I HATED RUNNING. NOW I RUN MARATHONS. | My Running Story

Nico Felich

20 Jan 202406:16

Summary

TLDRIn this video, the speaker shares their journey from hating running to embracing it as a form of personal growth and escape. Initially struggling with an eating disorder and the end of their soccer career, running became a new avenue for structure and mental clarity. Over time, consistent training led to progress, including completing marathons and achieving new personal records. Now, they’re preparing for their third marathon in Eugene, Oregon, aiming for a 2:50 finish. The video documents their preparation process, inspiring viewers with lessons of perseverance, commitment, and pushing beyond mental boundaries.

Takeaways

🏃‍♂️ Running isn't about breaking records, but about personal growth and self-discovery.
⏳ Months of training are just as important as crossing the finish line in a marathon.
🧘‍♂️ Running has become an escape, offering time for reflection, pushing limits, and growth.
💪 Achieving a sub-3-hour marathon took five months of consistent and dedicated training.
🎯 After reaching previous goals, new targets must be set to continue growing.
⚽ Childhood was filled with soccer, where running was seen as a punishment rather than something to enjoy.
🏋️‍♂️ Running filled the void left by soccer after an eating disorder ended the user’s soccer career in college.
📈 Consistency in running gradually led to improved fitness and eventually a love for the sport.
🎓 The user is training for a 2:50 marathon in Eugene, Oregon, after consistently running 35-40 miles weekly post-Chicago Marathon.
📹 The user is documenting their journey, excited to inspire others and reach new personal milestones after graduating college.

Q & A

Why does the speaker run marathons?
-The speaker runs marathons because running has become an escape, a time for self-reflection, and a way to challenge and push himself. He enjoys the months of preparation and the personal growth that comes with the process, rather than just crossing the finish line.
What was the speaker's relationship with running before he started marathons?
-The speaker initially hated running and viewed it as a punishment, especially in soccer. He didn’t understand why anyone would run just for the sake of running, as he only associated running with moving the ball down the field in soccer.
What role did soccer play in the speaker's life?
-Soccer was a significant part of the speaker's life growing up, providing structure, a sense of competition, and a way to stay physically and mentally fit. However, an eating disorder ended his competitive soccer career after his freshman year in college.
How did the speaker get into running longer distances?
-The speaker began running as a way to stay in shape after struggling with an eating disorder. While he initially hated it, he stayed consistent and unintentionally improved, which led to a growing desire to push his limits and eventually run marathons.
How did the speaker’s view of running change over time?
-The speaker’s view of running changed as he began to notice that with consistency, it became easier. Over time, he grew to enjoy it and saw it as a way to challenge himself, push past mental boundaries, and experience personal growth.
What life lessons does the speaker believe running teaches?
-The speaker believes that running teaches important life lessons, such as perseverance, committing to goals, working hard even when no one is watching, and pushing past mental boundaries.
What is the speaker's current goal in running?
-The speaker’s current goal is to complete a marathon in under 2 hours and 50 minutes at the Eugene, Oregon marathon on April 28th, after already achieving a sub-3-hour marathon in the past.
How has the speaker been preparing for his next marathon?
-The speaker has been consistently running 35-40 miles per week for the past 12 to 14 weeks, which has built a strong base of fitness. He plans to work with his coach to reach the next level of performance and achieve his goal of a 2:50 marathon.
How did the speaker feel about running his first marathon?
-The speaker was excited and driven by the challenge of his first marathon. The experience motivated him to continue running and set new goals, leading him to compete in multiple marathons and half marathons.
What does the speaker enjoy about creating videos related to his running journey?
-The speaker enjoys documenting his training process, sharing both the ups and downs of his journey, and inspiring others. He values the feedback from his viewers, reads comments, and tries to engage with his audience.

Outlines

00:00

🏃‍♂️ From Reluctant to Passionate Marathoner

The speaker shares his personal journey from hating running to embracing it through marathon training. He explains that while he's not an elite runner, he appreciates the mental and physical growth that comes from the months of preparation for a marathon. Running has become his escape and a way to clear his mind. After months of consistent training, he achieved a sub-three-hour marathon, and now he’s motivated to set new goals for further growth.

05:01

⚽️ Soccer, Struggles, and Rediscovering Fitness

The speaker reflects on his childhood, growing up with two brothers and playing competitive soccer. He initially viewed running as a punishment, not understanding why anyone would run without a purpose. After struggling with an eating disorder in college, which led to the end of his soccer career, he turned to running as a new source of structure and mental clarity. Although he hated it at first, consistency led him to improve, eventually leading him to run marathons and find joy in pushing his limits.

