Athlete Transition To Marathon: Taylor Sayles’ Journey of Self-Discovery

Finding yourself lost after college athletics isn’t uncommon. The structured environment, team camaraderie, and built-in fitness routine suddenly disappear, leaving many former athletes adrift. For Taylor Sayles, a former competitive softball player, this void led to an unexpected journey into the running community, proving that sometimes the best paths forward aren’t the ones we plan. How did an athlete like Taylor transition to running marathons?

Finding Purpose One Step at a Time

In 2021, Taylor found herself at a crossroads. After relocating from the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast, she faced the challenges of building a new life from scratch. “I was in a really weird spot in life,” Taylor recalls. “I had changed careers completely, didn’t have a lot of friends, and was just in a bad spot.”

Her first attempt at finding community led her to rock climbing, which, while not her ultimate passion, introduced her to runners who would change her perspective on endurance sports. Despite having viewed running as punishment during her softball days, Taylor decided to take a chance on this new challenge.

From Zero to 13.1: An Ambitious Beginning

With characteristic determination, Taylor didn’t ease into running gradually. After managing just half a mile on her first attempt, she made a bold decision: “I have a really hard time with not having something that I’m going for,” she explains. “Once I ran a half mile, I thought, ‘okay, why don’t we just do something big and sign up for a half marathon?'”

Armed with nothing but a basic training plan found on Pinterest and zero running experience, Taylor embarked on a four-month journey to prepare for her first half marathon. The transition from athlete to half marathon runner wasn’t easy, but two significant milestones marked her progress. The first was completing two miles continuously while the second and, more important milestone was running for over an hour straight.

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The Power of Community and Self-Discovery

The running community played a crucial role in Taylor’s development as an athlete. “These were typical people,” she says about the runners she met at local clubs. “I’m just like them, and they are running marathons,” she explained. This realization, combined with learning about different approaches to training and racing, opened her mind to new possibilities.

Training for her first marathon proved transformative. “You can’t hide from yourself in those moments,” Taylor reflects on her long training runs. “When you’re out there hitting 14, 15, 16, 17 miles… you’re in and out of your thoughts. I learned so much about myself.”

Beyond the Finish Line

Completing her first marathon marked a clear dividing line in Taylor’s life. “I joke that my life existed before the marathon and after the marathon,” she shares. “Crossing that finish line felt like breaking out of this negative cycle that I had found myself in since quitting team sports.”

This newfound confidence spilled over into every aspect of her life. Her relationships improved as she found herself “showing up differently,” with more clarity and less self-absorption. She launched a podcast to share runner stories, drawing on her own experience of how valuable it was to hear from others in the community.

Looking Forward

Today, Taylor’s vision extends beyond marathons. She’s set her sights on completing an Ironman triathlon. This time the competitive athlete to marathon transition doesn’t exist. Instead, she is facing the challenge of learning to swim – another barrier she’s ready to break through. “I want to keep pushing that boundary of what makes me uncomfortable because I know there’s good on the other side of being uncomfortable,” she explains.

For those just starting their running journey, Taylor offers wisdom gained from experience: “Running is a long-term relationship. You wouldn’t jump into a new relationship and just go wild…start slow and give it some time.” She emphasizes the importance of patience, noting that it might not feel good for the first five or six months, but the rewards of sticking with it are worth the initial discomfort.

Taylor’s story isn’t just about running – it’s about finding yourself, building confidence, and creating community. It’s proof that sometimes the most challenging paths lead to the most rewarding destinations.

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