
121: Throwback Episode: Gabby Averill's First Marathon Story
From My First Marathon by My First Marathon
April 20, 2026 · 48 min · Episode 121
About this episode
Gabby Averill shares her journey of relearning running after college sports and her experience at her first marathon.
Hey friends! I'm officially off getting married and soaking up every second of it. I'll be back with brand new episodes on May 4th, but in the meantime I'm bringing back one of your all-time favorite episodes for you to enjoy. Thanks for all the love and support. It means everything. Now let's get into it! Gabby’s running journey didn’t start with a finish line goal or a desire to be fast. It started after stepping away from Division I college sports, when the structure she’d built her identity around suddenly disappeared and movement no longer had a clear purpose. In this episode, Gabby walks us through what it looked like to relearn running on her own terms. From seeing running as punishment growing up, to signing up for a half marathon on a whim, to slowly building confidence through consistency, community, and letting go of pace expectations. Over the course of a few years, that approach led her to her first marathon at the Every Woman’s Marathon in Arizona, where she focused on fueling well, smiling often, and finishing strong without a time goal attached. We talk about pace inclusivity, why slow and steady actually works, how community shaped her training and race day, and…
People in this episode
Host: My First Marathon
Guest: Gabby Averill
Topics covered
- running journey
- marathon training
- community support
- pacing strategies
- identity in sports
- success in running
Keywords
- marathon
- running
- community
- pacing
- athlete
- success
- identity
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Arizona
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