Journey to a Marathon

“You must be a runner.” While I suppose I am a “runner” now, I haven’t always been or identified as runner. I was never the fastest person in the room nor the slowest. I was a solid middle of the pack runner, with a highly competitive mindset, and definitely never would have imagined that I would be running anything farther than 3 miles. So how did I end up completing my first marathon…with no injuries…lets dive in.

I started running a little when I was in college. I was not consistent and to be honest, I didn’t really enjoy it. During this time period I also began boxing. I started running during my boxing training because running was a challenge for me. Running taught me how to become comfortable being uncomfortable. But my running training was inconsistent, I didn’t understand how to train for running, and so I never saw much improvement.

Flash forward a few years and I started running a little more consistently. During this time I was working as a graphic designer and a personal trainer…I had 5 jobs….yep 5. I found myself with a very limited amount of time to workout so I began running on my lunch breaks because it was the most accessible form of exercise for me and allowed me to be outside which I really enjoyed. I would run as far as I could in 30-40 minutes and then return to work all sweaty, happy, and unbothered.

Flash forward a few more years and I decided I wanted to run a 1/2 marathon. I found a generic 1/2 marathon running plan to follow and off I went. I thought I was doing everything right, I had a plan, I was training consistently, but I found myself constantly injured. I was losing toenails, had hip/leg injuries, and was constantly in pain every time I went for a run. But despite my numerous injuries, I finished my race, and I honestly thought I would never attempt distance running again. I was in so much pain I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to run again. But I was wrong.

A few years later I discovered trail running which sparked a new passion for running. Suddenly my runs became less focused on how fast or far I was running and became focused on enjoying nature, spending my time with my friend Sarah, and taking on new challenges. I decided I wanted to give distance running another attempt, so I signed up for an 11 mile trail race, a 1/2 marathon road race, and hired a run coach. I learned how to design running programs and become a successful distance runner without having constant injuries.

In 2022 I signed up for another 1/2 marathon, I had a 13 minute PR (personal record), which is a massive improvement in my running time, and ran my first full marathon 5 weeks later with zero injuries!

So what changed?

Run Slow and Easy

If you’re training for distance running, not every run needs or should be fast and hard. Learning how to implement easy, slow running days was critical in my success. I used to think that I needed to run every run as fast as I could or I wasn’t successful. The truth is the exact opposite. You need both! Easy, slow runs have a different effect on your body than hard, fast runs but you need both to be successful. How much easy running and how much hard running you need depends on the distance and type of race you are training for.

Found Enjoyment

When I took the pressure off myself to run or race at particular pace I found myself actually enjoying my runs and the race experience. When I ran my marathon I had no set time I wanted to complete it in, my only goal was to finish the race injury free, and I did! I found myself enjoying the run (until mile 20 where it got considerably less fun #iykyk ha!). There is nothing wrong with wanting to set a goal or a pace for your race, but for my first marathon, not focusing on my race time allowed me to actually enjoy the experience of my run.

Diversified my Training

A big factor that led to my success was diversifying my training. While I was training for these races, my exercise routine included boxing (which greatly helped my cardiovascular abilities), strength training (which helped my muscles stay strong to support the demands of distance running), and of course I was also running. Your body likes a variety of movement, and while yes you do need to focus on your main sport or activity, it is important to add other activities that support your sport like strength training, swimming, biking, hiking, boxing, yoga/mobility etc.

Can you become a runner?

First off, you don’t have to identify as a “runner” to run or enjoy running/walking. And if you hate running, don’t run! No one has to run, unless of course your sport requires it.

But if you are looking to start running, run farther, or run faster, you absolutely can! And you can do it without injuries! I fully believe that anyone can find success running.

This is why Sarah James and I created our Run into Summer 6 Week Challenge Program. This program will focus on helping you become a better runner through our 6 week running (or walking) guide, weekly strength workouts, and a mobility/stretch day to help you recover and improve your mobility/flexibility, a habit tracking calendar, AND nutrition guidance.

Whether you are an intermediate/experienced runner or a complete beginner, this challenge will help lead you to success and possibly to a 5k by the end of the challenge!

The best part, this challenge is only $60! Thats $10 a week for a running plan, strength workouts, mobility help, and nutrition guidance!

Want to join the challenge? Click the button below to reserve your spot.