Chicago Marathon

This past weekend, after 5 months of training, I ran the Chicago Marathon. All of my miles, all of my hard work, all of my anxiety, all of my excitement was packed into ONE day, FOUR hours. How I chose to begin those 4 hours would make or break the goal I set for myself, and determined if those 5 months of training would pay off.

It did.

My goal for the marathon was under 4 hours, and I completed it in 3 hours and 51 minutes (missing the Boston Marathon qualifying time by a mere 6 minutes for my age group). Before the marathon, I was a nervous wreck. When someone would cough by me, I would cover my mouth a run away, wish I was kidding. When I got hit by a bike (see other blog post), I was so afraid my concussion and my side bruise (forgot the fancy name the ER doctor called it) would interfere with my training. On top of that, I was diagnosed with severe anemia because I'm a vegetarian, among other bizarre eating habits, being a runner and a very OCD healthy eater, control freak... I've come to terms with this.

On race day, I took advantage that I was healthy, I was with my family, friends, I was running for the American Cancer Society and had been fundraising for just as long as I had been training, and that I was blessed to be in the position that I was because not many people have the opportunity to experience what I had. The race started, my nerves creeped, and before I knew it (as cliche as that sounds, I think my mind blacked the pain out) I was at mile 13, 17, 22, 24 and rounding the corner to complete the .2 mileage that to anyone, would seem easy after running 26 miles, but what was actually the most difficult part of the race. My brother ran the first 13 miles with me (on a whim because he's such a fantastic runner that 13 miles is nothing to him) and the last 2. Without his encouragement, I doubt I would've finished the race.

Although I am so proud of myself, and so proud to tell people I ran the marathon in under 4 hours, and how it has been a goal of mine to run a marathon before I'm 20 (I turn 20 in April), I am more appreciative of everyone else running the marathon. There were people out there running it for themselves, yes, setting new course records and new PR's, but there were people out there half running half walking, who maybe weren't in the best running shape, but they were giving it all they could. There were men and women in wheelchairs, being passed up by all the runners, but were working their arms as fast as they could go. There were blind people being guided through by guides that were encouraging them, and people who had illnesses who were running it sponsoring a charity. It's breathtaking, and makes me so happy to see those people who had to overcome something, and work hard for something to be there.

During the run, I felt like the people I was running with were MY people, MY group. My success was their success, because we all were a part of the same thing, supporters included. A marathon is a joint effort, there is no one person better than the other because we all were out there running the same course, seeing the same signs and experiencing the same atmosphere. As strange as it sounds, I gained a newfound respect for people as a whole. I was so appreciative of everyone that came out and ran it, who was training just as long, or even longer than I had, that put all their effort and all they had into this one Sunday morning.

The Chicago Marathon is an experience that I'll hold dear forever. Not only did I accomplish my goal, and prove to myself I had it in me do to something not many people even WANT to think about (really, who in their sane mind wants to run for 4 hours straight?), but I gained a newfound respect and perspective of people just like me who are in it for the greater good, and it in to prove to themselves and others that they have what it takes. It was an incredibly emotional experience for me, I had to hold back the urge to hug everyone that finished by me because not only, was I so happy it was over, I was so excited for everyone who felt that same empowerment I did!

So congrats to everyone who OWNED the Chicago Marathon this year. Even though nobody but my professor reads this blog and now I sound like a weirdo talking to myself.