This time last year, I was standing in Wilmington having just finished my first 10K. It felt big then. It felt like something to hold on to.
A year later, I came back and ran those same streets again—but this time I followed the course all the way to 13.1.
When I started this year, the goal was simple: run a half marathon. Somehow, it turned into two. Myrtle Beach in March was my first, and I crossed that finish line at a 2:19—proud to have done the thing. Wilmington in December told a very different story. I finished in 1:55–and I felt like I completely different runner.
A 25-minute difference doesn’t come from luck. It comes from showing up consistently and learning to trust the process instead of fighting it. Somewhere along the way, I stopped forcing the pace and started flowing with it. My stride feels natural now. It shows in my cardio fitness and vO2 max.
I’m not the same runner I was a year ago. And that’s the part that matters most. Progress doesn’t always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it just waits patiently for you to come back and show up stronger, steadier, and ready.
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