South Dakota Half Marathon: The Courage to Return

by Ash Verdeck | The Epiphany Effect | July 3, 2026

Race: Sioux Falls Half Marathon
Date: August 22, 2022
Time: 3:06:17
Pace: 14:13/mile
State #1 of 50

Note: I’m writing the first several races of this journey years later and largely from memory. At the time, I wasn’t documenting lessons learned or reflecting on each race the way I do today. Some of the details have faded, but the moments that mattered most remain surprisingly clear.

The Race

On August 22, 2022, Joe and I crossed the finish line of the Sioux Falls Half Marathon in South Dakota.

The official time was 3:06:17.

It wasn’t our fastest race. It wasn’t a personal best. At the time, we had no idea it would become State #1 in our journey to run a half marathon in all 50 states.

But looking back, it may have been one of the most meaningful races we’ve completed. Not because of the finish. Because of what happened three years earlier.

The Story

In 2019, we signed up for the same race.

Earlier that year, I had experienced one of the most difficult health challenges of my life. For four and a half months, I dealt with migraines every single day. As the migraines finally began to ease, I needed something to look forward to. The Sioux Falls Half Marathon became that goal.

We had family in Sioux Falls who could watch our boys while we ran, so everything seemed to be falling into place.

Race morning arrived with rain.

About three miles into the race, the headache I had started getting worse. While the daily migraines had improved, I was still dealing with frequent headaches. Joe stayed by my side as we continued moving forward, but it became increasingly clear that finishing wasn’t going to happen.

By that point, we were the last runners on the course. A golf cart followed behind us.

Eventually, we made the difficult decision to step off the course and call family for a ride.

The race ended after three miles.

For years afterward, that unfinished race lingered in the back of my mind.

So in 2022, three years and another child later, we decided to go back.

This time, our three boys stayed with family while Joe and I returned to the same starting line. Life looked different. We looked different. But the course was waiting.

And this time, we finished.

Discovering Sioux Falls One Mile at a Time

One of my favorite things about running races in different states is getting to experience a city from a completely different perspective.

The route through Falls Park was beautiful. Even though we had visited Sioux Falls several times to see family, the race took us through parts of the city we had never explored before.

Along the way, we spotted shops, neighborhoods, and local spots that immediately got added to our mental list for future visits.

Running has a way of helping you notice things you might otherwise drive right past.

It’s one of the unexpected gifts of this 50-state journey. Yes, we’re collecting states, but we’re also collecting experiences, memories, and a deeper appreciation for places we may have otherwise overlooked.

The Epiphany: The Courage to Return

We often celebrate people who start something new.

We admire the entrepreneur launching a business, the runner signing up for a race, or the leader introducing a new initiative.

But there’s a different kind of courage required to return to something that didn’t go as planned.

Returning means facing disappointment. Revisiting a place where you once struggled. Risking another setback.

Yet some of the most meaningful growth in life comes not from starting something new, but from finishing something unfinished.

Maybe it’s a goal you abandoned. A conversation you avoided. A dream you set aside. Or a challenge that once defeated you.

The victory in South Dakota wasn’t the finish line. The victory was showing up again.

Three years earlier, the race ended after three miles. In 2022, it ended with a medal around my neck.

The course hadn’t changed. But I had. And sometimes that’s all that matters.

Reflection Questions

• What unfinished goal have you been thinking about returning to?
• Is there something from your past that still deserves another attempt?
• What would become possible if you gave yourself permission to start again?

Race Recap

State: South Dakota
Race: Sioux Falls Half Marathon
Date: August 22, 2022
Finish Time: 3:06:17
Average Pace: 14:13/mile

Lesson Learned: Sometimes progress isn’t starting something new—it’s returning to something unfinished.