Learn to Run a Marathon

When you first sign up for a race, or for anything new, there’s a level of excitement. I can’t believe it! I’m finally doing it! I signed up for that event in spring 2026!

• One of my friends recently completed a 50K (30+mile race).
• Two of my friends have recently completed a half marathon.
• Two other friends are signed up to do races soon. You can hear the excitement in their voices!

Full marathon, half marathon, some big long distance, I can’t remember the exact amount.

Anyway, I applaud them all! Whether they just finished or whether they’re committed to doing the event in a few months, the point is that they’re running at 30+ years old!

My friends are strong and admirable. If they signed up, they’re going to see it through, because that’s the type of people I surround myself with.

But here’s how it goes for most people…

Most people get excited that they just signed up for the event.

Then, tomorrow comes, and you’re still riding the high. You throw on your running clothes, lace up your shoes, and out the door you go! Running like a gazelle.

Even if you’re out of shape and have bad form, you’re still usually pretty excited after the first day out. You set a goal, you committed to it, and you took the first step!

That new energy, that excitement level might carry you through a couple days. It might carry you through a week or two. But eventually…

It wears off.

Maybe it’s a rainy day and dreary out? Maybe you slept like crap and don’t feel good? Maybe it’s after 10:15pm and you committed to writing on a daily basis and you’re still prepping the post?

You’re worn out, but you made a commitment. As the young kids say, you’re cooked!

But it’s in these moments, that your destiny is determined.

If you give up when the going gets hard, you’re just like everyone else.

Everyone can start. Everyone can say they’ll go do the thing. But…

Rare are the people who will stick with it through the rain, through the fatigue, through the exhaustion.

Rare are the people who will do whatever it takes, when no one is watching.

Rare are the people who will finish.

One of my favorite quotes comes from the book, “Shoe Dog,” the story of Phil Knight and the rise of Nike.

His old coach had a saying,

“The cowards never started and the weak died along the way. That leaves us.” – Coach Bowerman

Don’t be a coward. Don’t be weak.

Be rare!

Thank you for reading! We aren’t stopping.