On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! The 5 Lessons I Learned from Running a Marathon

Running a marathon to me is an abstract idea.  

Why would someone want to voluntarily do this?  

I love the idea of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone…but, why this?  

Back in January when everyone’s setting New Year’s resolutions, I set a goal of running a marathon in 2023. I wanted to prove to myself that I can do this and check off something that’s been on my bucket list.  

So, what did I learn? 

There’s nothing quite like crossing the 26.2 finish line.  

From hearing people’s stories while running, to hugging and seeing my family at the finish line, there’s truly no better feeling. Throughout this experience, I learned a couple of valuable lessons that extend beyond the realm of running.  

Here they are… 

1. Set a goal. Add it to your calendar. 

The day I officially signed up for the marathon is the day it became a reality.  

I had 12 weeks to train and ultimately get to my goal of completing the marathon.  

How’d I get there?  

I let go of the goal. I focused solely on the journey. My marathon journey probably looked different than a lot of people…and that’s okay. I wanted to keep up with my CrossFit, weightlifting and getting strong. Instead of running 7 days a week, I committed to running 3 days a week and lifting 5 days a week. I knew that if I did the little things right daily, the marathon would take care of itself.  

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through this prep was that there’s no “perfect” time to do something.  

2. Don’t wait. Start now.  

Quite honestly, there were probably more days where I didn’t want to run versus the days I did want to run.  

In work and life, I find that a lot of people wait for the perfect timing. Once the weather is warmer, then I’ll want to run. Once I have this, then I’ll do that. It’s simply not the case. The old quote, “paralysis by analysis” is true. Even in work, I found that by continuously doing, testing, trying, and even failing has led to better results than thinking and planning.  

Lacing up your shoes before your run is the hardest part.  

Walking through those gym doors is the hardest part of the workout.  

Just begin…you’ll be amazed at what you can do.  

3. Reframe the way you think about yourself. 

Often times I hear people early in their running journey say, “I’m not a runner.” Or they don’t think of themselves as runners.  

If you keep telling yourself this, what type of energy are you putting out into the universe? That you aren’t a runner.  

Now imagine if you flipped the script and say “I am a runner.” How would a runner act? What would they do?” Martin Rooney, Founder of “Training for Warriors,” internationally recognized trainer, speaker, and author once told me, “act the thing you want to become and you will become what you act.”  

That’s why these past 12 weeks were magical. I was locked in. 

4. Consistency over everything.  

Consistency is crucial.  

There’s nothing more important to running a marathon than consistency.  

Cramming won’t save you. Running for 10 hours straight one time won’t make you a better runner. It won’t prepare you for 26.2. It’ll expose you.  

Whether you’re training for a marathon, pursuing any other endeavor, or simply trying to be a better leader, staying committed and putting one foot in front of the other is key.  

5. Have fun.  

It was my choice to run a marathon.  

No one forced me into it. It was totally voluntary.  

Aside from the physical benefits running has given me, I’d say it was more impactful mentally.  

Being able to disconnect, get outside, and truly have fun brought me back to the days of having fun as a kid. 

In a world with so much doom and gloom, find something fun that shines a positive light on you.  

Running a marathon has taught me lessons that go far beyond the racecourse.  

And, you too can start today.  

There’s nothing like crossing that finish line.  

Now, get to work!  

About 1Huddle

1Huddle is a coaching and development platform that uses quick-burst mobile games to more quickly and effectively educate, elevate, and energize your workforce — from frontline to full-time.

With a mobile-first approach to preparing the modern worker, a mobile library of 3,000+ quick-burst employee skill games, an on-demand game marketplace that covers 16 unique workforce skill areas, and the option for personalized content, 1Huddle is changing the way organizations think about their training – from a one-time boring onboarding experience to a continuous motivational tool. 

Key clients include Loews Hotels, Novartis, Madison Square Garden, PIMCO, TAO Group, and the United States Air Force. To learn more about 1Huddle and its platform, please visit 1huddle.co.