You Don't Start Confident

Six videos, six lessons (that apply to running, too)

You know what starting YouTube and starting running have in common?

You're terrified people will judge you.

Five weeks ago, I published my first YouTube video about marathon training.

I was scared I'd look awkward. Scared I'd sound stupid. Scared nobody would watch — or worse, that they WOULD watch and think I had no business being on camera.

It's the exact same fear that stops people from running.

"I'm too slow."
"I don't look like a runner."
"People will stare."
"I'll embarrass myself."

But here's what I've learned over five weeks and six videos: The only way past the fear is through it.

And that's true whether you're hitting "publish" on a video or lacing up your shoes for the first run.

Here's what showing up scared has taught me:

Video 1: You start by asking the question

"Can I PR a Marathon at 48?"

That was it. A short intro. Me, outside, asking the question that's been on my mind for months. Terrible looking. No fancy production. No script. Just the honest question.

I didn't have the answer yet. But I hit publish anyway.

And that mattered more than being perfect.

Week 1: You show up even when it's messy

Week 1 was me walking outside, talking about my rookie mistake — I miscounted my training weeks and realized I had 17 weeks to race day, not 18. Oops.

Then I made the case for treadmill training. Defended it, actually. Because when it's sub-zero and icy in Maine, the treadmill isn't a cop-out. It's survival.

I didn't script it. I just talked. And it felt real.

Week 3: You find your voice by telling a real story

This one was about carb fueling — specifically, how I underfueled for 13 marathons and didn't figure it out until last fall.

I told a real story. I shared actual numbers (120g carbs/day while running 60 miles/week — yikes). I was honest about screwing it up for over a decade.

And something clicked. The delivery felt more natural. The message was real.

That's the video where I started to find my voice.

Week 3 (Part 2): Sometimes things don’t work out as planned (but you learn anyway)

A day later, I filmed a quick, unscripted basement tour showing my treadmill setup. Cinder block walls, boxes in the background, a post-it note with my pace conversions.

The video was rough. Shaky camera, bad lighting, hard to follow. But it was REAL, and what a lot of people have to do to continue moving forward. I also learned what NOT to do next time.

Not every video (or run) will be great. Some just need to exist.

Week 4: Deep dives build credibility

This one broke down how I built my marathon training plan, pulling from Jack Daniels, Pete Pfitzinger, Brad Hudson, and Jay DiCharry. We all need guidance, information, and inspiration!

It was 10 minutes long. I showed the actual, well-worn, books — earmarks, post-it notes, tabs, and all. I explained each of the philosophies and how they fit together for me.

It felt like teaching. Like coaching. Like the kind of content I'd want to find if I were searching for training advice.

That's the video that is meant to demonstrate that I (mostly) know what I’m talking about.

Week 5: Confidence comes from repetition

This week's video was about recovery — why rest days aren't lazy, why easy runs matter, why I think the "No Days Off" trend is terrible.

And for the first time, I filmed it without overthinking. I knew my points. I trusted my delivery. I hit record and let it flow.

Six videos in, I'm starting to feel slightly more comfortable on camera.

So, here's what all of this has taught me:

You don't get better by waiting to feel ready.

You get better by doing it badly at first. By being awkward and stiff and imperfect. By publishing the thing even when it's not quite right.

Because the only way to Week 5 confidence is through Video 1 awkwardness.

And this is exactly how running works, too.

You don't wait until you "look like a runner" to start running. You don't wait until you're fast to sign up for a race. You don't wait until you feel ready to chase a big goal.

You start where you are. You show up scared. You do it anyway.

The first run is hard. The first 5K is terrifying. The first marathon feels impossible.

But by Week 5? Week 20? Or 13 years in? You're not the same person who started. I know everything in my life has changed because I started. It wasn’t pretty, but it was memorable.

And honestly, you can only appreciate where you are BECAUSE of how hard it was at the beginning. The awkward first steps, the uncomfortable middle, the moments you wanted to quit — those are how you earn the later wins.

You can't skip to confident. You have to walk through scared first.

Because of all this, I know I have a very long way to go as a YouTuber. Fourteen years in and I’m still learning so much regarding running, so I know it will take years to feel like I even have an inkling of what I’m doing on video.

So if you've been thinking about starting something — running, creating content, chasing a goal you're scared of — here's my advice:

Just start.

There is no other way, and it’s really very simple. The only way to get anywhere is to start and just do it.

You'll be bad at first. That's okay. You'll feel awkward. That's normal. You'll wonder if anyone cares. (They do, but even if they don't, YOU do, and that's enough.)

The only way to Week 5 is through Week 1. Remember, you don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.

And I promise: by the time you get there, you'll be glad you began.

Keep moving forward,

-Jess

P.S. - If you want to follow my marathon training journey (all five awkward, imperfect, weeks of it), my YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/@DesignedForDistance. Fair warning: Week 1 is rough. But Week 5? Not quite as bad.