26.2 Mile Journey

The exhaustion finally hit me after 26.2 miles!

I finished my first (and probably my last) marathon this past Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona.  It seems almost surreal and impossible that I ran 26.2 miles in 4 hours, 43 minutes, and 5 seconds just seven days ago, but I did, and I know I can do anything because of accomplishing this huge feat in my life.

I remember a lot of the pain, the numbness in my feet for about nine miles of the race, the soreness of my ankles, knees, and hip joints afterwards, the feeling of being thirsty all the time, the people passing by me and me passing runners and walkers alike, the thought of being on top of the world, and the sheer exhaustion after finishing that marathon.  However, the thing I remember the most is not the mileage I added to my tennis shoes or the pain I endured, but the small snippet of a moment I will share with you below:

Coming up on Mile 3 and seeing my fan club!

I scanned the sidelines for a familiar face in this foreign city.  At first, it was just a mix of men, children, and women, cheering on their friends, wives, husbands, or children.  I almost gave up looking, but as I neared Mile 3, I could see my mom and my godparents, Uncle Bill and Aunt Rita, coming into view.  They were taking pictures and rooting for my continued success even if I had only completed just a 11 percent of the race.




As I approached them, my pace quickened, even though my muscles were screaming at me, to stop this agony I was putting my body through.  However, the sight of my family made my adrenaline surge and my spirit soar.

Miles 3 of the 26.2 mile journey

As soon as I had passed my family, my supporters, my fan club, tears suddenly welled up in my eyes. I began to cry, almost to the point of sobbing.   I gained my composure as quickly as I had lost it, and as I wiped away those tears from behind my sunglasses, I felt a  feeling of love overwhelm my entire body.  Words cannot even describe the emotions coursing through my veins or the thoughts running through my head.  All I know is that even if I did fail with this endeavour, I knew I would be loved and supported and accepted, no matter the outcome of that 26.2 mile race.