By Jared Myers

“During the race, you really battle with yourself and you test yourself, but the accomplishment after the race can't be better.” — Jose “Jesse” Villegas

Running a half-marathon is a challenge for anyone, particularly with little-to-no running experience. For Jose “Jesse” Villegas, it was not only a challenge, but the beginning of a path toward continuous self-improvement and a newfound community.

Villegas is a surgical supply specialist in Salem Hospital's Surgical Services Administration. When he is not aiding in the operating room’s supply chain, he is constantly seeking challenges and self-improvement through running long-distance races.

What first started as a dare from a friend quickly became a passion for Jesse. In late December 2024, a friend encouraged Jesse to sign up for a run the following April. As any person with little race experience would do, Jesse told his friend that he would start with a shorter race and work his way up. His friend, however, thought otherwise.

“They're like, if you're going to do a 5K, pretty sure you can do a half-marathon,” Jesse said.  “Mind you, I had no running experience.” Short on time and experience, he got to work preparing with his first half-marathon only a few months away.

Through the cold months of December to March, Jesse trained hard, running four times per week. Unfortunately, just three weeks before his debut race, he faced his first setback: a knee injury.

“Basically, my physical therapist said that I increased my mileage too fast and I would have to start doing exercises to support my knee,” he said.

Jesse’s injury kept him from running the final two weeks before his race, but when the race day came, he accomplished the goal he set for himself just a few months before: He finished a half marathon.

Completing his first ever long-distance race not only left Jesse with a sense of accomplishment, but also a dream for his future.

“It was a crazy experience because I saw runners of all different ages, even runners in their 70s and 80s. Seeing what they could do was amazing, and that kind of got me thinking, like, hey, what am I doing right now? I challenged myself to think long-term, and I want to be able to run like those people one day,” he said.

Since that fateful race in April 2025, Jesse has completed another half-marathon in October 2025. And, in December 2025, he completed his first 30K race and already has his sights on the next challenge: The Portland Marathon in October. 

“I think if you have a goal and you want to accomplish it, you'll find a way,” Jesse said.

As he looks to find a way toward accomplishing his next challenge, he encourages others to take steps toward their goals while learning from his experience as well.

“I would say, take your time and build up, find a community, then make a realistic goal for yourself,” Jesse said. “Ask yourself what you're really wanting, and just start working toward that.”