When You Need a Win

Let’s say you DNF’d your last few races.

Maybe you got pulled or maybe you dropped, but either way, you’re tired of coming up short.

It’s demoralizing, so you decide on a new strategy: Find something easy to finish.

A shorter distance. A less technical or challenging course. An “easier” version of the races you’ve been chasing.

It makes sense—on paper. But there’s one big problem: If your heart isn’t in it, it’s not going to feel like a win.

Yes, you might cross the finish line and finally get the buckle or get to say you finished, but it won’t give you the confidence or pride you were looking for. It’ll be a little…flat. Like checking a box instead of achieving something meaningful. Deep down, you’ll know you still haven’t gotten what you really wanted—a true win.

You’ll still feel disappointed.

The Two Ways to Get a True Win

If you actually want your next race to be a deeply satisfying win—and not just something to say you “finished”—you’ve got two options.

Option 1: Go After the Race You Really Want

Yes, even if it’s the same distance or same race - the same thing that’s defeated you in the past.

The difference this time is that you’re going to solve the problems that kept you from finishing in the past.

You’ve learned something from every one of those DNFs—now it’s time to use it all.

That might mean adjusting your training, your fueling, your pacing—but what I see is that often, the biggest shift you need is mental. If you’ve been fighting the same self-doubt loop, if your brain starts sabotaging you at mile 40, or if you mentally check out when things get hard, you’ve got to fix that before race day. 

And now’s your chance.

When you apply everything you’ve learned and get rid of the mental blocks that stopped you in the past, you’re not just hoping you’ll finish—you’re setting yourself up for a true win.

Option 2: Make the “Easier” Race a Race You Want

Sometimes you do need to scale back the difficulty to rebuild some confidence. But if you do, the key is to turn that race into something you actually, strongly desire—not just go through the motions to get a finish.

What makes you excited about running it, not just finishing it? Maybe it’s the scenery, the community, the challenge of a faster pace, or the chance to test a new way of thinking about a race. Maybe it’s a race you’ve always kind of wanted to do, and now is the perfect time.

Whatever it is, make the race yours—plan it in a way that excites you, set goals that stretch you, and decide ahead of time what will make it feel like a big accomplishment for you.

You’ll know you’re on the right track when the race feels like something you can’t wait to show up for, not something you need to get through.

The Bottom Line

Whichever option you choose, the goal here is the same: a real win instead of a fake one.

Not an “I finally finished” win that quiets an insecurity for the moment. An “I did something I’m so proud of,” win that makes you satisfied, and hungry for what’s next.

And that’s not necessarily in the race - it’s in how you think of the win.

So if you’re thinking of running an easier race just to get a finish, ask yourself: do you want a finish, or a true victory that boosts your self confidence?

Run the race you really want—or learn to really want the race you’re running. Do whichever creates the win you’re seeking.

The win that leaves you confident long after the finish line fades.