Embrace the hard yards and run your own best race: Insights to my first marathon!

Growing up on a dairy farm, my dad often called me “bumblefoot”—it was meant as a term of endearment but that label that did what labels do... it stuck.

For years I internalized it to mean I lacked all athletic talent and anything requiring coordinated physical activity. Lousy at catching or hitting a ball, I avoided team sports and spun myself a story that “my legs aren't made for running." I carried that "can't do" mindset with me into my 20s.. and my 30s... and even into my 40s. I channeled my outdoor energy into hiking. Including up a few mountains.

With this as context, earlier this year I made a bold decision (at least for me): to run a marathon. Just one. And given I'd only attempt one, I figured I might as well 'go big' - signing up for the New York City Marathon.

Now, just days away, I feel a mix of excitement and nerves. Reflecting on my journey from being out of breath running half a mile earlier this year to being ready (sort of) to run 26.2 miles (42kms) this Sunday, I want to share some insights and mental strategies for challenging self-limiting beliefs and taking on a challenge that I was once convinced was utterly impossible for me. I hope that these strategies will encourage you to pursue a goal or long-held dream —physical or otherwise.

1. Enlist Cheerleaders, But Select Carefully

Starting out, I shared my marathon goal with only my husband Andrew and two close friends. Their support helped me solidify my commitment, and once I managed a couple of miles without stopping, I felt ready to share my goal more widely. Select cheerleaders who believe in you—especially as you're starting out and you need to lean into the belief others have in you when your own is still shaky.

2. Find a Cause Greater Than Avoiding Discomfort

While my initial motivation was personal - to empower myself - I also wanted to run for those who physically can’t, particularly people like my brother Frank, who lives with paraplegia from a spinal cord injury. Frank's 'can do' mindset has always been a huge source of inspiration. Given he travelled 10,000 miles across the world to visit me, I figure I can run 26 miles to honor him. So I’m running with “Team Reeve” to raise funds for spinal injury research with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and every step I take is also for him and the many others affected by spinal injuries. To all who've supported my fundraising efforts, thank you. And if you haven't yet, it's not too late!

3. Dress for the Person You're On Your Way to Becoming

Soon after I began training, I invested in quality running gear—something simple, yet surprisingly powerful in getting my 'head in the game." I must admit, the first dozen times I went out in my new running gear, complete with wraparound shades and a CamelBak to stay hydrated in the humid Washington DC summer, I felt like I was dressed up for Halloween as a marathon runner. I pressed on anyway, and over time, I've felt less like I was playing 'dress ups' and more like an actual athlete!

4. Run your Own Best Race

A friend who heard about my marathon ambitions told me she couldn’t bring herself to do one because she wouldn’t run as fast as she did in college. The lesson: avoid comparisons—with other runners or with the younger (and faster) version of yourself.

For me, finishing this race is winning it. I’m not competing with anyone else—or even with my younger self (not that she was much competition!). Yes, it’s a competitive world out there, but when you focus on running your own best race, you free yourself from the joy-drain of comparison and reclaim the energy - physical, emotional, creative - that would’ve been spent looking over your shoulder.

5. Embrace Discomfort as a Cue to Press Forward, Not To Give Up

Training for this marathon has required resetting my relationship with discomfort. I’ve pushed through summer heat when my legs felt made of lead. reinterpreting each step as a sign that I'm growing into my potential in a new way. There’s no irony lost on me that while training for this marathon, I’ve been finishing writing The Courage Gap, a book that encourages others to "step into discomfort" and embrace the hard yards as a cue to press forward, not to escape. Discomfort is the ticket price to every worthy endeavor.

6. Imagine How Proud Your Future-Self Will Feel

Imagining myself crossing the marathon finish line has fueled my determination and grit. Visualization isn’t just for athletes—it can help you stay motivated toward any big goal, empowering you to keep going.

Early on in my journey, I watched videos of people crossing the finish line of the NYC marathon and looking utterly elated amid their exhaustion. I bottled that emotion. Numerous times as my weary body has been "pounding the pavement" over the last six months, I mentally stepped into the shoes of my future-self arriving at that finish line. I have an inkling of how proud the bumble-footed 7-year-old inside will feel when I do.

I’m publishing this article before the big day. So yes, there’s a chance that something may happen to thwart my plans. But in the spirit of focusing on the desired future I want to experience - complete with me hobbling around the streets of New York City next Monday with a proud smile on my face along with 50,000 others who’ve also run their own best race - I’m publishing it anyway.

Counterintuitive as this may sound, the greatest reward we get from pursuing a goal that stretches as much as it inspires us is not its actual achievement. Rather, it's getting to meet the person we've had to become by daring to pursue it. This is as true for running a marathon as building a business, raising a family, climbing a mountain, or leading a cause. And if you’re looking to step into more courage in any area of your life, please order yourself a copy of The Courage Gap which I wrote to help you close the gap between the potential you hold and the actions you take - bringing the bravest of yourself to your life.

POSTSCRIPT/RUN:

I'm happy to make this update that yes, I did manage to run the entire 26.2 miles. Was it easy? No, those last 6-8 miles were particularly grueling. Was it also a phenomenal experience that I will treasure forever? Heck yes! Here's a photo... before I hit that 20-mile wall!

Margie Warrell is a leadership adviser, keynote speaker, and Senior Partner in the CEO Institute at Korn Ferry whose work is focused on emboldening braver leadership for a better world.