I Just Ran My First Half Marathon!
Exactly a week ago, I did something I never thought I would in my wildest dreams: I ran my first ever half marathon! Someone I’d like to thank for pushing me to my limits is Gio the Great Guide! In all honesty, I thought that this goal was completely out of reach, but it turns out I was wrong and he was right to believe in me.
Looking back to where I was a year ago, the internal and external transformation feels so surreal. What a profound lifestyle change—and an unexpected detour—I've experienced. I’m in complete awe of the incredible potential that both my mind and body possess. And the best part? I’m just beginning to discover how much more I’m capable of.
Running 21K has taught me more than just the importance of training and stamina; it has unveiled some personal insights that will stay with me long after the race.
Here are four revelations that emerged from running 21K, which I’d love to share with you all:
1) Self-belief is a superpower. Anything is possible once you set your mind to it.
It’s amazing to see what we can accomplish when we choose to believe in ourselves. Initially, I doubted my ability to complete the distance. But over time, the deeper I got into training, my mindset began to shift, rewiring my physiology and improving my performance. Now that is the power of the mind!
"Your attitude determines your altitude," as the saying goes. When I believed that I could finish, my body sure did on race day. This experience showed me that how I perceive challenges governs how I will face them as well as the outcome itself. I now have greater faith in myself and newfound self-confidence in achieving things I once thought were above and beyond my capacity.
2) The supreme importance of a plan: begin with the end in mind.
For me, running a half marathon is not so much a race nor is it just about the finish line; it’s about how you prepare for it. The key to success, according to Coach Gio, is to create a sustainable training plan. Breaking it down into smaller, digestible chunks helped me stay afloat and on track. I once heard: “You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” Having a plan in place—and consistently showing up to every single training day—was critical in getting me to the finish line. Achieving this goal in particular was less about relying on willpower and more about having the right system or strategy in place to facilitate and accelerate the process.
3) Self-awareness: tending to your body’s needs is a must.
During my training, I learned to listen to my body whenever it needed rest. The thing is it’s easy to get caught up with the goal and its timing. There’s this self-imposed pressure to not miss a single training session, but the reality is our body has its limitations. Knowing when it’s time to pause and tend to the body is just as important as rigorously training the body for the run. On days I felt unwell, I was quickly reminded that it is indeed necessary to give my body breaks to recuperate. And just because I choose to rest instead, that doesn’t mean that nothing is happening or that I’m not progressing.
Resting when needed is not a setback but a vital part of the preparation. As much as I stuck to the training plan, I also had to detach from it and trust that the process was still working.
Wherever you are now, as you continue to run your own race, I hope you learn to embrace your pace and honor yourself with grace.
4) Like coals that burn vibrantly together, we are stronger as a community.
It doesn’t even have to be a community, it could just be one person who believes in you, and that one person would be more than enough as a source of strength.
Gio made me realize that having even just one running buddy can make all the difference. Running with Gio and other friends made running extra special and bearable, most especially on days I felt like giving up. Whether it’s running, working towards achieving a personal goal, or simply going through life, having an accountability buddy and supportive community increase the likelihood of success. In the same way that coals lose their heat when separated and regain warmth and strength when they come back together, we humans become stronger when able to lean on each other.
As I continue to embark on this running journey, I’m eager to see how this new mindset will ripple into other areas of my life. The lessons from running 21K will continue to influence the way I approach challenges and goals, one step and day at a time.
Remember: when you believe in yourself—and have loved ones rooting for you —anything is possible.
As I ran the final kilometers of my half marathon, exhaustion began to take over. And just when I was on the verge of giving up, that’s when Lia, Gio’s sister, a strong 5K finisher, joined me and offered a surge of support with four simple words that fueled me to the finish line: “Believe it! You can!”
With Gio and Lia by my side, I found the inner strength to keep going! My inner dog was unleashed, and that’s the power of community.
Now how about you? What can YOU do this year to give yourself an authentic sense of accomplishment? Whether it’s running a race, overcoming a new challenge, breaking through a barrier, or achieving a goal you once thought impossible, how do you plan to start 2025 with some new year spice and excitement?