8.12.2015

A NOVICE RUNNER'S THOUGHTS


I think when I started training for my marathon, I thought sure, a marathon. It'll be hard but it'll be awesome! 26.2 miles? Sheesh, I've run 13 before! Just 13 more, what's the big deal? 

I'm sure it's not news to anyone else, but running that far is, in fact, a very, very big deal.

Michael and I did 14 miles last Monday.  It was pouring rain, and almost the whole time I couldn't wipe a smile off my face.  (Not that you can tell from this picture.  I was trying to look fierce but it failed...) It's quite an accomplishment to say that my legs carried me that far.  My legs, my lungs, my heart, my arms...  they all carried me that far.  When we were done I felt like I could take on the world!  Anything I put my mind to! 


Yesterday I did 16.  SIXTEEN.  One-six.  S I X T E E N  M I L E S ! 

We finished the run (the last 5 of those 16 miles being absolute torture) and I was full of so much emotion that I just broke down and cried.  I was so utterly exhausted I couldn't even close my mouth to somewhat contain the sobs.  They just spilled out -- ugly, loud, panting, relief-filled, emotional, wrenching sobs.  I have never run that far in my entire life!  I wish I could capture the feeling in words.  Nothing quite describes that feeling of joy, pain, relief, and accomplishment.

Running is addicting because runner's high is real.  When I think about running that far again, I am half filled with dread, half filled with ecstatic, anxious excitement.  Our bodies and minds really are amazing.  Even though it's incredibly hard, WE CAN DO HARD THINGS.  We were meant to do hard things.  We were not meant to be couch potatoes.  We were meant to move, and fly, and run, and sing, and DO.

Here's to the next month and a half of marathon training!

1 comment:

Andy and Summer Perez said...

Shaylee! You are amazing! And yes, I still read your blog and I love it! I cannot believe you are going to run a marathon. You go girl! You'll do great. And I totally know what you mean about a runner's high.