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

  9. прогоны по трастовым сайтам форум прогон сайтов по трастовым сайтам http://ntu.karazin.ua/?p=15930 купить прогон сайта http://rcpp.minzdravrso.ru/about/forum/user/258531/ как запретить индексацию страницы в robots txt http://www.gtritalia-champ.it/modules.php?name=Your_Account&op=userinfo&username=grotesquemercha

    индексация страниц индексация новых страниц http://amigurumiid.blogspot.com/2016/11/amigurumi-dedenne-free-pattern.html ускоренное индексирование страниц сайта https://club.foto.ru/user/691063 форум прогон по трастовым сайтам http://qompishkesvatan.ir/user/ArthurSmund/

    прогон сайта каталогам онлайн http://blogs.ukoot.com/1xbet-bookmaker-review/ прогон по доскам сайта прогон сайта по тематическим каталогам http://l2help.lt/user/Jamescak/ прогон сайта

    сделаю прогон сайта форум прогон сайтов прогон сайта каталогам бесплатно http://muabanuc.com/showthread.php?tid=67472&pid=128867#pid128867 htaccess индексация сайта

    прогон сайта по соц сетям как заработать на прогоне сайтов http://r00tsandwings.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1187379 что дает прогон сайта по профилям http://cheneywa.us/MyBB/member.php?action=profile&uid=3749 индексирование сайта в google http://events.enterpriseiotinsights.com/pfc-stretches-lead-at-top-of-cpl-with-2/

    индексация турбо страниц лучшие программы прогонов сайтов бесплатный прогон сайта в каталогах http://renrags.com/author/josephaceta/ прогон по каталогам сайтов 1ps http://board.repako.kz/tools.php?event=profile&pname=hugepan21

    прогон по трастовым сайтам https://www.farmcare.in/1хbet-и-тут-меня-достал/ бесплатные прогоны по трастовым сайтам теги индексации сайта http://joinmydamncult.blogspot.com/2019/01/cave-refuge.html сайт прогон по каталогам

    для чего нужен прогон сайта ускорить индексацию страницы прогон по сайтам софт индексация html страниц https://www.renaultkadjarforum.eu/showthread.php?tid=250109

    базы для прогона сайтов http://pmsir.gr/bitrix/redirect.php?goto=http://xn--80abdzaxbkfak2ai0bzf4ce.xn--p1ai/communication/forum/messages/forum5/message6522/6435-kakie-ssylki-vybrat-_-vechnye-libo-kratkovremennye?result=new#message6522 индексирование страницы это http://www.mondialjewelry.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=break-b.com/betwinner-app-kenya-betwinner-apk-free-obtain_1662474544.html статейным прогон что это http://good-surf.ru/r.php?g=http://apkrpg.com/melbet-registration-bahrain-melbet-sign-up-bonus-200-melbet-login-bahrain-melbet-bahrain-mirror-link-for-registration_400551.asp прогон сайта по каталогам отзывы http://www.google.ga/url?q=http://nalirri.or.ug/profile/Bobbyzer

    http://hiking.chattanooga.net/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=rabotaonlinefree.ru/progon-po-trastovym-sajtam/

    http://testsite0411.ru

    http://testsite0411.ru

    Reply

  10. I precisely wanted to thank you so much yet again. I’m not certain what I might have achieved without the actual suggestions shared by you directly on that area of interest. Completely was a very traumatic circumstance in my position, but being able to see the skilled avenue you dealt with that took me to cry over joy. Extremely grateful for your support and sincerely hope you recognize what an amazing job you have been doing instructing most people via your site. Probably you have never met all of us.

    Reply

  11. A lot of thanks for your entire hard work on this web page. Gloria delights in carrying out internet research and it’s easy to see why. All of us notice all about the dynamic manner you render priceless strategies through the website and as well as boost participation from website visitors on that content while my child is discovering a lot of things. Take advantage of the remaining portion of the new year. You are performing a brilliant job.

    Reply

  13. прогон сайта в соц сетях http://dgma.ru/medkatalog/glyukometry.html ручной прогон по трастовым сайтам скачать базы от нас для прогона сайта http://catalog.drobak.com.ua/communication/forum/user/2280927/ узнать индексацию страницы

    закрыть страницу от индексации в robots txt http://www.observatoriopocuro.cl/index.php?option=com_kunena&view=topic&catid=8&id=25115&Itemid=1203#25116 статейный прогон заказать прогон сайта по статьям http://www.prolapseparty.com/forum/member.php?233066-Talaneoa прогон по базе трастовых сайтов http://www.zgbbs.org/space-uid-75399.html

    прогон сайта по ссылкам прогон сайта по трастовым каталогам https://angisnails.co.uk/2013/06/19/boys-soccer-opens-playoffs-with-2/ статейный прогон сайта отзывы https://travesiasrd.com/2022/09/06/cell-mannequin-and-mirror-1xbet/ польза от прогона сайта

    прогон по трастовым сайтам тематический прогон сайта что это прогон сайта по форумам программа прогон сайта что это

    прогон по трастовым сайтам бесплатно бесплатные программы для прогона сайтов индексация сайтов рф https://kolpino.ru/forum/user/31375/ как ускорить индексацию сайта яндексом https://talkofdallastx.com/author/stevenred/

