Carole Radziwill Shares How Running the New York City Marathon Totally Changed Her Outlook on Life

When Carole Radziwill ran the New York City Marathon last November, she didn't just complete a major goal; the experience also taught her something very valuable about herself. 

Carole described the profound impact the experience of finishing the race had on her in an essay in the March 2018 issue of Cosmopolitan. She explained how accomplishing something has always given her "that rewarding hit of self-esteem." "And I’ve believed that the reserve I have amassed from all those hits has served me well in my current occupation as a cast member on The Real Housewives of New York [City], where an unforthcoming party invitation can send one into a spiral of self-doubt," Carole wrote.

However, finishing the marathon in 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 6 seconds totally changed Carole's ideas about self-esteem. "Yes, I’m proud of my accomplishment, but I came to realize that pinning my self-worth on completing a run that a year ago I would have thought pointless was absurd. Self-esteem isn’t an emotion; it’s not a hormone we are born with or a chemical, like serotonin or dopamine, that can be regulated with a pill. It’s a cognitive process that strains to access our self-worth," she explained. "How much wiser would it be to strive for self-acceptance instead? Self-acceptance doesn’t feed off lofty achievements or accolades to pump us up — it is simply the state of feeling content with who you are... or who you are slowly, thoughtfully evolving into." 

Carole shared that she has since focused on setting and achieving "micro goals" in order to work on her self-confidence and self-satisfaction. "The small but meaningful triumphs we have each day — getting to the gym, remembering a friend’s birthday, solving a problem for a coworker, not texting your ex — when no one is cheering us on are perhaps more important to loving ourselves than those bigger and rarer wins. Even if you’re the only one clapping when you cross the finish line," Carole wrote.

We've always loved the way Carole seems to do everything with coolness and confidence. Perhaps it's no surprise then that Carole was technically the most-tracked celebrity at last year's New York City Marathon, according to the New York Road Runners, which organizes the race. "It was an honor to pay respect to the city I love," Carole told The Daily Dish in a statement following the marathon. "I hope I inspired others to do the one thing they thought they couldn't." 

We'll catch up with Carole and the rest of the RHONY squad when Season 10 premieres Wednesday, April 4 at 9/8c. Check out the full trailer, above.  

Then, head back down here to watch Bethenny Frankel cheer Carole on pre-marathon.

Bethenny Frankel Supports Carole Radziwill Running the NYC Marathon