My Marathon Experience

I’ve never been much of a runner, but I’ve also never been one to give up on a goal I have set for myself. 

It was 2011, and I had just graduated High School. I had also just decided I would run a marathon.  I ‘ve been involved in athletics my whole life; playing baseball, football, and basketball for the majority.  Despite this, I highly doubt I had ever gone more than 4 miles in one run before.  26.2 miles seemed daunting, improbable, and challenging.  I love a challenge. 

I signed up for the September 11th 2011 Bozeman Marathon which was set up to honor those who had fallen 10 years prior. My training began 3 months in advance, and I slowly but steadily improved.   As my training progressed, my goals also progressed.  I now not only wanted to finish the marathon, I wanted to finish it in less than 3 hours.  My time per mile would have to be under 6 minutes and 52 seconds to accomplish this. 

With a month left to train, I realized I hadn’t actually been “training,” but rather just running sporadically.  I decided to do some quick research and came across multiple articles and templates that advocated for at least one long run before beginning a tapering process. The furthest I had run up until this point was 12 miles. A week later I set out early in the morning to try and go over 18 miles.

I ended up running just over 21 miles with an average mile time of 7 minutes and 2 seconds. I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of this pace, and became quite confident that with some adrenaline and race-day motivation I could shave off the time needed to achieve a sub-3-hour marathon time. I was extremely excited and optimistic. I was also wrong.

The day after my 21 mile run I became severely ill.  The long run had completely overwhelmed my immune system.  The sickness was relentless and involved multiple days of puking, a high fever, and the inability to train. My planned taper turned into complete abstinence.  I managed to run twice during that three week period, once for 3 miles and once for 4.  Each of those runs left me completely exhausted.

These last two weeks before the run were also my first two weeks of College at the University of Montana. I spent the majority of those days lying in my dorm bed.

My parents and supporters told me there was always another marathon, always another opportunity. It would have been easy to agree, it would have been easy to take their advice, and it would have been easy to try another time.  I didn’t like easy.  I decided I would run the marathon anyway.

With the majority of my training completely lost, I shifted my goal once again to just finishing the marathon. I also added a stipulation of avoiding any walking at all cost. If I was going to “run” the marathon, then I was actually going to run it.

During my 21 mile run three weeks prior to the marathon, I didn’t “hit the wall.” I felt energized and in control the entire run.

During my marathon I hit the wall at mile 5. At mile 7 I had to walk through a water station for the first time, failing my goal. At mile 12 my parents told me that I could quit at any time and try again on another date. They told me they were proud and that I had done enough. They were 100% right and had my best interest in mind. But that also pissed me off. A deep fire was lit to prove them wrong. They had pushed the right button.

I almost quit multiple times, and the voice in my head became incredibly persuasive and equally logical.  But I didn’t quit, I couldn’t quit.

Excruciating cramps began in my legs around mile 18.  I hobbled, hopped, and “ran” with what must have been the most awkward looking form.  Each step was increasingly painful, but each step also brought me closer to my goal.

At mile 23 I passed my parents again. I attempted to run normally for the 70-80 yards I was in their view. That attempt was probably pretty poor, but they never mentioned it.

I finished the marathon much more slowly than I had set out to do.  I finished the marathon in a grueling 3 hours and 43 minutes. I FINISHED the marathon!  Complete bliss.

I learned a lot about myself that day. I learned about pain.  I learned about obstacles. I learned about perseverance.  But most of all I learned that I can achieve any damn thing I set my mind to.

Comments 99,517

  19. прогон сайта по каталогам 2020 https://ipllive2018.com/melbet-brasil-bonus-650-r_680733.html офферклаб купон на скидку https://egoll.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=260704 прогон сайта по форумам http://dl4all.us/user/RichardPoock/ сервис прогона сайта у

    индексация товара на сайте ржд купон на скидку 2022 ручной прогон по сайтам http://www.sportbalans.ru/forum/user/467244/ сервис прогона по трастовым сайтам

    купон на скидку в магазине http://deep.kapsi.fi/kiloif/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=продвижение сайта в топ Москва индексация страница зарубежный бездепозитный бонус https://xn--72c8cbsnij0edm1he5h.com/xxx/index.php?action=profile;u=388903 как ускорить индексацию сайта https://transport-info.biz.ua/wr_board/tools.php?event=profile&pname=MichaelTus

