From "I hate running" to the toughest half marathon in Texas (13.1mi)

For the past few years of college I have set many goals. One major one being to do more hard things. Things that make me nervous, things I feel I am not ready for, things that challenge me, things that, maybe, I hate. My whole life I have hated running. Moreover, I have been told I look ridiculous when I do run. In part, I attribute this to Taekwondo where we would run in circles with our hands up in a fighting stance. Point is, I hated running.

If you don't know, there is a prominent running culture in Waco, Texas where I have been living the past couple years. It is hard to ignore. Early morning drives to class mean the sidewalks are littered with runners. Groups running across the bridges, sunset jogs, 5k's nearly every Saturday morning. At first, it wasn't the running itself that pulled me in. It was the culture around it. The bright colors, matching sets, unmatched optimism, the music, the smiles. It looked joyful. It looked freeing.

When I went out for a jog it didn't feel joyful or freeing. It felt exhausting and like torture. Truthfully, watching people online, especially influencers like Renee Noe, is when my mindset started to change. I used to approach running with negative self-talk, upset it took me 11 minutes to run that first mile, or going for a run and being mad that I wasn't able to run more than two miles without stopping. I decided early on in my running journey that I was going to make the executive decision to be proud of myself. If I went out and only did one mile and had to stop and walk some of it, that is still a step forward from what I would have done a week ago. Instead of being mad at myself for "not doing enough" I decided to be proud of myself for making any sort of progress...and that changed everything.

From the start, one of my goals was always to run the Baylor Bearathon. I signed up in October (the early registration was cheaper) and never looked back. Race day came surprisingly quickly. My "training plan" was almost nonexistent. I ran consistently in the Fall/Winter, but then came a new semester and a busy schedule. I basically stopped running entirely, until a few weeks before the race when I picked it back up. Fortunately, my sorority sister Abby and roommate Jansyn, also wanted to do the Bearathon.

Race day came quickly. Standing at the start line with my best friends and hundreds of our peers was exhilarating. The first 6 miles flew by! I think that was because I consumed an unhealthy amount of caffeine honestly. Then the hills came. The reason it is called "the toughest half in Texas" is because of those darn steep hills. But from there, it was all mental. Crossing that finish line wasn’t about time or distance. It was about confidence. Real confidence. The kind you build by showing up for yourself and following through.

Somewhere along those 13.1 miles, I proved something to myself.

I can do hard things.

Looking back, I think I was so drawn to running because of the season I was in. Pageantry had always given me structure, goals, and purpose. And in the off-season, there was a void. Running gave me something to work toward and a way to seek out personal growth.

As I step back into the pageant world, I carry many lessons with me from this running journey.

To keep my eyes forward and not compare my pace to anyone else's.

To practice positive self-talk, especially when things feel hard.

To focus on small, steady steps instead of overwhelming end-goals.

And mostly, to walk in a deeper confidence.

Not a loud confidence that needs to prove something, but a quiet one. One that does not boast, does not envy, but knows their inherit worth and finds peace in the Lord.

Bearathon Vlog: