Paige Spangler Cried Five Times During Her First Marathon. Then Signed Up Again.

Paige didn’t grow up dreaming about becoming a marathon runner. She started running in high school and kept it up on and off through the years, but it never really stuck. She had a few stop-and-start moments, went through phases where she didn’t enjoy it, and for a while, didn’t see herself as someone who would ever take it seriously.

But after college, something shifted. She started running again for her mental health and found it helped her process a lot of the things she was going through. She signed up for a 15K on a whim. Then a half. Then a full marathon, but mostly because her dad had done two and she wanted to run more than him.

The race that nearly broke her

She picked Coeur d’Alene. The course looked nice. The weather was usually decent. But on race day, it was 80 degrees. The sun was out in full force. And when she showed up at her assigned 8 a.m. start time, she realized her entire corral had already gone. She crossed the start line completely alone.

The race only got harder from there. Aid stations weren’t where she expected. Her fueling plan fell apart. She cried five times, and at one point, her body just stopped producing tears. There wasn’t some big breakthrough moment or emotional runner’s high. It was just brutal.

But... she had already signed up for another

That second marathon felt a little better. So did the third. And somewhere along the way, running became something she actually enjoyed. Something she felt proud of. And eventually, something she wanted to help other people discover too.

Now Paige is a coach who works with runners at every level — especially the ones who don’t see themselves as “real” runners yet. Her story isn’t polished or perfect. It’s honest. And it’s a reminder that even your worst race might be the one that changes everything.

Lessons Learned

• Solo miles still count

• You don’t have to enjoy a race for it to matter

• Confidence can come from finishing, not performing

• The worst race might be the one that keeps you running

• You’re allowed to sign up again, even if you swore you wouldn’t

Want to hear Paige tell the story herself? Listen to the full episode now: Everything Went Wrong: Why Paige ran another marathon anyway w/ Paige Spangler— available wherever you get your podcasts.

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