The Comparison Trap

I spent too much time believing that in order to run you had to be good at it. Most of my friends around me could run seven-minute miles and that is where I set the bar for myself too. Creating that mindset for myself is what kept me from even trying to run. And when I decided to try and didn’t achieve my desired time, I was disappointed and didn’t see the point in trying at all. 

I believe a main barrier to running is the comparison trap. 

“You gotta run a sub eight-minute mile”

“I run four miles minimum each time”

“I only run in the newest Hokas, anything else slows me down”

These are all lies that cloud people’s minds that prevent them from trying. But the secret is: none of it matters. My biggest piece of advice to give anyone who is on the fence about running, is just to do it. It doesn’t matter how long or fast you go. What matters is your heart rate increases and maybe you sweat a little. And if you decide to, you’ll see the outdoors and fill your lungs with fresh air. 

You Are Your Greatest Competitor, And Always Will Be

It’s important to remember that you were not put on this earth to perform. No one is watching you and no one is judging. The only person you need to worry about letting down is yourself. Running can be a place of peace and time with yourself. Pushing your boundaries and seeing where your feet can take you is part of the experience. Every runner started somewhere. Chances are they started from scratch just like you. But no one posts about that.

Performance Doesn’t Have to Be Consistent

My last long run before my most recent half marathon was rough. I ran seven miles at a 10-minute pace. This was much slower than previous runs for me so I was feeling very discouraged for my race just days away. Instead of feeling that runners high everyone talks about, I was feeling discouraged and honestly debated even doing the race. I completed the half marathon faster than ever before. Running keeps me on my toes (figuratively and literally). It was rare to run multiple times a week and feel good about all of them. Some days are just better than others. This was a surprising lesson I had to learn but I’m glad I did. There are so many factors that go into how your body performs each day. It’s important to give some grace.


Your first run is waiting for you. All you have to do is start.