We're Breaking Three!
- Hailey
- Jan 30, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Feb 10
*Please be advised that singing the above title to the tune of "Breaking Free" from High School Musical is required. Thank you for your cooperation.
Ooooof. Okay, here we go. Let's talk goals. Specifically, let's talk about my goals.
That's right. I have made the decision to put myself out there and cast my dearest dreams and wildest ambitions out into the universe, available for anyone to see, for better and for worse. Now, this may seem self-indulgent and that's a fair assessment. It is, at least in part. Here I am, talking to you about myself. Okay, so now I'm really sounding self-indulgent. But before you run in the opposite direction, shouting, "Don't you dare follow me! Your head will never fit through the doorway anyways!" at me over your shoulder as you go, let me just say this. Putting myself and my goals out there for all to see, analyze, comment on, and potentially criticize is not about me feeling important or special. It is about me feeling terrified. And that is EXACTLY why I have chosen to do this.
I'm the kind of person that will happily go bungee jumping, zip lining, or skydiving. Those things excite me, thrill me, and, admittedly, make me just a wee bit nervous. But they don't scare me. Being vulnerable in front of others scares me. I'm talking down to my core, puts a pit in my stomach, makes my hands start to sweat, scares me. And I am done living my life paralyzed by the fear of being scared. I'm going to just do it. (And, yes, Grandpa, that last line was a definite nod to you.)
Okay, so, "We're Breaking Three!" What does that even mean?
We're Breaking Three is the title that I have given my goal for the first half of 2024. If you know me already, then it will come as no surprise to you when I say that I like to ✨design✨ things. I am a planner at heart and I love a good theme. So, of course I had to develop an entire design concept for my goal because to not do that would just be un-Hailey-like of me and I am in the era of bold authenticity. So, Hailey-like is just how I'm going to do things around here.
Therefore, We're Breaking Three is the name of my first project for this year. If you, either 1) automatically sang "Breaking Free" by the great Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez or 2) you read my subtitle and then sang along, congratulations, we just became best friends. I know it's silly but having a theme song that takes me back to the good ol' days was too perfect to resist. I hope you understand.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's all great, but this has been a lot of chit chat. I know that. Welcome to my brain. It's great in here, I promise! But to get back on track, what is my goal? This is a lot of buildup, but for what?
My goal for We're Breaking Three is to break three hours in the marathon for the first time in my life. That's it. I'm goin' sub-3.
In truth, I have eyed this goal since November 3rd, 2018 at approximately 10:48 AM. Okay, maybe it was closer to 10:50 AM, because I needed to catch my breath first. I was living in Georgia at the time, had underwent the most unconventional training cycle of my life, and was in Savannah for, you guessed it, another marathon. But not just any marathon. On this day, I managed to qualify for the Boston Marathon for the first time ever, smashing the standard of 3:30:00 by crossing the line in 3:18:48.
I was thrilled. I also immediately knew that I could do even better. Many people might look at my time and think, sub-3:15 or maybe even sub-3:10 would be a good next goal. Not me, though. I often catch myself thinking that, "I'm either no a** or whole a** because I don't know how to half-a** anything in my life." A bit crude? Sure. Accurate, though? Without a doubt. Just ask my parents.
So, it was in that spirit that I set my next marathon goal at sub-3:00. And just for context, that's dropping from an average pace of 7:35/mi to 6:52/mi, which, over the course of 26.2 miles, is a massive difference. But I didn't care about that then, and I don't care about that now. I understand and respect the challenge it poses, but I also know that I can and will do it. Not in a cocky, "I'm the queen of the running world" kind of way, but in an "I'm possible" kind of way.
I hid this goal from basically everyone for years. Again, being vulnerable in front of others terrifies me. I let the idea of sub-3:00 reside in the back corner of my mind and there it sat, lurking, watching as I struggled through all sorts of ups and downs and all-arounds in my life, and in my running. Maybe we will unpack those things on a different occasion, but what I think is obvious, is that all of those zigs and zags resulted in me not running a sub-3:00 marathon. Not yet, at least.
Girl, just give me the details!
Alright, you asked for it. Well, okay, so I may have just imagined that you asked, but don't mind that. I'm going to give you the details anyways. Drumroll please....
I will be attempting to run a sub-3:00 marathon at the Rock'n'Roll Marathon in San Diego on June 2, 2024.
