When I wrote down my running goals more than three years ago, I had no idea what I was really signing up for. I figured the 400 meters under a minute was realistic if I worked hard enough. The 100 meters in 11.99 seconds before the age of 50 felt like a fantasy, but I wrote it anyway. I think part of me needed something so far out of reach it scared me.
When I started running in early 2022, my body just broke. I was a mess—out of alignment, crippled with plantar fasciitis and tendinitis in different parts of my legs. Every step hurt. I had no choice but to stop.
I knew I had to start from the ground up. I strategically worked through other big goals—quitting alcohol, ice baths, breathwork, Pilates, rowing, ocean swimming. Slowly, I rebuilt myself. Eventually, I could handle longer runs, even a triathlon.
Now, when I look at my Strava history, I see more than a thousand sessions. A thousand times I showed up. Each one was a small (some big) stepping stone. At the time they didn’t feel like much, but together they carried me to a place where I could run again, and run fast.
The biggest change was food. I had to completely reset the way I ate, and that’s when things started to shift—the healing, the reduced inflammation, the better sleep, the steady energy. That’s what really changed everything for me.
I had to learn how to listen to my body instead of fighting it. I had to train on days I really didn’t want to. I had to go deep on prehab, rehab and recovery.
I’ve delayed other goals to chase this one. And honestly, I haven’t felt guilty about it. Because I love it. I love the grind, the tiny gains, the feeling of my body responding when I ask it for more.
This 100-meter goal has become more than just a time on a stopwatch. It’s proof that I can take something that once felt impossible and inch toward it, slowly, painfully, stubbornly—until it starts to feel real.
And real it is.
Next stop: The Oceania Masters Athletics Championships In Brisbane!