Finishing a Marathon to Self-Discovery: Kaori Oinuma On The Hardest Race of Her Life

From finishing her first full marathon to opening up about the battles people never see, this may be Kaori Oinuma’s most honest conversation yet. In this episode of From the Heart, Kaori shares what it really took to cross the finish line—from months of exhausting physical training to the mental discipline required to keep going when quitting seemed easier. She talks about why having the right support system became one of the biggest reasons she made it through her first 42K. But this conversation goes far beyond running. Kaori opens up about constantly feeling the need to prove herself, why she gets disappointed when she falls short of her own expectations, and how that mindset has shaped both her career and personal life. She also shares what it was like growing up in Japan, experiencing bullying, feeling like an outsider, and eventually moving to the Philippines to build a life on her own. Today, one of her biggest dreams is to work hard enough to bring her mother home and be together again. We also talk about: Why acting became an emotional outlet for herThe Kaori people don’t see behind the camerasMissing the life of being “normal”How much she’s changed since her PBB journey seven years agoBecoming more confident, wiser, and learning to say noHer decision to study PsychologyWorking with children with autismWhy she hopes to dedicate part of her future to helping children and people struggling with mental health This isn’t just a story about finishing a marathon. It’s about becoming stronger, setting boundaries, healing old wounds, and learning that the most meaningful finish lines are often the ones within ourselves.