3 Lessons from my first Half Marathon
Last weekend, I completed a Half Marathon for the first time. đ On its own, that sounds really wonderful⌠But the reality is itâs been a grueling uphill battle!
đ I trained FOUR TIMES before I could finish, running 474 miles in 2 years.
đ The 3rd time, my knee gave out at Mile 12. I crossed the finish in a golf cart.
đ And when I finally finished a race last weekend, it was still hard.
The practice of training has been really tough. But Iâve learned some important lessons along the wayâŚ
â You can have everything you want if you have discipline â
Remember the YouTube video with Shia LaBeouf screaming âJUST DO ITâ? You are the master of your own humane. Stop making excuses. Countdown from 5 like âMel Robbinsâ and just do the damn thing. Follow through on the commitments you make to your self and watch your trust in yourself rise. DONâT LET YOUR DREAMS BE DREAMS đ
â Life is tough, but so are you. You can do hard things â
Every time I run, the first 1â3 miles are always the hardest. My body feels achy. My lungs & heart are like, âEw, what is this?â But then, everything loosens up and itâs a matter of not stopping. Winston Churchill is the one who said: âWhen youâre going through hell, keep going.â With every tough task, starting is the hardest part. Then you get into a nice flow. And once youâre down, you feel Self-Efficacy. Yes, you CAN because yes, you DID.
â You are a human and you have a body. Collaborate with it â
The race before last, at Mile 12, I couldnât lift my left knee without scorching pain. When I realized I wasnât going to make it across the finish line, I started weeping. I was humbled by my body. It was screaming at me to STOP. The next time I trained, I was much kinder to it. I skipped runs when my joints felt weird. I strength-trained better between runs. I stayed hydrated, and I made sure I always had enough fuel⌠And that worked!
So really, accomplishing your goals isnât all that hard. All you need is: Discipline, Commitment, Resilience, Self-Awareness, and some Self-Compassion. đ
Have you faced your own uphill battles or achieved a significant milestone recently? Iâd love to hear your stories and the lessons youâve learned. đ