As we followed and filmed her journey, Claudia truly inspired us, and we’re thrilled to share her story with you.

A collaborative approach to wellness

After essentially becoming her personal film crew, we decided to get even more involved. We shared with her our movement collagen peptides, which are designed to nourish, strengthen and support the vital mechanics of the body. Sparkle Wellness' in-house health and wellness coach, Jai Herod, who runs fitness programs and nutrition counseling sessions for our staff, guided her fitness and body composition goals through weekly calls. Jai really enjoys working with her and was impressed with her determination. "All I did was present a pathway and she just continues to make new paths of greatness for herself."

We also recruited our friends from Nutrition Aligned, a personalized nutrition coaching service. Leanne Nieto, a registered dietitian nutritionist, created a healthy diet and nutrition plan that included collagen and other supplements.

"When you look good, you feel good."

Claudia has noticed a significant difference since starting her training and paying closer attention to her nutrition. "I changed my nutrition drastically. I love Coca-Cola but gave it up, though I still treat myself once in a while. I also have a meal prep service that has helped tremendously. And I started drinking more water to stay hydrated." 

And as for her results, she couldn't be more excited. "Once I changed my diet, I started to lose weight. I was less bloated, had less inflammation and my stomach area shrunk, which made me more confident." She added, "I am a big believer that when you look good, you feel good. Once I started to see my body change, my confidence went up. The minute I started to feel good about myself and my body, I started to believe I was capable of running a marathon."

Claudia’s progress: 13 miles & counting

Claudia can now run 13 miles (amazing, we know!) and with the LA Marathon and its 26 mile distance quickly approaching, we will continue to support her along her journey to the finish line. Stay tuned to follow her journey and cheer her on.