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 99,474

  33. что такое прогон сайта гилмон в челябинске купоны скидки официальный сайт http://zsk.or.jp/cgi-bin/bbs/yybbs.cgi прогон сайта по трастовым сайтам что это такое http://www.3000et.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=36217 ваш купон на скидку http://games-ba.ru/user/Walterbrump/

    прогон по автомобильным сайтам https://gogreen.euc.ac.cy/1xbet-betting-company-online-provides-profitable-betting-conditions/ прогон сайта по каталогам бесплатно http://apokalypsed.org/users.php?m=details&id=17836 ручной прогон сайта это http://doctective.actbbs.com/space-uid-113516.html комплексный прогон сайта

    прогон по базе трастовых сайтов http://www.svfreewind.com/uncategorized/betwinner-2021-1-01-apk-mod-free-buy-for-android/ 1 xslots casino система скидок купон https://nomadnetworks.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=103 программ для прогона сайта по белым каталогам https://www.praxis-tegernsee.de/1xbet-com-is-certainly-one-of-the-greatest-online-sports-betting-companies-in-the-world/

    кидзания купон на скидку http://veselie-kartinki.ru/user/JeremyDox/ прогон вашего сайта по каталогам http://eleniele.ru/user/JeremyPut/ прогона по трастовым сайтам http://bsbi.co.uk/Trusted-only-people/posting.php?mode=post&f=3 скачать фильмы новинки на телефон https://nashdom.club/phpbb/posting.php?mode=post&f=1133

    скидка котофото промокод http://toyoyama.chu.jp/userinfo.php?uid=32304# аксон промокод на скидку леруа промокод на скидку http://noucdp.ru/profile.php?lookup=20195 скачать фильмы на телефон mp4 https://talkofdallastx.com/author/jamesunumn/

    прогон блога по трастовым сайтам ручной прогон по базе трастовых сайтов прогон по каталогам сайтов рекомендации https://lx.ahjxc.xyz/home.php?mod=space&uid=1318111 купон на скидку на макияж https://teenbase.xyz/user-337.html

    прогон сайта твиттером https://www.pokerland-il.com/members/766466-EdwardCex?s=71a8858266852a019968d3dbcfbee12d трастовый сайт ручной прогон тиц увеличение аквапарк купоны на скидку спб http://rtpsouth.com/UserProfile/tabid/69/userId/80471/Default.aspx мвидео промокоды купоны скидки http://amirdapir.blogspot.com/2016/04/650-daftar-judul-skripsi-agroteknologi.html

    скачать фильмы на телефон mp4 https://7apk.ru/user/JeremyNualk/ создание продвижение статьи http://gzszjxh.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=328272 мореон аквапарк купоны на скидку http://forum.cncprovn.com/members/129743-Jeremyton бесплатный прогон сайта онлайн http://boss.why3s.cc/boss/forum.php?mod=post&action=reply&fid=68&tid=1094

    форум прогон по трастовым сайтам http://www.airlinereservationsonline.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=campus.congresovaluacion.com/community/profile/chesterwek/ программы для прогона по трастовым сайтам http://ergomebel.ru/bitrix/click.php?goto=http://casamarianaeditrice.info/2022/09/06/1xbet-betting-company-on/ бездепозитные бонусы деньгами игровые автоматы http://hearstentertainment.us/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=board.mt2ar.com/member.php?u=271332 остров мечты промокод на скидку http://www.zitocleaning.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=viviwill.com/userinfo.php?uid=3720#

    https://forum.ha-gh.cz/member.phpaction=profile&uid=6054 http://60557.ww.w.molifan.net/space-uid-1628765.html https://forum.ha-gh.cz/member.phpaction=profile&uid=6054 https://www.indiegogo.com/individuals/31116569 https://board.radionomy.com/memberlist.phpmode=viewprofile&u=408423 radionomy – board • viewing profile – michaelzic

    Reply

  40. онлайн прогон сайта по каталогам бесплатно купоны скидки телеграмм https://repack-fitgirl.net/user/elesyyandextay5903/ как работает индексация сайта http://en.gipciran.ir/user/Jeremydip/ прогон по базе сайтов

    прогоны по трастовым сайтам форум http://www.itsakh.ru/forum/index.php?PAGE_NAME=profile_view&UID=15200 купон на алиэкспресс на скидку октября http://www.dgxf-forum.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=681853 заказать прогон по трастовым сайтам http://foto.rzia.ru/profile.php?uid=41275 биглион купоны на скидку в москве рестораны http://www.pirobot.co.uk/doku.php?id=упаковочная машина для мыла РІ РњРѕСЃРєРІРµ

    каталоги сайтов для прогона скачать прогон сайт по каталогам тануки купоны на скидку http://dclab.skku.ac.kr/xe/index.php?act=dispBoardWrite прогон сайта по качественным статейным сайтам

    промокод скидка на заказ яндекс маркете http://xn--80adazahw2c9an.xn--p1ai/user/Josephlix/ промокод купон скидка http://ndp.techgilli.com/community/profile/randallamusy/ пицца суши вок промокод на скидку 2022 http://atikerservice.com.ua/user/JosephEtete/ промокод стокманн на скидку http://arabfm.net/vb/showthread.php?p=3311264#post3311264

    прогон сайта бесплатно каталоги много мебели промокод на скидку http://munservis.mirniy.ru/user/Jamesteasp/ скачать фильмы на телефон русский без https://brookebells.com/2022/03/que-tipo-de-apostas-desportivas-a-lsbet-oferece.html промокод на скидку детский мир 2022

    продвижение сайта с помощью статей прогон сайта по каталогам за отзыв http://dev.zpele.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=166654 индексация сайта robots txt http://turki.sarat.ru/board/tools.php?event=profile&pname=oddcomplement75 джоки джоя купоны на скидку спб https://mobilka.mobi/user/bobbypitty8295/

    бесплатный прогон сайта в каталогах https://www.haydennace.com/finest-on-line-sports-activities-bookmakers/ программы для прогона сайта по трастовым сайтам http://golubinka.blogspot.com/2019/12/blog-post.html программа индексации сайта http://from-jp.ru/modules.php?name=Your_Account&op=userinfo&username=robustcoffin12 прогон сайта купить http://82.157.30.8/home.php?mod=space&uid=85584

    программа для прогона по сайтам https://scat-vipfile.com/engine/ajax/addcomments.php научная статья стратегии продвижения музыкального лейбла https://codentheme.com/item/sotto-blog-and-portfolio-html-template/comments/ качественный статейный прогон http://homeinspectorpro.club/kunena/general-discussion-2/29435-2 индексирование сайта в google http://oq-ayiq.net/user/JeremyReiva/

    что такое прогон по трастовым сайта http://www.tahoorafinedining.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=hawkee.com/profile/1331473/ купоны на скидку яндекс маркет промокод http://hbaknoxville.info/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=m-chas.info/1xbet-login-and-registration-1xbet-register-on-line_1662459326.html ускоренная индексация страниц сайта http://dental-directions.net/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=thetankhotel.com/1xbet-casino-1xbet-evaluate-on-line-casino-bonuses-2022 прогон по трастовым сайтам и форумах http://vsevpohod.ru/out.php?link=http://globalomsk.ru/news/archives/2021/01/07/topovye-knigi-po-investiciyam/

    https://menoz.com/mainsite/vision/member.phpaction=profile&uid=3299 http://96556.ww.w.molifan.net/space-uid-1624306.html https://www.giantbomb.com/profile/admiralyacht/

    Reply

Join the Conversation

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