April 05, 2021 • bachelor insider
How Running Helped Andi Dorfman Overcome a Year That Was 'Quite the Challenge'
Andi Dorfman headed over to Instagram this weekend to reflect on the year she’s had leading up to her 34th birthday, which took place Saturday, April 3.
In a ruminative post, the Season 10 Bachelorette explained how her passion for running helped her overcome an era in her life that she described as “quite the challenge.”
“Last run as a 33 year old in the books! Couldn’t help but think about what a year it has been. Like everyone else, this was definitely not the year I expected or hoped for,” Andi wrote, noting the universal difficulties that came as a result of the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.
“Nevertheless, I find myself looking back at it and trying to find the gratitude in a year that was so indescribably challenging for us all. I’ve come to believe that even during tough times, we all have a lot to be grateful for,” she added in her caption, accompanied by a photo of herself smiling on the beach.
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The “Single State of Mind” author then listed everything that has filled her with gratitude over the past 365 days.
“I’m grateful to be living in a new city, grateful to have started a new company and be able to watch as it grows, grateful for my health, for the close bonds I share with family and friends,” wrote Andi, who moved from New York City to Los Angeles in June 2020, months after COVID-19 began spreading across the United States.
The franchise star then detailed how her daily runs kept her sane amid the chaos.
“And more than ever, grateful for running. I know, I know. It probably gets annoying watching me run all the time, but it’s who I’ve become,” she continued. “It’s a part of me; a part of me that provides calmness, motivation and strength. It’s been the reliable constant in my life in a time where I’ve needed it more than ever. So ... sorry but it’s sticking around haha.”
Andi concluded her post by saying “goodbye” to 33. “You were quite the challenge,” she wrote. “See you tomorrow 34!”
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Andi’s tribute to her beloved pastime comes months after she launched a running app called Andorfins. Back in January, she spoke with BachelorNation.com about her foray into the fitness industry.
“While I was training for the New York Marathon, I was uploading videos and people would tag me in their own running videos. We created this hashtag called #Andorfins,” she recalled at the time. “And then after I ran the marathon, I was like, ‘Wait a second. I’m not really done with #Andorfins. The hashtag lives on and it’s still going and how do I kind of make this more?’”
Andi added, “I started putting challenges out on my own Instagram page, and eventually I realized that there needed to be another forum for this community. I just thought, ‘Why not an app?’ Everybody runs with their phones, so let’s just do it and make it easy.”
The Georgia native created the app in hopes that people will “change their perspective” about running. “Just think of it as 45 minutes away from your family, your work, or even the daily stresses of life. It’s time for you to enjoy some good music or some good scenery,” she said. “Think of it more as a mental escape or precious time alone rather than some arduous workout.”
