Hey you,

This week felt like the last mile of a marathon.

Messy. Emotional. Unexpected. And somehow… exactly what it needed to be.

Let’s talk about it.

One Thing to Think About

The finish line isn’t always the best part.

I went into this week nervous.

Nervous about my knee.

Nervous about pace.

Nervous about whether I “lost time” during training.

But somewhere between mile 16 — when the half marathoners peeled off and the streets got quieter — and the moment I saw my people screaming my name…

I realized something.

The most emotional part wasn’t crossing the finish line.

It was:

• Hearing strangers yell “TRINA!” because my name was on my bib.
• Seeing my name on signs.
• Watching friends show up at multiple spots along the course.
• Feeling Zane refuse to leave my side when my knee started locking up.
• Knowing Madison slipped Papa John’s guitar pick into my shorts pocket before I left.

I would trade the medal for that feeling any day.

The finish line was epic.

But the people? That was everything.

Celebrate Your Wins

Because this week deserves celebration:

• 26.2 miles. First marathon complete.
• Adjusted hydration strategy mid-race when stopping made my knee worse.
• Asked my mom to pray for me. Wore my WWJD bracelet. Found it exactly when I needed it.

Also?

Valentine’s flowers for Madison and booking her a couple’s massage. Because marathon week doesn’t mean life pauses.

That’s a win too.

Productivity Hack of the Week

Build flexibility into your systems.

Switching back to the runner program with 25-minute strength sessions was a game changer.

If I had 30 minutes → I could still win.

If I had an hour → I stacked two.

If life was chaos → I could do mobility and move on.

When workouts are 45–60 minutes, we skip them.

When they’re 25? We adapt.

Flexibility beats perfection.

And yes… never skip leg day.

When they say it, they mean it. My knees were humbled by mile 3.

What I’m Into This Week

• ​Podcast: David Goggins on Chris Williamsons Podcast It’s about mental endurance. Goggins talks about building “calloused confidence” — doing hard things so often that your brain stops panicking when discomfort shows up. Mile 16 of the marathon made this episode a lived in moment for me.
• ​App: Runna. Not just as a running app — but as proof that structure builds confidence. Having a plan removed so much anxiety from marathon training. I didn’t wake up asking, “What should I do today?” I just executed. That principle applies to everything, fitness, business, content, parenting. Clarity reduces friction. Structure creates momentum.
• ​Song: Unstoppable by Sia. This is a state-shifter. Put it on and tell me you don’t walk a little taller. Music is one of the fastest ways to change your energy. Whether it’s a workout, journaling session, or just needing to reset your mindset. Sometimes growth starts with pressing play.

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Life Snapshot

• Ledger learned how to put his sunglasses on by himself. After 12 rounds of coaching from the front seat. Upside down. Dropped at a stoplight. Recovered. Victory achieved. 😎
• Valentine’s Day felt low-energy… until the texts started rolling in wishing me luck.
• 4AM race morning. Built-in shorts pockets. Tiny zipper. Papa John’s guitar pick inside. From Madison.
• Fireball shot. Warm beer. Pickles from a stranger’s hand. Medic Tylenol. Didn’t pee for 8 hours. Marathon culture is wild.

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One Last Thing

At mile 16, the crowds thin out.

That’s true in marathons.

It’s true in life.

Fewer people.

Quieter streets.

More doubt.

That’s when you find out what you built in training.

Not just physically — but emotionally.

This marathon taught me something unexpected:

I don’t need the medal to feel accomplished.

I need my people.

The lesson wasn’t about pace.

It wasn’t about sub-4:45.

It was about community.

And maybe that’s the real endurance sport.

Bible Verse of the Week

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

— 2 Timothy 4:7

That one hits different this week.

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Fun P.S.

When’s the next one? 😳

(I said I didn’t know. But let’s be honest… we both know.)

Closing

If you’re in the middle of your own “mile 16” season…

keep going.

Adjust when you need to.

Let your people help.

Fuel properly.

And don’t let pain dictate your mindset before the race even starts.

You are more prepared than you think.

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Let’s just enjoy this.

— Trina 🏁

Miss a post? You can view all Newsletter posts here. Interested what my 1:1 coaching looks like? Check out my website transformwithtrina.com

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