21 Kilometres Later, and a Little Reminder to Just Do the Hard Thing

Photo Credit: Karabo Peter

Sometimes you don’t need to feel completely ready. You just need to take the first step and see what you’re capable of.

Johannesburg, South Africa (10 November 2026) – If there’s one thing I’ve learnt over the past few months, it’s that sometimes you just have to do the hard thing.

That was certainly the lesson I took away from running my first ever half marathon at the HOKA Half.

Now, I won’t pretend I was one of those runners who spent months religiously following a training programme. Between signing up and race day, I didn’t have nearly as much time to prepare as I would have liked. My longest run before the event was 12 kilometres, and that had happened months earlier.

And as if 21 kilometres wasn’t enough of a challenge, the route through Randburg was seriously hilly. It felt as though we were either running uphill or making our way downhill, with very little opportunity to catch a break!

I surprisingly felt pretty good for the first 12 to 14 kilometres. It was only after that that reality started to sink in.

What helped was breaking the race into smaller chunks. Instead of thinking about the full 21 kilometres, I kept telling myself to focus on three kilometres at a time. In my head, it was simply seven little three-kilometre runs. Of course, there were moments when I had to walk and catch my breath, but I kept going, one stretch at a time. And eventually, I crossed that finish line.

I cannot quite explain how proud I felt. Receiving my finisher’s medal was such a meaningful reminder that I had done something I wasn’t even sure I could do. Naturally, I took myself out for lunch to celebrate before spending the rest of the day recovering. Because 21 kilometres is no joke!

Beyond the medal, the photographs and the rather proud announcements I’ve made to just about everyone at work and on social media, the experience reminded me of something much bigger.

Running has also become such a positive part of my mental well-being. Even a short three or 5 kilometre morning run helps me clear my head and start the day feeling better.

And that’s the point. Whether it’s running your first 5km, applying for that job or trying something you’ve always been curious about, sometimes you just have to do the hard thing. You might surprise yourself.

As for me, I have 21 kilometres, a finisher’s medal and a lovely reminder that I can do hard things.