Meet Your Coach: How a Half Marathon I Didn't Want to Run Changed My Life

Hi friends,

I'm Nikki. I'm a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Health and Wellness Coach, and I wanted to start this part of the blog by telling you how I got here. It's not the story I would have predicted and it just goes to show anything is possible.

It Started With Something Hard

When I was getting ready to turn 40, I wanted to sign up for something hard. Something that felt a little impossible. So I signed up for a half marathon.

Here's the funny part: I didn't like running. But that was kind of the point. I trained, I crossed the finish line, and it felt amazing. Then a friend wanted to do a half marathon, so I did a second one.

Picking an Even Bigger Goal

When I was 43, I knew I needed another goal to get myself in shape. I'm someone who needs something on the calendar to make it happen. I didn't want to run another half marathon, since I still wasn't a fan of running, so I started looking into fitness competitions. It turns out there is such a thing as a bikini competition!

I reached out to an acquaintance (who has become a friend) who had competed before. She told me to hire a coach and gave me a referral. I had a phone call with the coach, I hired her, and four months later I stepped on stage.

The Hard Part (and the Best Part)

Those four months were not easy. I had to learn how to track macros and log my food. I did intense workouts, to the point that I needed naps in between them. At the time, a fitness competition felt completely out of reach for me, so being able to pull it off was a huge reward.

I only planned to step on stage once. But I loved the process so much that I wanted to keep going. Competing keeps me accountable, helps me make healthier choices, and gives me something to work toward. I loved what my body could do.

Four years later (2026), I'm still at it. I've competed in seven competitions, and I still have goals: keep building muscle, keep improving, stay healthy, and age as gracefully as I can. It has completely changed my life, and it became a lifestyle, not a one-time project.

From Student to Coach

Along the way, I realized I wanted to help other women feel the way I felt. That led me to become a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and then a NASM Certified Health and Wellness Coach. I started coaching other women in December 2022 and opened my own coaching practice.

I've helped women prepare for competition and get on stage, and I've helped women who just want to feel like their best selves all the way up to age 84. I've learned a lot from every one of them and it truly warms my heart to see them gain confidence in themselves and live their best life where they are.

Bringing People Together

For the last five years, I've also co-directed the Never Say Never Half Marathon and 10K with my best friend. We've experienced the discipline and hard work of bringing people together, putting on a race, and raising money for local needs. Celebrating every person who signed up for something hard and crosses that finish line is one of the most rewarding things I do.

What I've Learned

This whole journey has taught me discipline and structure, and it showed me what I'm capable of. It taught me how to be healthier, and how to teach others to do the same.

But the most important lesson is the simplest one: be consistent with yourself, every day. Set a goal, make small changes, and keep showing up. You don't have to run a half marathon or step on a stage. That was just my way in. Yours might look completely different.

Want a Coach in Your Corner?

If you're looking for a goal, a plan, or just someone to cheer you on, I'd love to hear from you. I coach women one-on-one with fitness programming, meal planning, and macro coaching. Send me a message to chat about what you're working toward.

And in the meantime, I'll be over here with a cup of tea.

Cheers,

Nikki