The Move With Ease Podcast
Episode 62: When the Goal Doesn't Happen: Finding Joy in the Build with Deb
What happens when you do everything right in training... and race day still doesn't give you the result you worked for? In this episode, I'm joined by marathoner, mom of three, and high school teacher Deb, just days after completing her fifth marathon at Georgina. Deb went into the race after one of her strongest training builds yet, with hopes of finally earning her Boston qualifying time. But when her body stopped responding the way it had in training, her goals had to change. We talk honestly about the disappointment that comes when the result doesn't match the work, while also making space to celebrate everything the build gave her. Because the build is a win, too. But my favourite part of Deb's story might be what happened when her time goals disappeared. Instead of walking away, she chose a different goal: “I can't reach my time goal, but I will reach my joy goal.” We also talk about her very long hair and the promise she made not to cut it until she gets to Boston, what she's learned from five marathons and a previous DNF, how she fits training around teaching and raising three kids, and why she intentionally teaches her students that failure is feedback, not something to erase. This conversation is about running, but it's really about something bigger: How do we keep believing in a dream when it's taking longer than we thought? How do we allow ourselves to be disappointed without letting one outcome define us? And how might the person we're becoming along the way be just as important as the finish line? As Deb says at the end of our conversation: “Your value as a person does not depend on the time on the clock.” Follow Deb on Instagram: @pinkrunner_
