Life was great for me.  I felt good, but I needed a personal challenge, not just physically, but also mentally. Being a trainer, I am very dedicated to an active and healthy lifestyle. That is a non-negotiable for me. However, I have never truly tackled a significant goal for myself, where I had to prepare, and plan 16 weeks in advance, for an elite event, like a marathon.  

Why did I decide to do this? 

I was inspired, and in need of focus.

I was having a conversation with my friend, Paul Theisen, this spring. Only a few months prior, he had taken a debilitating fall off of a ladder while clearing snow from his roof.  He broke his sacrum in half, and had to have 6 screws put in! His attitude was amazing throughout the healing process. Even though he was laid up, and had a road of physical therapy ahead of him, he started saying (very discreetly, so his wife wouldn’t hear him) that he wanted to run the upcoming Twin Cities Marathon!  My jaw hit the floor. Little did I know, his attitude was just what I needed to get my own goals in focus. Sometimes a little push and inspiration from a friend is all you need to take action. Just the fact that Paul was thinking that way, and his unshakeable will to make a full recovery, had me thinking, “what am I waiting for?”  So I signed up to complete my first marathon.

 

With a busy schedule for work, which includes weekly travel, I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Although I enjoy challenging myself, this was uncharted territory for me.  My active lifestyle was never really based on an end goal.  

 

By completing Beachbody’s Ultimate Reset, T25, 80 Day Obsession, and LIIFT4, I didn’t even realize I was building my confidence, my knowledge of nutrition, and my physical stamina, all while doing life as a spouse, a parent, and a working professional. Having adapted and completed  all of these programs into my busy lifestyle from the road, it gave me the confidence that I could do the same thing with marathon training.

 

What has changed?    I have more confidence in my physical ability today. What I have learned about myself is that I need a goal. I need something to aim at.  I prefer to be in a program, or in training. I find that I hold myself accountable when I know I have an end-game goal. Once I said it out loud to friends, family, and co-workers, that I was running the marathon, I sealed the deal, and committed myself. Through this experience, I have learned that being vocal and open about my aspirations, not only created more accountability, it provided me with the reassurance that people are in my corner. My biggest takeaway, and advice to anyone reading this, is to share openly about your goals. Let people know, be open, allow those connections with other people to emerge. Whether it is a physical marathon, a mental marathon, or an emotional marathon, it is always easier, and more rewarding, crossing the finish line knowing that you are not alone. Your goals don’t ever have to be a solo mission.