    размер купона на скидку http://ociolapista.es/index.php/forum/suggestion-box/2191603-2-2022#2192835 бесплатный прогон сайта в твиттере https://makeitpersonal.co/spencerpagma прогон сайта по каталогам онлайн бесплатно http://procrastinator.ru/forum/members/philipcisee.2557/ как сделать ускоренное индексирование страниц сайта http://www.feeder.mobi/members/spencersaf/feeds/

    бесплатный прогон сайтам куда писать статьи для продвижения сайта отключить индексацию сайта wordpress https://www.stroimvmeste.com.ua/user/Arthurcooro/ проверка индексации сайта в поисковиках http://yz1234.vip/home.php?mod=space&uid=115527

    ускоренное индексирование сайта в яндексе ускорить индексацию страницы http://wiki.daybit.ru/index.php?title=климатическая техника РІ киеве база трастовых сайтов для прогона https://tes-skyrim.com/user/baamaspetrov3674/ еаптека купоны на скидку https://fluxbb.alfonsotesauro.net/profile.php?id=1565357

    игровые автоматы без регистрации бездепозитный бонус индексация сайта в поисковых системах бесплатно http://copybook.xyz/forum/viewtopic.php?topic_id=4008&post_id=4011&order=DESC&viewmode=flat&pid=0&forum=4#forumpost4011 эльдорадо купон на скидку 3000 рублей http://mkutepliydom.ru/forums/user/patheticpulp13/ статейный прогон заказать

    шаблон купона на скидку https://tes-skyrim.com/user/JamesFoulk/ промокод на скидку яндекс практикум https://cadet-msk.ru/forum/pm/folder1/message0/user20/new/ сервис для прогона сайта http://alansab.net/forum/member.php?u=815351 сервис для прогона сайта https://reallymeanferrets.com/contact.php

    прогон сайтов по белым каталогам http://afonya.su/bitrix/redirect.php?goto=http://choosesmoothies.com/forum/members/21446-WalterJerie?s=64d08b5f5f4b09b22e1ac6fbc2fc69a4 купон алиэкспресс на скидку от 1000 http://rebeccacooper.email/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=shadowaccord.nwlarpers.org/index.php?title=Какие ссылки избрать – вечные или временные аптека скидка на первый заказ промокод http://sportmaximum.ru/bitrix/redirect.php?goto=http://nepsite.ru/personal/32281 автоматический прогон по трастовым сайтам бесплатно http://actiontshirts.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=kiopro.ru/support/forum/view_profile.php?UID=40608

    http://cherbel.ru/index.php?subaction=userinfo&user=unyhoci https://www.airlines-inform.ru/personal/user/?UID=63911 Профиль пользователя

    http://ww17.importadoramonge.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=rabotaonlinefree.ru/glushilka-kamer-dps-anticam/

    Reply

  24. How do you know if a girl wants to be touched
    Erectile dysfunction is one of the men’s progenitive healthfulness disorders. It is cognized as an inability of men to attain erection during lustful carnal knowledge even if they are sexually excited. Other symptoms of ED are, either it remains for a short while or does not befall at all. It is a repeated process. Erectile dysfunction is also called a model of impotence. Frailty is a encyclopedic side and covers multitudinous other men’s haleness sensuous disorders like- too early ejaculation, lack of lustful pine, etc. Erectile dysfunction does not contain these problems. All these problems mutual to Erectile dysfunction can be cured with the helpers of buy cialis united states and other order sildenafil no prescription medicines.

    Causes
    Erectile dysfunction does not take any well-defined cause. There are multifarious reasons behind its occurrence. It can be- natural reasons, your form problems, medicines you are irresistible, emotional reasons, и так далее Let’s deliver a look on ED causes in particular. Erectile dysfunction causes are- consequential blood pressure, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, grit diseases (Parkinson’s illness and multiple sclerosis), surgery, weak hormone levels, lifestyle factors (smoking and drinking) and others (upset, concern, a case of the jitters, misgivings, cavity). Aging factors also prompt to ED, but aging in itself is not a cause. Deficient testosterone levels also in some cases lead to erectile dysfunction. Side effects caused past medications also establish men impotent for erection.

    But there is nothing to agonize close to as treatments are on tap with a view ED. One such ready treatment proper for ED is generic viagra sold in united states.

    Reply

Join the Conversation

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *