Monday, December 5, 2011

What Running a Marathon Looks Like...


What Running a Marathon Feels Like...


What I Was Thinking After Running a Marathon...


I didn't have a good run on Saturday.  It was new and awful to be one mile into a run, realize it's not going well, and have to face down the reality that you still have 25.2 miles to go.  The temptation to stop at the half marathon point was damn near overwhelming, but I'm so incredibly glad that whatever idiocy it was that drove me to think this was a good idea in the first place propelled me to keep going and get through the whole thing.

You put that much into something and it doesn't go well?  There's a lesson in there somewhere.  I was pretty sure by Mile 8 the lesson I was learning was that next time I'm going to run a better marathon.

But even though I sucked and it sucked...wow.  I did it (!).  I don't think I've really processed that yet...

7 comments:

  1. What a fantastic acheivement Becky, well done...even if it did suck, like you said ...you did it! x

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  2. yayyy - you did it! You gotta be amazingly proud :D

    Congrats on that achievement.

    Sasha

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  3. Damn! Look at that fit body wearing those compression socks and looking all cool! So glad you managed a smile in the last photo, b/c that's a great "author pictured here with finisher's medal" pic.

    Again, so proud of your accomplishment :)

    (from Megan, too lazy to sign in)

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  4. Thank you, guys!! :) I have to admit, seeing that "marathon" bib up on my wall of race bibs is pretty damn sweet... And the best part is that I appear to be completely cured of all physical pain already!

    Meg, I'm glad the "finisher" picture turned out because (ack!) it's going to be on the cover of January's Roadrunner. I can't remember if I told you that I'm writing a feature story about "Becky's First Marathon." I was just glad to see my mascara wasn't smeared (and that it doesn't look like I'd been crying since about Mile 17...which I had been. Ha!)

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  5. P.S. Compression socks get my wholehearted endorsement. THEY ARE AWESOME.

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  6. You MUST (and I mean MUST) snag a copy for me and send it to me (call it my birthday present)!!! I almost renewed my MRTC membership just to keep getting the magazine, but then realized that was a bit silly.

    I knew you were writing a story, but didn't realize it was a for sure thing. Yay! Congrats on that!

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  7. I will TOTALLY get you a copy!! I was somewhat concerned about coming up with a good angle for the article but I actually sat down the night after the marathon and wrote the whole thing in one stretch. I think you will be pleased... :)

    (And I would definitely have understood if you'd renewed your membership to keep getting the Roadrunner!! I actually get excited when they come in the mail. Because I'm a dork.)

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