I always thought of myself as a steady five-hour marathoner—until Tulsa proved me wrong. With a mix of weight loss, cleaner nutrition, consistent training, cross-training (yes, it matters), and a major mindset shift, I finished in 4:23. Forty-four minutes faster. Proof that progress isn’t magic—it’s small changes stacked over time.

I loved my Apple Watch—until I realized it was running me instead of the other way around. Here’s what happened when I ditched the streaks, rings, and badges, and learned to move for me again.