Story highlights Julia Smookler overcame doubt and fear to run a road race

Her fitness goals have turned into a healthy lifestyle change

Six CNN viewers have been selected to be part of the 2015 Fit Nation triathlon team. They'll race alongside Dr. Sanjay Gupta in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in September. As they train, the six will share their stories about their Fit Nation experience.

(CNN) This Fourth of July was different from any other I had experienced. Instead of the normal barbecues with the family, I wanted to work out and train. I had finally decided that this was the year I was going to run the Peachtree Road Race.

From the beginning and throughout the entire Fit Nation journey, running has been my least favorite form of exercise and training that I had to undertake for the triathlon. I had long thought of this annual run as something larger than life, and maybe it was just too much for me to do for my first competitive running experience.

These days, as cheesy as it may sound, no matter how fearful I am or how little confidence I have, I want to challenge myself. I was excited to be a part of this Atlanta tradition that our community cherishes and values.

On race day it was pouring rain. I woke up at 5 a.m. to make sure to eat properly and get to MARTA, Atlanta's public transit system, on time. I looked outside as the rain continued and had serious second thoughts. I thought, "Why in the world, on my day of rest, especially on a holiday, am I going to struggle to get all the way to Buckhead and run in the pouring rain?" And I'm not even that good a runner, at that.

Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks and I thought, "That's the old Julia! I'm am doing this if it kills me." Clearly that wasn't going to happen, but that's how empowered I felt at that moment.

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