I Almost Quit

So I could barely run 3km when I signed up for a 12km race.

Seriously. I used to think running wasn’t for me—something about being heavier up top (if you know, you know), juggling three autoimmune conditions, and dealing with arthritis and a fused pelvis kind of reinforced that belief.

But after competing in The Amazing Race, I felt different.

Doing all those things I never thought I could? (Which I still can’t tell you about but the show will be airing soon so hold tight!) The Amazing Race lit something up in me. I felt stronger at 34 than I did at 24. Not just physically - but mentally.

And I wanted more of that feeling .

I signed up for a fun run. Gave myself 6 weeks. And started training.

It was hard. But not in the way you might expect.

My first 3km run was awful - I hated every second of it. I also think running is stupid. It’s crappy the whole time pretty much, until the moment you finish and the endorphins hit and you’re like, “That wasn’t so bad!”

I ran 3 times a week until the week before the big race. I was doing a 9km when my foot (which has arthritis in it) started to really hurt.

Old me, who lived with the most deafening inner critic would have thought the more impressive thing to do would be to “push through”.

But the pivotal moment wasn’t when I pushed through.

It was when I paused.

Instead of ignoring my body, I gave it rest. Regulation. Care.

I used every tool I teach—nervous system support, embodiment, boundary setting, Needs Mapping.

And guess what, a week later I crossed that 12km finish line.

Not in pain. Not in fear. Not with an inner-critic coach on my back, but with me having my own back!

This is what emotional endurance looks like too.

It’s not about pushing through stress and burnout. It’s about learning to listen to what you need—and then actually meeting those needs.