I love a good "full circle" moment and it only seemed appropriate that I make my first, bold, not messing around, facing my fears attempt at this particular race. Why? Well, almost ten years before my goal race, to the day, I crossed the finish line of my very first marathon at a different Rock'n'Roll event. And, at the risk of being called a walking (well, running), talking, and breathing cliche, I'm going to say it. That marathon changed my life. It just did. Simple as that. I am so thankful for that day and for everyone who supported me as I set out to, quite literally, cover new ground. Y'all know who you are and I can't thank you enough!
So, nearly a decade later, I am lining up in San Diego for another Rock'n'Roll marathon. Undoubtedly, I will be nervous, just like I was back in 2014, but I will be confident too. Confident that I am living the life that I have always dreamed. Confident that I can do hard things. Confident that I did everything I could do to arrive at the starting line on that morning to put forth what will be my best marathon to date. I am choosing to believe "I'm possible."
Don't worry, I'm almost done!
As you consider my goals, this one and those to come, please keep in mind that I'm not some athletic specimen or future Olympian. Trust me, I've been on Ancestry.com and those genes simply do not exist in my family tree, okay? Yes, hard work, determination, and a hyper-specific training plan can work wonders, but in terms of raw, natural, gazelle-like talent? I'm pretty certain that's not running in my veins. However, what is in my blood, is an unapologetic scrappiness and desire to get the absolute most out of myself and my life. Believe it or not, those things can work wonders, too, and I'm on a mission to find out just how wonderful it can be. It is my most sincere hope that, Olympian or not, you choose to do the same.
"Because if you aren't trying to be audacious, you're gonna wake up in 10 years and you're gonna wonder, 'if.'" - Jeff Cunningham
This is one of my all-time favorite quotes. I found it while listening to an interview on the Bare Performance Podcast, a podcast that I highly recommend by the way. The episode is titled, "Jeff Cunningham | The 5 Pillars of Distance Training," if you care to go and give it a listen. Yes, the topic is about distance running, specifically the marathon, but there is so much more than that woven into the conversation that is had. I have yet to listen to a podcast episode without coming away with at least a handful of inspiring and actionable nuggets, ones that I am still clutching onto today. This quote is just one example of a piece of wisdom that I have gleaned from actively listening to others tell their stories and share their insights. It stuck with me. I have always had audacious goals, but I have rarely, if ever, dared to be truly audacious. That is, until now. A sub-3:00 marathon is an audacious goal for me. It is challenging, it is bold, and the process of achieving it will be unrelenting, but oh so rewarding. Cheers to living audaciously! I hope you choose to be a little audacious yourself.
Well, there it is. Now you know. We're Breaking Three officially started on January 28th and I am currently three days into this training cycle. If you are curious about what marathon training looks like or want to get the inside scoop on the ups and downs of me pursuing a sub-3:00 marathon, then you are in luck!
Here is where you can follow along:
This blog: Every Sunday, from now until race day, I am going to publish a weekly recap of my training here. In these blog posts, you will get all of the details. Keep in mind that I'm a data-driven runner who loves any opportunity to share an anecdote, here, there, and everywhere. You've been warned. You can find all of the We're Breaking Three blog posts in the category titled, "We're Breaking Three." Subscribe to our newsletter (link at the end of this post) to make sure that you never miss an update!
@imhaileymorgan on Instagram: Also, on every Sunday, from now until race day, I will be sharing a post with a brief summary of my training for the week. Basically, if you would like to skip my anecdotes (I totally get it. Sometimes I wish I could skip them, too...), get the key info, and look at some photo/video evidence of my training, then follow me on Instagram. Click the button at the end of this post to follow me!
Bet On Yourself.
This year, I am betting on myself. It scares me to say that and it terrifies me to actually do it. But here I am, and I just shoved my chips towards the dealer. I'm pretty sure those are gambling terms? Give me a break, I'm new at this, alright? Watching others attempt and achieve the things that I have always wanted to attempt and achieve is no way to spend my life. And it's no way to spend yours, either. So...
You are hereby invited to bet on yourself, whatever that looks like for you. You are worth it. I promise.
I know it can be scary, but you don't have to run out and tell everyone what you biggest dreams are right now. However, at least do the following. For you and just for you, place your bet today. Place it on you, your abilities, and your worth. If it helps, you should know that I'm placing my bets on you, too.
Wishing you all the best!
Hailey
Subscribe to our newsletter! Click the button to sign up now!
Follow us on social media!
Comments