There’s something slightly unhinged about signing up for your first half marathon.
At the time, it sounds exciting and motivating. You imagine scenic runs, endorphins and crossing the finish line looking powerful and composed.
The reality? It’s mostly early alarms, sore legs, self-doubt and wondering why running suddenly becomes so much harder the second you start training for a specific distance.
But despite all of that, crossing the finish line at the Noosa Half Marathon became one of the proudest moments of my life.
This was my first ever half marathon.
When I first committed to running 21.1 kilometres, it honestly felt impossible. I had never run anywhere near that distance before, and while I was excited, I also knew it was going to take discipline and consistency.
Between being a mum of three, volunteering, work obligations and travel commitments, there were weeks where training looked far from perfect.
Thankfully, I had an incredibly supportive and flexible coach who understood that life doesn’t always leave room for perfect routines. Instead of making me feel guilty for missed sessions or adjusted plans, they helped me focus on what I could do and reminded me that consistency over time matters more than perfection.
That support made all the difference.
One of the things I didn’t expect during this experience was just how much support I would receive from the people around me.
The runners at my gym were constantly giving me advice, encouragement and little tips that only experienced runners seem to know — things about pacing, hydration, recovery and mentally getting through long runs.
My family supported me the entire way through training and on race day itself, which honestly helped more than they probably realise.
Running can seem like such an individual sport, but preparing for this race reminded me how important community actually is.
During training, I worked my way up to 17 kilometres before race day.
And honestly? That felt far enough.
I decided to leave the final 4.1 kilometres for the actual event. Partly because I trusted the training, and partly because I think there’s something special about discovering on race day that you’re capable of more than you realised.
Leading into the race, my coach taught me so much — not just about running itself, but about how to properly fuel my body before, during and after long-distance running.
I learnt how important nutrition and hydration really are when you’re asking your body to do something this demanding. I also learnt how to use gels during the race, which felt very official and very “real runner” of me.
And naturally, I used the race as the perfect excuse to buy new running shoes and new socks.
Worth it.
Although ironically, despite the fresh gear, I still ended up with a blister on race day because my sock crinkled inside my shoe. A very humbling experience after all that preparation.
The race started at 6:30am, just as the sun was beginning to rise over Noosa.
There was something surreal about standing amongst thousands of runners before dawn, all of us nervous, excited and pretending we totally knew what we were doing.
When registering, I placed myself in the third starting category based on how long I thought it would take me to finish.
Looking back now, I probably should have had more faith in myself.
Over the course of the race, I passed around 1,200 people.
That was one of the biggest confidence boosts of the entire experience because it reminded me how often we underestimate ourselves before we’ve even begun.
My main goal was always to finish the half marathon and enjoy the experience without putting too much pressure on myself.
But I had also shared publicly that I would love to complete it in under two hours if I could.
Somewhere between the nerves, the adrenaline, the humidity, the sore legs and the blister forming in my sock, I managed to dig deeper than I expected.
I crossed the finish line in 1 hour and 55 minutes.
Under two hours.
For my very first half marathon.
I still can’t quite believe it.
The Noosa Half Marathon taught me so much more than how to run long distances.
It taught me that progress doesn’t need to look perfect to still count.
It taught me that consistency matters more than motivation.
It taught me that support systems matter.
And most importantly, it taught me that I’m capable of more than I give myself credit for.
Somewhere between kilometre 17 and kilometre 21.1, I realised that running isn’t really about being the fastest person out there.
It’s about resilience.
It’s about continuing even when things feel uncomfortable.
It’s about backing yourself, even when you’re unsure.
And sometimes, it’s about trusting that the version of you standing at the start line is stronger than you think.
The funny thing about finishing your first half marathon is that it doesn’t make you want to stop.
If anything, it makes you curious about what else you might be capable of.
I always intended for this to be the first of many half marathons, and now I’m already thinking ahead to what’s next.
Maybe even a triathlon.
For now though, I’m just proud of myself for starting — and even prouder that I finished.
