Life Goal Achieved

I am very happy. This past weekend I finally achieved a goal that I set for myself two years ago by running a complete marathon. I have completed two previous marathons but this time I ran the entire distance with no walking. While that in itself is something to be proud of what made this even more special is that I really had not trained for it and that made it as much, if not more, a mental challenge than a physical one. Between work, weather, not feeling well and not being motivated I really could not get myself to do the necessary work to prepare. Even though I had signed up for the complete marathon I planned to run only the half. But as the race went on the weather was perfect and I was in a good mood. Plus a friend's voice from a few miles earlier kept going through my head saying that this was my race. (Thanks Jilian, I know you had no idea what seed you were planting in my head)

Not so amazingly I have figured out that I perform better when not fully rested. In that situation I do not care as much about how I am going to do and that frees me to just run with little thoght about the outcome. Of course going out drinking in Dallas every night the week before did not really help either. That might be a different post.

At the halfway point I decided that I really wanted to go the full distance. I figured that I would just run a few more miles and then alternate between running and walking. Around mile eighteen I began to believe that I could finish with out walking. At mile twenty I decided that it really was my day and that ended the argument with myself. From there I counted down the miles constantly telling myself over and over again that I only had a few miles to go and to ignore the miles already travelled. For the last mile I had to keep telling myself to put one foot in front of the other and not stop running. Finally I crossed the finish line and I am completely surprised that I did not collapse right there. I was completely physically and emotionally drained but oh so very happy. I finished the run in four hours and thirty-four minutes.

I do not think that I have ever pushed myself that hard mentally. I am not sure that I liked it but the experience definitely made me proud. It is three days later and I am still a little tired both mentally and physically. In eleven days I try my first short triathlon in Clemson. Wish me luck.

Beyond the marathon itself the trip was wonderful and something that I needed. The company was superb and the food excellent. And the Guiness was, well, Guiness. What else do I need to say about that? I am so proud of how my friends did. I think a lot of them met personal goals and challenges.

My next big thing, the New River Challenge. I hope that it does not take me two years to do this one.

I think this year is going to be a very good year. :)