Online running coach Mati Dubas shared her journey on Instagram on March 6, revealing how running completely transformed her life. A former full-time swimmer and D1 student-athlete, Mati seemed to have it all on the outside. But internally, she struggled with purpose and self-worth, feelings that began affecting her confidence, relationships, and energy levels. (Also read: Neurosurgeon reveals 1 daily habit that protects your brain the most: ‘It’s something most people underestimate’ )
How running transformed Mati Dubas’s life
By September 2023, Mati was likely in the best shape of her life, training 20 hours per week in the pool and 4 hours in the gym. Yet, something didn’t feel right. That realisation led her to make a bold decision, she quit swimming in her senior year. Just days later, she laced up running shoes for the first time and visited a friend in Philadelphia, marking the official start of her running journey.
Running gave Mati a sense of control she had never experienced. “Not just physically, but mentally. I was responsible for my own schedule, trained how I wanted, and ran whatever I felt like running,” she said. But that freedom also brought challenges. She self-coached her first marathon, running 90+ km weeks while ignoring persistent shin pain, naively believing injuries wouldn’t affect her.
By Summer 2024, after working with a coach, Mati set her sights on a sub-3 marathon. Despite a structured plan, she remained trapped in a cycle of overtraining, injuries, and chasing quick fixes. Two weeks before her goal race, the Valencia Marathon, she couldn’t even get out of bed without pain. She still ran, finishing in 3:33, far from her target, leaving her devastated.
How Mati bounce back and keep chasing her goals
Determined to return stronger, Mati developed her own jog/walk protocol, stopped comparing herself to others, and focused on training the right way. Slowly, she returned to full training without pain and began sharing the protocol online, where over 500 runners downloaded it for free. Even then, setbacks continued. A foot injury one month before the Berlin Marathon dashed her sub-3 dream, but with cross-training, rehab, and sheer determination, she managed to start the race, finishing a marathon that challenged her mentally and physically more than any before.
After a 10-week break and intensive rehab, Mati returned to her protocol in January 2026. She’s now running 35 km per week without pain and is aiming for personal bests in the 5K and 10K this spring. “I failed the sub-3 marathon twice. I thought of giving up many times… but I know it’s possible. The grind continues,” she reflected. Her next target is a 2:55 marathon on December 6, 2026, in Valencia, Spain.
Mati emphasises that she shares her story not to brag but to inspire action. “I know what it’s like to feel stuck and unseen… and I know what it takes to build your way out of it,” she said. Her journey, from elite swimmer to struggling runner, through injury, setbacks, and breakthroughs, is a testament to persistence, smart training, and the power of failing forward.
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