This #medalmonday goes all the way back to my very first half marathon medal. When I started running, I had zero plans to race anything. I genuinely thought I’d stick to a few miles here and there, stay active, and mind my business.
But you know how running gets you.
One day you’re jogging around the neighborhood.
The next, you’re Googling “what to eat before a half marathon” like you suddenly woke up as a different person.
I signed up without knowing a thing about pacing or fueling. I set a “safe” goal because I didn’t trust my fitness yet. And then I went out there and finished twenty minutes faster than anything I thought I was capable of.
That race didn’t just give me a medal. It changed the way I saw myself.
It taught me that adults can become athletes.
That your first finish line can be the doorway to everything that comes next.
That confidence is something you build, not something you wait for.
It’s still one of my favorite courses every single year. Not because it was perfect, but because it proved I could do hard things long before I had coaching certifications, structured training blocks, or any understanding of what my future as a Masters and menopausal athlete would look like.
We all have a race that wakes something up in us.
That one was mine.
If you’re staring down your own first 13.1 or wondering what’s possible in this season of your life, trust me. You’re capable of more than you think.