5 Key Lessons I Learned about Creative Balance from Running a Half Marathon
Left: Start of Buffalo (Half/Full) Marathon 2023
Right: Crossing the Finish Line (2hrs, 44min later)
As a creative professional, finding balance can often feel like an impossible task.
Every day we run around making thousands of decisions from the moment we wake to the moment we sleep. We're constantly juggling multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities, all while trying to maintain our personal lives and well-being.
But what if I told you that running long distances (like a half-marathon) could teach you valuable lessons about building balance into your life?
Not a runner?
No problem.
Running 13.1 miles (or more) may also feel like an impossible task for most people.
So today I wanted to share the lessons I learned from my own experience.
Here's what I learned from running my first ever half-marathon and how you can apply those lessons to your own creative career.
Welcome to Race Day
BEEEEEEEEP.
BEEEEEEEEP.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
I turned over and looked at the clock.
4:45am
I was exhausted from tossing and turning all night.
My eyelids felt like they weighed 100 lbs.
Nerves were getting the better of me.
But it was race day.
I fought against my urge to sleep and sprung to action.
90 minutes later, I found myself staring down Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, NY. Thousands had shown up to participate in the longest race I’d ever even considered running.
The old adage, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint” took on a different meaning.
It wasn’t just about the race day.
It was the road it took to get here.
The Road to Get Here Mattered
Only a few months prior, I had injured my foot in an 8k (5mile) race. Not the best way to start a running season. 0 out of 10—don’t recommend.
In the days and weeks that followed, I nursed my injury back to health. I stayed active. I went to physical therapy. I kept my fitness up as best I could in other ways.
This day I could see the 13.1 miles ahead of me.
I had only been actively able to run for 4 weeks. Not ideal.
But I felt ready.
Why?
I was running on my own terms.
The thing that you might not know about a half or a full marathon—it’s not about the race against others. It’s a race against yourself.
I knew I wouldn’t be running the entire time. That would be insanity. It would put me at a high risk of re-injury. It wasn’t a viable way to think of it.
Instead, I needed to slow down to go fast.
I planned out my pacing so that I would run a total of 7 miles, walk 6.
Walking every other mile helped me balance the toll on my legs and gave me back energy to push my running.
When I was walking, I was drinking water and “resting” for the next run.
When I was running, I ran faster miles.
Finish Strong
About 2 hours and 40 minutes later I saw the finish line in the final quarter mile stretch.
I wanted to finish strong.
I changed the song filtering through my earbuds, lifted my foot high, and began to race with everything I had left.
I opened my stride.
I felt like I was flying.
As I neared the finish line, I saw the crowds. Out of the corner of my eye, my family was there to cheer me on.
I pushed.
I made it across the line.
It’s true what they say—running long distances changes the way you see things.
I used to think, “Oh, I can’t do that. That’s impossible!”
After running a half-marathon, I’m here to say that it’s the opposite.
But you have to approach it methodically and on your own terms.
It doesn’t matter if you win the race against others.
It matters how you improved because you raced it.
5 Key Lessons about Creative Balance from Running a Half Marathon
Lesson 1 - You are capable of more than you know
Lesson 2 - Seek help to supercharge your results
Lesson 3 - Be consistently diverse to build your long-term wins
Lesson 4 - Find supplemental tools to improve the odds
Lesson 5 - Commit to the plan
Let’s dive deeper into each of these lessons and how they can help you find your own creative life balance.
Lesson 1 - You are capable of more than you know
One of the biggest obstacles to finding balance as a creative professional is the belief that you simply don't have enough time or energy to do everything you want to do.
But completing a half-marathon is proof to me that our bodies are capable of more than we think. It's all about setting realistic goals and working towards them consistently over time.
The same goes for your creative career.
If you want to find balance, you need to start by believing that it's possible.
Set realistic goals for yourself and work towards them consistently over time. Whether it's carving out time for personal projects, taking breaks throughout the day to recharge, or setting boundaries with clients, small steps can add up to big changes over time.
Balance is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one.
Lesson 2 - Seek help to supercharge your results
Completing a half-marathon requires seeking advice from experienced runners, coaches, and trainers.
