Pittsburgh has a great running scene and is full of incredible trails throughout the city. As the weather begins to warm up, and winter turns to springs, the streets and trails of Pittsburgh are full of walkers, bikers, and runners. But even in the midst of our brisk winters, there are a few dedicated souls that brave the frigid air and continue to frequent the trails all year long - rain or shine; sunshine or snow.
One of these dedicated souls just so happens to be Leah, who was a swimmer at the University of Pittsburgh, and also a committed runner. So committed that nearly negative temperatures in the heart of a Pennsylvania January couldn't keep her inside. One afternoon, she was out for a run on the river front trail in Southside. While I can't imagine she came across many people that day, she just so happened to catch up to a cute blonde boy she had never seen before. They naturally fell into into stride alongside one another and the two strangers picked up a casual conversation as the miles passed along. It turned out that the boys name was Ryan, and he was attending Duquesne University. They would later find out they shared not even one mutual friend. At the end of the run, before they parted ways, Leah invited him to meet her for another run the next day. They set up a meeting point and departed for their respective universities.
The following day, as Leah approached the planned meet up spot, she felt for sure there was no way Ryan would show up. It was still mid January and just so happened to be 17 degrees outside. She rounded the corner with low expectations, convincing herself that he would absolutely not be there. But low and behold, to her immense surprise, he had shown up. In shorts. And was standing there, albeit freezing, waiting for her.
From there, the romance developed naturally and swiftly. In addition to their shared love for running and other challenging endurance races, they have a mutual affection for a good beer, and have become quite fond of each other. Ryan and Leah quickly became inseparable and decided to set down some roots in the Southside Slopes. My heart was overjoyed as we got to incorporate so many fun components of their story into their engagement shoot.
These two officially tie the knot next year in Deep Creek, Maryland. Currently, they are residing in Southern Florida where Leah is finishing her graduate degree in marine study. After she finishes school, their next adventure is dependent on where she lands a job. They have an exciting adventure of unknowns ahead. But what they do know for sure is that they will be adventuring together, probably running, and drinking great beer.
Congratulations to two incredibly fun, remarkably intelligent and absolutely amazing individuals. Thank you for sharing your story, and giving me the opportunity to capture these memories in the place where it all began!
