Growing up with asthma, running was never in the cards for me.
For as long as I can remember, it felt impossible and painful - an activity reserved for others, not for someone like me.
But I've always believed that with the right mindset, you can accomplish (almost) anything.
This is something I wanted my daughters to understand.
So, earlier this year, I set an ambitious goal: Run a marathon within a year
I wanted to show them that success isn’t about being naturally gifted; it’s about putting in consistent, focused effort.
I aimed to prove that with deliberate practice, I could achieve something I once thought was impossible.
So, I bought a new pair of running shoes and started my training.
I started from the ground up, slowly building my stamina, strength, and confidence.
No matter the weather or where I was (even while travelling overseas), I ran 3 to 4 times a week and supplemented it with strength, stability and interval workouts. By the end, I was training from Tuesday to Sunday, 90 minutes a day, with a minimum 3-hour run on the weekend.
9 months later (and many more kilometres on my legs!), I crossed the finish line of the Sydney Marathon last Sunday - 42.2 km in one stretch!
Man... it wasn’t easy… But I loved it!
I wasn’t born with the ability to run long distance - far from it.
But this experience has reinforced my belief that we are capable of much more than we think.
It’s not just about talent or being born with the right skills (or the lack thereof),
It’s about dedication, resilience, and the power of deliberate practice.
Next challenge? Still thinking about it… 😁