The Race That Changed Everything: How One Goal Shifted My Confidence

In 2018, I reluctantly set a goal to run a half-marathon.

It started with a 5K in mind, but a friend nudged me to go bigger. A full marathon felt like too much — I had never run in my life — but the half-marathon felt just scary enough to be worth trying. You know those goals that stretch you, the ones that make your stomach flip a little? That was this.

At the time, I used to joke that I couldn’t run to the end of my street. I knew if I didn’t tell people I was doing it, I’d quit. So I told everyone. That was my built-in accountability — a little social pressure mixed with a lot of stubbornness.

I trained for seven months. Five days a week. I ran/walked in the heat, in the cold, on the treadmill, outside, in the early morning, and when I really didn’t feel like it. At the peak, I did 10 grueling miles on my basement treadmill. I figured if I could get that far, I could find the rest on race day.

At 51, I ended up in the best shape of my life. But more than that, I felt mentally strong. I had built something that looked a lot like confidence — not the loud kind, but the steady kind that comes from doing what you said you would do, even when it was hard.

The experience changed something in me.

It taught me that discipline carries you farther than motivation ever could. That fear isn’t a sign to stop — it’s often the sign you’re stepping into something bigger than yourself. It reminded me that sharing your goals, no matter how vulnerable it feels, can help keep you moving when no one’s watching.

Even now, that race still shows up in my life.

When things feel hard, or I’m chasing something new that feels too big or too uncertain, I go back to that season. I think about what it felt like to be scared and show up anyway. And I remind myself: you don’t have to be the fastest or the best. You just have to keep going.

Much love,
Susan

P.S. If you're curious, this was the book I used to guide my training — it was simple, encouraging, and just structured enough to keep me on track.

If you’ve been sitting with a goal that feels a little too big or scary, maybe this is your sign to go for it. Start small, tell someone, and see what shifts. I’d love to hear what you’re working toward — drop a comment or come say hi on Instagram!