Just start
Start. Time and time again the hardest part is actually starting. It doesn’t seem to matter if it’s writing another piece like this one, working on your big project, or running a round around the block. There’s always excuses to be had or things to do that are easier.
I’m no exception.
After a year of managing injury to be able to run a couple races last fall I decided I wanted to face my old nemesis in 2025: The Rotterdam Marathon. Back in 2019 I attempted to run my first marathon in Rotterdam. I did all my training sessions, all the preparations and was more fit than I’d ever been. Still, after driving myself crazy with unrealistic expectations and not sleeping the night before due to the nerves, I completely crashed around halfway. Not because I physically couldn’t run anymore, I’d run at least a half marathon every week for weeks in preparation. I was mentally drained and decided to give up.
I cried my eyes out and got drunk with friends. I woke up the next morning feeling lost. I trained for months and was as fit as I could, why did I fail so miserably? It started with the obvious excuses like that it was too hot, but looking back at it now I think I just underestimated the amount of pressure I put on myself. This makes sense, since I ran another marathon a month later and did complete it, just because I didn’t really care about the time it would take or how cool it would be to be able to say I ran that one race. So with that learning, I finally feel ready to come back and try again.
It took me almost five years to get the feeling back that I wanted to do this (granted, two of those years were in the pandemic). Because even though I like running, the idea of running in the Dutch winter for hours and hours isn’t the most appealing to me. Even now that I’m in the middle of it all, every time it’s hard to get out there and put in the work. Even though I know I’ll feel good afterwards and I need it to successfully run my race in April, my little monkey brain keeps making excuses as to why I should not be running today. I guess it just doesn’t matter how experienced you are in whatever it is you want to achieve, there’s always an internal struggle. The hardest part is the start, and everybody can do that. So go for it, whatever your big hairy project is.
Just start.