Sometimes dreams and goals feel like they will never happen. It is easy to doubt ourselves and give in to believing where we are currently is where we will always be. Something I have learned through my running journey is that you simply must continue to show up. I have had many years, yes, years where my times were not changing much. I started to believe that is just what my body did. I wasn’t really a fast runner. But I just kept showing up….day after day, year after year. Somewhere along the way I decided to believe in myself. And as my belief began to grow so did my goals. As my goals grew my belief continued to grow with it and my times got faster.

When you first start on a journey of change you must decide to show up no matter what. Some days you will feel like there is no evidence that your goals can happen, but one day does not determine the whole. Each day is an opportunity for learning and growing. Success is not what happens in one day or the time on the clock on any particular day. Success is about never giving up. Success is about your belief.

Below are my times from all of my marathons. Beginning in 2002 when I was 18 years old and fresh out of high school. I was so excited to finish and to do pretty well. Then I spent the next few marathons around or just above my first finish time. Then a seed was planted and I began to believe that I could qualify for Boston. I cut more than 20 minutes off of my time and accomplished my goal.

2001 Top of Utah Marathon 3:45

2003 Ogden Marathon 4:11 (slowest)

2003 St. George Marathon 3:50

2004 Top of Utah Marathon 3:51

2009 Bear Lake Marathon 4:00

2010 South Jordan Marathon 3:37 (my first BQ)

2012 Boston Marathon 4:04

2012 Huntsville Marathon 3:29

2014 Salt Lake Marathon 3:29

2014 Utah Valley Marathon 4:10 (pacing)

2014 Top of Utah Marathon 3:15 (my first unicorn race)

2015 West Mountain Marathon 3:40

2015 Deseret News Marathon 3:20

2015 Big Cottonwood Marathon 3:11

2017 Mt. Charleston Marathon 3:12

2017 Big Cottonwood Marathon 3:09

2018 Salt Lake Marathon 3:16

2018 Ogden Marathon 3:06

2018 Huntsville Marathon 3:09

2018 Mt. Lemmon Marathon 3:00

Twenty marathons in and I am at three hours. I have big goals to break three hours and then keep setting more goals, chasing other dreams.  

Keep showing up! Keep believing, especially in yourself. As Brooke Castillo teaches, “You will never regret believing in yourself.”  Never stop believing in yourself and your ability to grow and change, keep showing up!