👟 The Unexpected Marathon Journey

As the speaker’s running progressed, he shares how running began to simulate life lessons, teaching him perseverance, commitment, and hard work. His newfound love for running led him to sign up for his first half marathon, followed by several more. He credits running with making his life better, mentally and physically, and it has become a way to continually grow. Now, he's preparing for his third marathon in Eugene, Oregon, on April 28th, excited to challenge himself further.

🎯 Preparing for the Next Marathon Goal

Excited to be back in marathon training mode, the speaker reveals his new goal of achieving a 2:50 marathon time. He has been consistently running 35 to 40 miles a week since his last marathon and is now starting his prep with Coach Jeff. The speaker plans to document the entire training journey, including the ups and downs, and encourages his audience to follow along. Having recently graduated from college, he’s fully focused on creating content, inspiring others, and pushing himself to new limits.

🎥 Sharing the Journey with the Audience

The speaker expresses excitement about sharing his marathon journey with his audience. He values their feedback and invites them to comment and engage with his content as he documents this new chapter of his life. With a lot of miles ahead before the Eugene marathon, he encourages his followers to stay tuned for future videos and progress updates, grateful for their support as he embarks on this next challenge.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Marathon

A marathon is a long-distance race, traditionally covering 26.2 miles. In the video, the speaker explains that he runs marathons not just to cross the finish line but because of the months of training and self-discipline it requires. The marathon serves as a metaphor for personal growth, persistence, and overcoming challenges.

💡Training

Training refers to the process of preparing physically and mentally for a specific goal or challenge. In this case, the speaker emphasizes the importance of consistent training over months, which allows him to achieve personal goals such as completing a sub-three-hour marathon. This dedication to training is key to his overall journey of self-improvement.

💡Running

Running, in this context, is both a physical activity and a mental escape for the speaker. Initially, he disliked running but eventually grew to love it as a way to maintain fitness and clear his mind. It represents personal freedom, growth, and a way to push beyond mental and physical limits.

💡Consistency

Consistency is the act of sticking to a plan or routine over time. The speaker stresses how staying consistent with his running practice, even when it was difficult or unenjoyable, allowed him to improve and achieve new milestones. It is a major theme in his personal development story.

💡Goal-setting

Goal-setting involves defining specific objectives that one aims to achieve. For the speaker, each marathon is a goal that drives his training and personal growth. He discusses how setting new, more challenging goals (like achieving a 2:50 marathon) is crucial to continuing his self-improvement journey.

💡Escape

Escape refers to finding a way to temporarily disconnect from daily stresses and challenges. The speaker describes running as his personal escape—a time when the world becomes quiet and he can reflect. Running offers him a sense of peace and focus that is hard to find elsewhere.

💡Perseverance

Perseverance is the ability to continue pursuing a goal despite difficulties or setbacks. The speaker highlights how running marathons teaches life lessons in perseverance, as runners must push through physical and mental fatigue to reach the finish line. It's a key concept in his approach to running and life.

💡Mental Boundaries

Mental boundaries refer to the limits we perceive in our minds, often holding us back from achieving our full potential. The speaker discusses how running helped him break through these mental boundaries, pushing him to realize that he could run longer distances and achieve more than he thought possible.

💡Structure

Structure refers to the organization and routine that running and training bring into the speaker's life. After losing the structure that soccer once provided, running became a new way for him to maintain discipline, physical fitness, and mental sharpness. This structure is important for his sense of purpose.

💡Growth

Growth is a central theme in the video, representing both physical improvement as a runner and personal development. The speaker notes that running marathons has become a vehicle for him to grow mentally, emotionally, and physically. He connects the idea of growth with setting new challenges and consistently pushing his limits.

Highlights

The speaker doesn't run marathons to break records or for elite status but as a personal escape and challenge.

He once hated running but has grown to love it over time, appreciating the months of training and mental growth.

Running provides a quiet escape from the noisy world, offering space for self-reflection and personal growth.

After five months of dedicated training, he achieved a sub-three-hour marathon, but now seeks new challenges.

He grew up playing soccer competitively with his brothers, where running was seen as a punishment rather than enjoyment.

Struggling with an eating disorder in college led to the end of his soccer career, which left a significant void in his life.

Running helped him regain structure and fitness, though he initially continued to dislike it.

As he stayed consistent, running became easier, and he started to see it as a way to challenge and push himself.

Achieving milestones like running seven and then ten miles made him realize he could push further, leading him to his first marathon.

Running marathons taught him valuable life lessons like perseverance, commitment, and pushing past mental barriers.

He is now training for his third marathon, aiming for a 2:50 marathon time in Eugene, Oregon.

For the past 12 to 14 weeks, he has maintained a solid fitness base, running 35 to 40 miles per week.

He is working with a coach to reach his new goal and is excited to document the journey through videos.

This phase of his life marks a new chapter, having just graduated college and now focusing on video creation and personal growth.

He values community feedback on his videos and encourages viewers to comment, as he enjoys responding to them.