I Ran a Marathon on a Full Tank of High-Octane Self Efficacy

The Importance of Self-Belief

I ran my first marathon in 1999 when I was 36 years old.

In high school, I was an athlete but not a runner. I played volleyball, basketball, and softball but never ran more than a mile or two at a time.

When I was in my twenties I started to jog to keep in shape and clear my head. My aunt and uncle were avid runners and encouraged me to sign up for local races and run with them. I did. It was fun, a needed source of recreation in a life dominated by work.

The first race that I entered was a 5K, then eventually a 10K, and by the end of that first year, I ran a half marathon, 13.1 miles. Completing that longer distance for the first time was rough. I probably wasn't adequately prepared so I was determined to try again to see if I could do better and, more importantly, feel better when I crossed that finish line.

With more miles under my belt, I improved, felt stronger finishing, and went on to run about a dozen half marathons over the next decade.

While it was rewarding to complete half marathons, the full marathon distance - 26.2 miles - became my new goal.

When I first contemplated running a marathon, I didn’t think I could do it. The full 26.2 miles (don’t ever leave off the .2) seemed beyond reach. It was too daunting a challenge.

So, initially, I shared my marathon goal with no one. The 13.1-mile half marathon left me spent. How in the world would I be able to double that and run a full marathon? No way! It’s not going to happen!

But a small voice within repeatedly asked, “What about the others that run that distance? If they can do it, why not you?”.

After all, my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Bill - almost 30 years my senior - had not only completed the full marathon (several times) but each had medaled in their age group. Surely, I could train and complete the distance if I had a plan.

Then I stumbled across a plan, an article in Runner’s World magazine that contained a 20-week marathon training regimen for beginners, designed to build gradually toward the goal so that by the end of 20 weeks, the runner would be both physically and mentally prepared to cover the distance.

I decided to register for a race, announce my intention to family and friends, and begin training.

The week-by-week approach made it seem possible, no longer an insurmountable goal. Each successive week built upon the last, adding more miles as well as an even longer long run, moving me closer to the ultimate goal while establishing a sense of self-mastery along the way. The “little” weekly victories (nothing is actually little in training for a marathon) helped build the self-confidence and motivation to continue.

Additionally, I had the good fortune of having family members - Aunt Barbara and Uncle Bill - that served as role-models. If they could follow a training regimen and navigate the good days as well as the bad days, which are unavoidable when training over a 20-week period, so could I.

Moreover, I was fortunate to have a support network of family and friends. My husband, parents, siblings, friends, and even my two young sons, all encouraged me by expressing confidence in my ability to run the distance. Social persuasion can be a powerful tool for building self-belief. I can still hear their voices cheering me on:

“You can do this, Carolyn. You just need to put in the miles and complete the training. Visualize what it will feel like to cross the finish line. You won’t regret this.”

On November 21, 1999, after months of diligent training, I completed the Philadelphia Marathon in 4 hours and 37 minutes, roughly a 10-minute mile pace which was exactly the pace I trained at.

The sense of accomplishment was incredible. The last half mile was an emotional experience that I will never forget. My eyes began to tear up - tears of joy - with an overwhelming sense of pride. Approaching and then crossing the finish line, seeing my family waiting and cheering me on, was an amazing experience. Pure joy!

I remember being surprised at how emotionally fulfilling it was.

A long sought after goal was achieved, one that was more important to me than I realized.

The Importance of Self-Belief: Albert Bandura’s Road Map

Completing a marathon was very much about self-belief.

Without self-confidence that goal would remain beyond my reach.

Having a weekly plan, that broke the challenge into manageable steps, helped me develop a sense of self mastery.

Having role models that I could emulate and a support network that I could draw inspiration from (social persuasion) were also key to developing the sense of self-efficacy that is essential to goal attainment.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was able to succeed due to a combination of factors that social psychologist Albert Bandura had identified as important to the development of self-efficacy:

• Mastery experiences (self-mastery)

• Vicarious experiences (role modeling)

• Verbal persuasion (social persuasion)

• Physiological cues (Arloski, 2021).

The first three – self-mastery, role modeling, and social persuasion - were key to my successful marathon journey. I had developed a strong, high-octane sense of self-efficacy which powered me not only through the 20 weeks of training but straight across the finish line.

The lessons I learned from successfully taking on that challenge have had wider applications. My self-confidence grew in all spheres of life. I was able to push myself beyond perceived limitations and welcome challenges. My overall sense of self-efficacy grew stronger.

Take Aways

If your self-belief is strong, you’re likely to be well on your way to achieving your goals.

If it is in short supply, you’re likely to feel stuck – perhaps even lacking the motivation to take the necessary steps forward.

Building a strong sense of self-efficacy is critical to goal attainment.

The good news is that self-confidence can be restored through social mastery, role modeling, and social persuasion.

There is an abundance of tools and methodologies that can be utilized to heighten self-confidence ranging from adopting a SMART goal strategy (action plans that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely) that has been proven to build self-mastery, to finding appropriate role models that motivate by demonstrating what is possible (If she can do it, so can I), and surrounding yourself with positive voices that encourage and uplift (You got this!) while limiting exposure to those that constrain and tear you down (You can’t do that; it’s a waste of time).

Things to Consider

Which goal is your marathon story?

Is it earning a college degree or landing that promotion, developing a new hobby, or learning a foreign language, writing a book, or creating a digital product?

Whatever it is that you dream about accomplishing, you’ll need to develop a roadmap for achieving it.

You’ll need to break the journey into measurable components and celebrate the “little” victories along the way. This practice will build self-mastery.

You’ll need to identify relevant role models to emulate, people that you admire most. You’ll need to become aware of how they ensured success.

Finally, you’ll benefit from establishing a network of individuals that not only support you but help to hold you accountable in a positive way. Hearing positive voices of encouragement in the form of social persuasion will reinforce the growing belief in yourself.

As Theodore Roosevelt famously said,

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”

www.ascentlifecoaching.net

Works Cited

Arloski, Michael. 2021. Masterful Health & Wellness Coaching. Whole Persons Associated, Inc.