In my case especially, I needed help to support my training path. I was coming off an injury that prevented me from putting in the miles. I needed that supplemental experience from someone else to guide me back without further injury.
The same goes for a creative career. Seek out mentors, peers, and experts who can offer guidance and support as you build your career. Many creatives have already experienced exactly where you are now. Their knowledge can help you navigate some of the pitfalls they went through so you don’t have to.
I wouldn’t have been able to run the half marathon without the support of my physical therapist, online running coach, and running shoe team.
A creative life is the same. I wouldn’t be able to do make the work I do without the mentors and loved ones that have supported me along the way.
Lesson 3 - Be consistently diverse to build your long-term wins
Completing a half-marathon requires months of consistent, dedicated training—more than just running.
Strength training is an important part of the process, helping to build muscle, prevent injury, and improve overall fitness.
The same goes for finding balance in your creative career. You can't expect to magically find balance overnight; it takes time and effort to build the habits and routines that will help you achieve your goals.
As our lives change, we need to reinforce what works and build up other strengths as we go.
Strength training in creative life can take many forms, from learning new skills to building your network, to seeking out mentorship. By building your strengths as a creative professional, you'll be better equipped to handle the challenges that come your way.
Start by setting aside time each day to work towards your goals. Over time, these small steps will add up to big changes in your life.
Be consistent with the time you dedicate, but fluid in how you work on yourself.
Lesson 4 - Find supplemental tools to improve the odds
Running a half-marathon requires proper gear, from comfortable shoes to moisture-wicking clothing.
One of the key improvements I made before the half was changing up the gear I trained with and used for the big day.
The biggest change—Shoes.
In my previous race (that I injured my foot), I had haphazardly found a decent pair of running shoes. They were fine. But this time, I went to a running store, had my foot scanned, and walked away with the best shoes I’ve ever used—Hoka Clifton 9’s. Like running on a damn cloud. And a vast improvement.
Other changes I made — a water backpack (Nathan), energy gels (GU), and running news (Runner’s World).
The same goes for your creative career. Investing in the right tools and resources can make a big difference in your success.
Seek tools that give you back time, such as planning software.
Seek tools that allow you to reflect and dream, such as journals or sketchbooks.
Seek tools that improve your knowledge, such as masterminds, magazines, and books.
There is nothing noble about going it completely alone.
Supplement who you are and want to be with the tools that will help you get there.
Lesson 5 - Commit to the plan
Running a half-marathon requires perseverance.
There will be days when you don't feel like training, when you feel like giving up, or when you experience setbacks. But it's through these challenges that we grow stronger and more resilient.
The same goes for your creative career.
There will be setbacks, rejections, and difficult clients. But by persevering through these challenges, you'll grow stronger and more resilient. Use these experiences as opportunities to learn and grow, and don't give up on your goals.
Motivation doesn’t come from the moment.
Motivation comes from discipline.
Showing up every day is the way you win at anything—whether that’s a half marathon, a career, or a creative life.
Final Thoughts
Did I win the Half-Marathon with the best time overall?
No.
But did I win the Half Marathon for myself?
Yes.
How did I win?
I balanced the different pieces ahead of me:
I planned out my efforts.
I executed on the plan.
I enjoyed the journey.
I looked around.
Along the 10th mile I remember looking out into the great, wide-open beauty of Lake Erie as the morning sun continued to rise in the bright, blue sky. I thought to myself, “I am so lucky to be able to do something like this.”
Running is a privilege.
As is being a creative professional.
You don’t go out and run a half marathon (or any long distance for that matter) against others. You do it to challenge yourself.
The race is with yourself.
Balance is the same.
And you are capable of more than you know.
TL;DR
My first half-marathon
Lesson 1 - You are capable of more than you know
Lesson 2 - Seek help to supercharge your results
Lesson 3 - Be consistently diverse to build your long-term wins
Lesson 4 - Find supplemental tools to improve the odds
Lesson 5 - Commit to the plan
Quote of the Week
Motivation for the days ahead of you.
“In long-distance running the only opponent you have to beat is yourself, the way you used to be.”
— Haruki Murakami
That's all for now.
Stay creative, my friends—and have a great week!
For more nerdy insights on personal development and creative life, follow me on LinkedIn.
