Running the Two Oceans Ultra didn’t change my life. Training for it did.

Somewhere between gasping up Edinburgh Drive and laughing on the cool-down lap, I became the kind of person who could run an ultra. I just didn’t know it yet.

Running Two Oceans was a milestone—absolutely. But if I’m honest, the truly life-changing part wasn’t crossing the finish line. It was the journey of becoming the kind of person who could get to the start line.

My road to Oceans started with Cape Town Marathon. Last year, I ran my first marathon—and it was the first time I came face to face with my own disbelief. I’d set this big goal, but somewhere deep down, I wasn’t sure I was cut out for it, I wasn’t sure I was one of “those people.”

I used to think people who ran marathons were just built differently, made of something I didn’t have. I didn’t realise that what I needed wasn’t a different body, it was a different belief. A belief that I could do hard things, and it took becoming a Must Love Hills groupie to learn that lesson. Some of the MLH crew who knew me had more faith in me finishing Oceans than I had in myself—and that fueled me. Knowing that YOU backed me, even when I didn’t fully back myself, meant everything.

Getting comfortable being uncomfortable has become my new normal. It was my training block motto: no matter what happened on race day, no matter how loud the doubts got, all that mattered was that I gave it a shot.

It might sound soppy but I swear, one of the biggest things that kept me going was the people of MLH. It was, quite literally, a lifeline. I watched people crush their training day after day, but I also saw people fail. And when they did there was no shame. I never once saw someone give up or face a tough moment alone.

For years, my biggest fear was failure (it's held me back more times than I can count). I’d avoid races because I thought they were above my ability. But seeing that failure is okay, and being so deeply inspired by other people’s running journeys changed something in me. I started to believe that even if I didn’t make it, I’d still show up at the next Tuesday session. No one would judge me. They’d simply tell me to try again.

That’s what gave me the courage to sign up for the ultra, even when I wasn’t sure I’d finish it. I rode into that start line on a wave of guts and inspiration powered by the crew.

So yes, the Two Oceans Ultra changed my life—but not only because I finished it. It changed my life because of what it took to get there, and because of who I became along the way.

My next goal is even bigger and scarier… but I know I won’t face it alone. And if I fail, all I ask is that you help me wipe the tears and remind me why we always try again.