Gabriel moves for change
“As an adult, I recognize that running is my therapy. My meditation.”
Gabriel runs six days a week, returning to the rhythm with devotion and joy. What started as escape became therapy, and what became therapy grew into advocacy, community, and proof that movement can change lives.
Six days a week, Gabriel runs. Three long, demanding workouts and three recovery efforts that often total 100 kilometers, then the cycle begins again. The training is consistent, but the reason behind it is deeper than fitness. For Gabriel, running is happiness, and it has been a lifeline.
Gabriel grew up gay in a conservative Christian home and attended a church where he felt condemned and alone. He describes running as the place he could go when there was no one to talk to. “Through running, I was able to simply run away from it all,” he says. “It was my escape.”
As an adult, the purpose evolved. “Running is my therapy,” Gabriel says. “My meditation.” He describes the way his mind shifts during a run. “I go into a trance when I’m running, and nothing else matters,” he says. What began as a way to survive became a way to heal.
Gabriel’s story is also about speaking openly in a way that makes space for others. He recently shared that he is HIV positive and has been active in HIV and AIDS advocacy, working to challenge stigma with honesty and presence. He is clear about what he wants people to understand. “HIV doesn’t slow me down,” he says, and he does not want it to slow anyone else down.
That belief shows up in the way Gabriel uses running to build community. He partnered with the Positive Youth Outreach group at the AIDS Committee of Toronto to help them train for their first running event. On race day, Gabriel stood at the finish line cheering, overwhelmed by pride. “The group is all so sweet, and it’s easy to work with them,” he said. “This is why running is so precious. We meet such amazing people.”
Gabriel does not present the journey as simple. He speaks about setbacks as part of the process, not as proof of failure. “With every setback you face, you learn something,” he says. And he believes that love for an activity can ripple outward. “Once you find something you love, you’re happy,” he says. “You also have the power to inspire others.”
Gabriel runs because running changes lives. His own, and the lives of the people he brings along with him.
Gabriel moves for change.
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