Couch to Sub 4 Marathoner
Consistency, Association, and focus on Small Wins are the principles that defined my running journey
COVID made me try a new sport i.e., running. Days went by looking for the reopening of fitness centers, finally, I got tired of waiting and decided to take control of my fitness. I ventured out to run my first mile in a long time, that was both brutal and embarrassing as I was gasping for air and sweated my guts out. Very soon, the First mile turned into two, two turned to ten, ten to a half marathon, and ended up completing two full marathons, going from 200 total miles in 2020 to 1500 miles this year. Never dreamt of making such a progress when I first ran that mile. Another story that validates to start doing versus overthinking.
Reflecting on the journey, I’ve summarized the learnings to three key principles
Consistency
Association
Small Wins
Consistency
I’m neither a born runner nor have any greater innate talent for it. But, what I came to understand is you get better as you keep consistent with the skill you wanted to develop. When I started running, marathons seemed like a distant fantasy. Instead, I focused on a simple promise: each day, I'd strive to be a little better. It wasn't about crushing every run; it was about embracing the long-term game and letting small, consistent actions accumulate into incredible results. Consistency isn't about talent; it's about the quiet discipline to do what needs to be done, day after day.
The proof is in the miles: from 248 miles in 2020 to effortless 1400+ miles in 2023. That's not just an increase in distance; it's a testament to the transformative power of consistent effort. So forget the overnight success stories; embrace the power of the daily step, the small win, and the joy of watching your own potential unfold, one steady step at a time.
Association
You are the average of your five best friends
Learning a new skill is a product of both intrinsic and extrinsic influences. Internal curiosity makes us dig into things to understand the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of any topic of interest. Like many beginners, I didn’t realize one can get injured by pushing things too fast in too little of a time. I started feeling runners knee, IT Band, and sometimes sharp pain on my foot.
This fueled me to look up materials, watch YouTube and gradually picked up on doing the right things, i.e., not increasing weekly mileage by more than ten percent, including strength workout etc. But, you can only go so far just with internal curiosity. My running game completely changed when I first met like-minded runners. It was a complete shift in mindset on the “do’s and don’ts”. I quickly got connected to the running tribe, learned things around speed work, weekly mileage, periodization, and a lot more that has transformed my running knowledge.
Association validates the right versus wrong and inspires to run your first race. This led me to run my first half Marathon (City of Lakes) in 2021 within an year of my running journey. I was very happy to hit Sub 2, knowing that I never ran a race before, not even a 5K.
Small Wins
Setting goals is an art and science, since it involves a lot of tweaking along the way. When I started running, being a marathoner wasn't my goal. I never even thought about it for at least a year into my running journey. I had always focused on small wins: running a first mile, being injury-free for a month, running a 5K, etc. Small wins compound, and they give you the confidence and the thought to build towards loftier goals. If I had started thinking about running a marathon when I couldn't even run a mile, I would have given up on running because it would have felt like a herculean task. Instead, I focused on getting better each day, and those small wins fueled my desire for bigger challenges.
The results, drum roll please, completing my first ever marathon in Duluth Minnesota, for a sluggish but glorious finish of 4 hours, 39 minutes, and 5 seconds. Didn't die, though I flirted with the idea a few times (hello, miles 16 and 22! THE WALL).
This further fueled my running journey, envisioned new goals to run a Sub 4 Marathon. This led me to sign up for Novant Charlotte Marathon, with a lot more prep than the first one.
Investing in a running coach for this training block turned out to be the game-changer I needed. Their expertise brought a laser-focused process and structure to my program, propelling me towards a goal that once seemed audacious.
I achieved my Sub 4 hour goal in flying colors at Three Hours Forty Nine Minutes and 7 Seconds. That’s a PR close to an hour over my first marathon. It was all about stacking small wins to nail down a big one - for me, it was a Sub 4.
As we enter 2024, I’m excited to shape my running journey. What principles helped you push the envelope?