Taking on a physical challenge changes more than your fitness — and a story from 2019 is the best example I know. A friend of mine, Shane Finn, set off from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco with the goal of making it to the Brooklyn Bridge in New York by biking and running across America in just 36 days. He was doing it for charity, raising money for a cause very close to his heart. Watching Shane take on something so enormous inspired me.
But around that same time, something else was happening that left an even bigger impression on me. I was training a group of mothers to complete their first 5K. These women had every excuse not to exercise — jobs, kids, busy schedules, some stiff and sore, some not having exercised properly in years. And yet they made the decision to prioritise themselves and do something difficult. When the day of the 5K arrived, some ran, some walked, some did a bit of both. But every single one of them finished. I found that more impressive than me running a marathon.
Taking on a Physical Challenge: Your Marathon Does Not Have to Be 26.2 Miles
Difficulty is relative. For Shane, the challenge was crossing a country. For me, it was running 26.2 miles. For those women, it was getting to the starting line of a 5K. And that is the point. Taking on a physical challenge does not require a specific distance or a specific event. Your marathon might be joining a gym after ten years of no exercise. It might be committing to two workouts per week, walking your first 5K, signing up for a hike, learning to swim, doing your first push-up, or simply deciding you are going to start taking care of yourself again.
We all need hard things in our lives. Because when we voluntarily choose something difficult, we do not just change our bodies. We change ourselves. The best part of that group of mothers’ story is that the 5K was not the end. Some went on to complete 10Ks, then half marathons, then full marathons. And this year, a group of them travelled to South America and hiked Machu Picchu.
It all started in 2019 with a challenge that, at the time, probably felt enormous: finish a 5K. They took on their version of a marathon and built from there. According to research from Harvard, regular physical activity is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health — but the entry point is wherever you are right now, not where someone else started.
5 Things That Happen When You Take on a Physical Challenge
1. You have more energy. It sounds backwards — you are already exhausted, so how is exercising going to give you more energy? But over time, getting fitter and stronger makes everyday life easier. Walking up stairs, carrying groceries, running after the kids — everything costs you a little less. You build a bigger engine for life.
2. Your relationships and social circle improve. Exercise has a wonderful way of bringing people together. You meet people at the gym, find a walking or running partner, sign up for challenges together, and encourage each other when motivation is low. At our gym in Long Island City, some of the strongest friendships we have seen started over a shared training goal. Hard things become a lot easier when you have good people beside you.
3. Your confidence improves. There is something powerful about proving yourself wrong. The first time you walk 5K. The first time you lift a weight you could not lift before. The first time you finish something that, six months ago, felt impossible. That confidence does not stay in the gym. It follows you into the rest of your life.
4. You become a better leader. Whether it is your children, family, friends, or coworkers, people notice what you do far more than what you say. When you prioritise your health, keep commitments to yourself, and willingly take on difficult things, you lead by example. You show the people around you that hard things are possible. Sometimes that is one of the most powerful lessons we can pass on.
5. Your time management improves. When you have a physical goal, you have to make room for it. You start looking at your week differently — when am I going to train, what needs to move around? Instead of waiting to magically find time, you learn to make it. That is a skill that benefits almost every other area of life.
What Is Your Marathon?
Find something that feels difficult for you. Something slightly intimidating. Something that requires real commitment and makes you wonder whether you can actually do it. Then start. Because today’s impossible 5K might become tomorrow’s 10K. And a few years from now you might find yourself somewhere you never imagined you would reach. Taking on a physical challenge — whatever yours looks like — is one of the best decisions you can make.
If you are looking for a place to start that challenge — book a free intro call. Come in and let’s figure out what your marathon looks like.
Have a great weekend.
Seamus Keane, NASM CPT
Co-founder, The Trinity NYC