    ускоренная индексация страниц в яндекс прогон сайтов по каталогам тильда закрыть страницу от индексации http://120.72.95.90:25090/pin-up-de-on-line-casino-on-line-e-sempre-um-hyperlink-atualizado-para-o-espelho-do-website-oficial/ как увеличить индексацию сайта

    сайт для бесплатного прогона http://www.sshora-associates.com/uncategorized/1xbet-login-and-registration-1xbet-register-on-line/ прогон сайта 2014 https://dev.to/regamega2607 как статьи влияют на продвижение сайта https://digitalsplace.com/1xbet-registration-process-1xbet-login-account-subscribe-and-verification-information/ как ускорить индексацию сайта яндексом

    программа для прогона сайта по каталогам как делать прогон сайта прогон сайта по соцсетям прогон сайта 2014 http://mercedesclub.ge/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=217&func=view&catid=12&id=116410#116410

    бесплатные программы для прогона сайта по каталогам http://www.russtyle.net/bitrix/redirect.php?goto=http://forum.honorboundgame.com/user-372841.html бесплатный прогон сайтов по каталогам http://zeralux.us/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=godox.pub/home.php?mod=space&uid=59141 прогон сайт по каталогам http://www.google.com.iq/url?q=http://babelson.com/userforums/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=5411 закрыть страницу от индексации в robots txt http://ecogaz-trading.ru/bitrix/redirect.php?goto=http://otvet.wiki/user/EdwardDer

    http://truyencuatoi.com/proxy.php?link=http://rabotaonlinefree.ru/podarochnyj-nabor-ot-dior-3-in-1/

    http://testsite0411.ru

    http://testsite0411.ru

    Reply

  32. I actually wanted to construct a brief message to thank you for these fabulous points you are placing on this site. My prolonged internet lookup has finally been rewarded with good quality points to go over with my family members. I ‘d claim that we visitors are quite blessed to live in a magnificent place with so many awesome people with beneficial tips and hints. I feel pretty privileged to have encountered your web site and look forward to some more fun times reading here. Thank you once more for everything.

    Reply

  33. I needed to send you a tiny observation so as to say thanks again just for the exceptional things you’ve documented above. This is really particularly open-handed of people like you to deliver openly all that some people would have supplied as an electronic book in making some money on their own, notably considering that you might have done it if you considered necessary. The good tips as well worked as a great way to understand that the rest have the same keenness just as my own to find out way more in terms of this issue. I know there are a lot more pleasant times up front for individuals that check out your site.

    Reply

  34. My husband and i felt now thrilled when Jordan managed to finish off his preliminary research by way of the ideas he was given while using the web site. It’s not at all simplistic to just always be giving freely guides which usually some people may have been trying to sell. And now we acknowledge we have got the website owner to thank for this. The type of illustrations you have made, the straightforward site navigation, the relationships you can aid to promote – it’s got most unbelievable, and it’s really leading our son in addition to the family reckon that that situation is thrilling, and that’s especially important. Thanks for the whole thing!

    Reply

  35. I am writing to make you know what a magnificent encounter my friend’s child gained reading through yuor web blog. She figured out many details, most notably what it’s like to possess a wonderful coaching heart to let other individuals without problems learn about various problematic issues. You undoubtedly exceeded our own expectations. Thanks for delivering those practical, healthy, educational and as well as cool guidance on this topic to Gloria.

    Reply

  39. Thanks for your own effort on this blog. Debby delights in participating in investigation and it is obvious why. My spouse and i know all regarding the lively ways you convey practical tips and tricks by means of this web site and in addition inspire participation from visitors on the theme so our own child is studying a great deal. Take pleasure in the remaining portion of the year. You’re the one performing a very good job.

    Reply

  40. I want to get across my gratitude for your kindness for men and women that absolutely need assistance with in this subject matter. Your special dedication to passing the message all through was especially insightful and have usually encouraged folks much like me to attain their targets. Your invaluable hints and tips denotes a great deal to me and extremely more to my fellow workers. Thanks a ton; from everyone of us.

    Reply

  41. I wish to express my respect for your kind-heartedness supporting women who need guidance on the subject. Your special commitment to getting the solution along was extremely effective and have frequently permitted workers just like me to realize their dreams. Your amazing valuable suggestions means so much a person like me and especially to my office colleagues. Many thanks; from everyone of us.

    Reply

  45. I would like to show my appreciation for your kindness in support of individuals who absolutely need help on your niche. Your real dedication to getting the message along appears to be quite insightful and has always made girls much like me to arrive at their desired goals. The insightful tips and hints entails a great deal to me and especially to my mates. Best wishes; from everyone of us.

    Reply

  46. My husband and i were now comfortable Edward managed to finish off his preliminary research by way of the ideas he gained through your blog. It is now and again perplexing just to happen to be offering helpful tips others may have been selling. And now we acknowledge we need the blog owner to thank for that. Those explanations you’ve made, the simple web site menu, the friendships you help to create – it’s all spectacular, and it’s aiding our son in addition to us understand that theme is entertaining, which is certainly especially pressing. Many thanks for everything!

    Reply

Join the Conversation

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