How It All Began 🏁
My name is Rok, and I’m from Ljubljana.
I’ve always lived life with a big appetite—sometimes even too big 🍽️. For a long time, everything seemed fun and easy, until my body started sending bills. The pounds piled on ⚖️, my energy dropped, and I had no motivation to change. I felt like life was overtaking me from every side while I was stuck in place.
Then something happened that changed my path forever ✨. Ten years ago, my best friend took me under her wing. Not in a “come on, pull yourself together” way, but really—she became my coach, my motivator, and my loudest cheerleader all in one ❤️🏃♂️. She believed in me before I could even believe in myself.
I remember my first run as if it happened yesterday. I can still see that evening when we stood at the start of the path 🌙, me in an old t-shirt, convinced I’d “somehow manage.” But I didn’t. After just a few hundred meters, I was gasping like I’d run a marathon 😮💨. I couldn’t even make it two kilometers, though I had been sure my first run would be a breeze.
But she didn’t give up on me. She smiled and said, “Great, today you got your first kilometer. Tomorrow, you’ll do more.” 💪 And that’s how my journey began.
From First Steps to First Wins 🥇
Slowly, patiently, with a lot of effort—and even more of her courage, because she had to put up with me (and that wasn’t always easy 😅)—I progressed week by week. The next year, I ran my first “Three Runs” event. For me, it was a victory 🎉. Not because I was the fastest, but because I had overcome myself.
The road wasn’t easy. There were countless tough, long, grueling training sessions—some days I wanted to turn back after five minutes ⛈️. My legs ached, there were days I didn’t even want to get out of bed. But there was also progress—the small gains, running a few meters further each week, doing one more repetition, holding on a few minutes longer 🧱➡️🏃♂️.
In sports, motivation is often about the goal—to go further, faster, stronger 🔥. But for me, the greatest motivation was always her. Her support. Her belief that I could do it 🌟. Because of her, I ran. Because of her, I persisted. And because of her, I discovered something important: that I had so much more inside me than I thought.
Through sport, she gave me structure, discipline, and confidence. And those things open doors in other areas of life too 🚪✨. Once you prove to yourself that you can push past your limits, that energy carries over—into work, relationships, and everyday challenges.
A Message to Anyone Thinking of Starting 💬
My story is especially for those who are just deciding to begin. Those who watch runners and think, “That’s not for me.” 👀
Those who think they need to be fit first before they can even start training.
No—you don’t need to be fit. Just put on your sneakers 👟, tie your laces, and run. It doesn’t matter how fast. It doesn’t matter how far. What matters is taking that first step.
Every workout—even a bad one—is better than one you never do.
Not every day will be the same. Sometimes it’ll feel effortless; other times you’ll be cursing after the first kilometer 🤬🏃♂️. Even my workouts weren’t perfect every day. But the only thing that matters is showing up. Giving what you can that day. Results will come. Slowly, but surely 🌱➡️🌳.
And when they do, the feeling is priceless. That moment when you cross the finish line, see your progress, or run something you never thought possible 🎯💥.
And when it gets hardest, remember why you started.
My life motto is simple: How can I become even better? 🚀
Limits don’t exist—they’re only in our minds 🧠.
If I, who couldn’t even run two kilometers, can now run in events I once only watched on TV… then so can you.
Happy running,
until next time 👋😊