PROJECT M

Update – 08/04/2025: Part 1 of my running journey. Weekly updates until the half marathon in Torhout on June 21.

Intro

I used to smoke a lot (sometimes I still do), barely moved, and the idea of running a marathon sounded insane. But somewhere deep down, I knew I needed a change. Something that required discipline. Something that would hurt. Something you couldn’t skip, scroll past, or fake.

So I started running. On a random Wednesday. No special reason. No big moment. Just the feeling that if I didn’t move now, I might never start at all.

Week 1 — The Switch

It started on a rainy Wednesday. Work had drained me. Everything felt dull. Instead of sinking into the couch, I put on my old sneakers and ran out the door.

Thirteen minutes. That’s all I managed. I thought I was dying. But I felt alive. That contrast was enough to make me want more.

Week 2 — Structure & Struggle

I committed to a training plan, slowly building toward the half marathon in Torhout on June 21. No ego runs. No heroic distances. Just consistency: three runs per week, slow progress. The hardest part was mental—learning to stop overthinking and start moving.

On day four, I experienced my first runner’s high. It was short but intense. Suddenly, I understood why people do this for fun.

Week 3 — Discipline Kicks In

The honeymoon phase ended. My legs were heavy, motivation dipped, and I started questioning why I was doing this at all. But discipline took over where motivation failed. I realized that progress doesn’t shout—it whispers. Quietly, under every breath, every sore muscle.

I wasn’t chasing a feeling anymore. I was building a habit.

Week 4 — Breakthroughs

By week four, something shifted. Runs that once felt impossible started to feel normal. My breathing steadied, my stride relaxed. For the first time, I felt like a runner—not a beginner trying to survive. That’s when I knew I was in this for the long game.

Why

Why am I doing this? Not for medals. Not for clout. But to prove to myself that I can commit to something fully. No shortcuts. No excuses. Just shoes on, head up, and forward. Every week, a little better.

I believe there’s strength in slowness. The world moves fast, but character takes time to build.

Value

Every kilometer teaches me something. About discipline, patience, self-respect, and listening to my body. But it also teaches me to take myself more seriously. If you have the guts to start, you deserve the space to grow.

The best part? You see progress, physically and mentally. No algorithm needed. No external validation. Your body doesn’t lie.

The Road to Torhout

This is just the beginning. On June 21, I’ll run my first half marathon in Torhout. That’ll be my first real test. Every step, every struggle, every quiet victory along the way leads to that starting line.

Because in the end, it was never about the finish line. It was about becoming the kind of person who runs toward it.

Race Day — Torhout Half Marathon

I did it. On June 21, I ran my first half marathon. It was brutal — 32°C, burning sun, and my feet were completely destroyed. Every step after kilometer ten felt like hell. I had blisters everywhere, my body was screaming, and it became pure survival.

The funny part? Two weeks before the race, I completely stopped training. I thought resting would make me stronger. Biggest mistake ever. The first few kilometers already told me I’d messed up. But there was no way I’d quit.

Crossing that finish line felt unreal. Medal around my neck, feet full of pain, but a weird sense of peace in my head. Three months later, I’ve barely run again. After that finish line, I just thought: “F*** it. I did what I came to do.” Maybe I’ll only start again when someone challenges me to run a full marathon — and when that happens, that’ll be the next chapter.

— Maico Minne. Written 08/04/2025 • Updated 22/06/2025