top of page
Search

Slow, Smiling, and Still Strong: A Former College Athlete’s First Marathon w/ Gabby Averill

  • Writer: Taylor Sayles
    Taylor Sayles
  • Jan 15
  • 3 min read
Podcast host talks to guest about training for her first marathon

Gabby built her identity around team sports throughout her childhood, culminating in a year as a Division I lacrosse player in college. But when that chapter came to a close after struggling with her mental health, Gabby found herself lost and looking for meaning. 


Gabby always loved movement, and luckily had built a knowledge base that allowed her to continue working out in the gym, but without a goal to strive towards, she still felt like she was lacking purpose. She signed up for a half marathon on a whim, and her running journey truly began.


Relearning Running After College Sports

As many high school and college athletes can attest, running is often portrayed as a punishment, not something that brought joy or peace. It was a process learning to love the runs, and community was a huge part of that. Gabby motivated herself by pushing through hard runs with friends and promising herself a sweet treat at the end.


But after running her first half marathon and swearing she’d never do that again, she signed up for another one, and running alongside her friend, she felt the high as she crossed the finish line and she knew she was hooked.


Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Gabby struggled when she first started running, frustrated by her pace. But her relationship with running and her pace has improved as she’s consistently shown up for herself. Slowly but surely, showing up three or four times a week, Gabby’s pace has gotten faster. But the most important thing is that she never wants to sacrifice her overall relationship with the sport by going too quickly or pushing too much before she’s ready. Slow and steady wins the race.


After running eight half marathons, one day, she woke up and she put her credit card down before she could change her mind - and signed up for her first marathon - Every Woman’s Marathon in Arizona.


Running Every Woman's Marathon: Community and a Positive Mindset

With eight months to train, Gabby moved across the country (to Arizona - it was kismet!) and again dealt with lots of change in her personal life. Gabby pieced together a plan for training that she knew would work for her rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach. After all, life gets in the way! Gabby found motivation not only from her friends and family, but through the online community as she posted her runs and training successes. 


As a runner who started running races with a friend by her side, the cheers from her community as she trained through long miles made all the difference. Training during the Arizona heat is not for the faint of heart, but she knew, once she ran that last 22-mile long run, that she was ready to run the marathon.


As luck would have it, Gabby met a woman the day before the race who volunteered to run with her, and coached her through the first few miles. The first half of the race flew by, listening to voice notes from her loved ones cheering her on as she took each step. She kept a smile on her face, even when a cramp threatened to derail her. The power of positive thinking and “smiling [her] way into delusion” kept her moving, and she crossed the finish line to become a marathoner.


Lessons Learned

  • Running, and being an athlete, shouldn’t be everything.

  • Slow and steady wins the race.

  • Having a community around you will support you through the hard times.

  • Never underestimate the power of positive thinking.

  • Success looks different for every runner and doesn’t have to be tied to a clock.


Want to hear Gabby tell the story herself? Listen to the full episode now: Slow, Smiling, and Still Strong: A Former College Athlete’s First Marathon— available wherever you get your podcasts.


Listen to my most recent mini episode: How To Set Your Next (or first) Marathon Goal



Want more stories like this in your inbox? Subscribe to The Rundown newsletter!


Follow along with the show:

👣 Personal IG/TikTok: @tay.says / @taysays

🎙️ Podcast IG/TikTok: @myfirstmarathonpod

📺 YouTube: @MyFirstMarathonPodcast


Comments

bottom of page