What I Learned About Myself After a 25-Hour Workout Marathon (Hint: It Wasn’t About the Muscles)

So… 25 hours.

That’s how long I was moving cardio machines (assault bike, rower, ski erg), squats, sit-ups, shadow boxing, tricep dips, thrusters, sprints around the block on repeat. For an entire day and a whole night.

I’ve done big things before. I’ve managed an F45, completed two half-marathons. But this? This was something completely different.

Here’s how it really played out.

At 4:00 PM, six hours in, I nearly fainted. Why? Too much sugar, not enough slow-release carbs. I hit the sugar high, soared… and then spectacularly crashed.

By 8:00 PM, my knees were screaming, my feet were aching, and it felt like bone grinding on bone. And let me tell you, I was painfully aware that I’d brought the wrong shoes for the job.

But here’s the part I’m proud of: I didn’t quit.

And that’s thanks to the prep I did before the event, not just physically, but mentally.

In the weeks leading up, I worked closely with my counsellor, Terri, who does subconscious conditioning work. Together, we looked at the stories I tell myself when things get hard, especially the old victim mindset of “I can’t do this.”

Terri helped me shift that inner voice to something gentler but stronger: “This is hard, but I can keep going.”

And when I hit those brutal, painful hours? That new voice kicked in.

Instead of spiralling, I found myself flooded with gratitude. Gratitude for my body, even in pain. Gratitude for the people around me sharing advice, cheering me on. Gratitude that I even had the chance to test myself in this way.

Here’s what I learned over those 25 hours:

• Preparation matters. It’s not just about workouts, it’s about mindset, nutrition, recovery.

• You can’t do it alone. I leaned on experienced people, asked for help, and listened when they gave advice.

• The real battle is mental. Your body can do so much more but you need to get your mind on board.

• Gratitude shifts everything. It doesn’t erase the hard stuff, but it makes you feel powerful in it.

Finishing something like this changes you. It rewires your brain. You realise: I am capable of more than I believed. And that’s a feeling I’m still carrying with me.

The event is back again this May and whether you’re joining or just cheering from the sidelines, remember: with the right preparation, the right support, and the right mindset, you can get through things you once thought were impossible.

And honestly, if you want to work on the mental side of these challenges, I can’t recommend Terri enough. Her subconscious conditioning work was a total game-changer helping me break free from old stories and find a new, stronger way forward.