My mother once told me “never look a marathon in the eye” and as I started training for one, I realized why: marathons are so unbelievably long that crapping your pants becomes your number one worry. Sadly, yet hilariously, that’s something that happened to my dad during a 10-k race (about 6 miles), but his misfortune taught me about the horrors of the marathon.
His problem was overworking himself. That is why the first step to running a marathon is to take it easy and have fun.
Step two is labeling a map of the all the bathrooms near the course.
So here is a marathon: 26.2 miles of varied elevation with hundreds of people throwing off sweatshirts and thermal pants, with streets lined with doe-eyed spectators holding up signs of encouragement.
And here’s the problem: you have to be prepared to run those 26.2 miles.
It’s a problem because entering a marathon without training will not be a fun way to spend five hours, which is why so many people never run one.
I know, I know: 26.2 miles. It is a terrible distance.
Sadly, would-be marathon runners often think about the distance more than the achievement. Televisions and media coverage usually show a few top runners collapsing before the finish line with sickly looks, and that’s all those runners win—exhaustion—oh, and a medal; the reward doesn’t match the work.
But you must always remember that anyone can run that distance: thin, large, tall, small, old, young, beginning runners as well as medaled champions, teens, grandparents—anyone. The human body is built to run. It’s embarrassing how many races I’ve lost to 50, 60, even 70 year olds. A marathon does not require a GPA. It does not care if you skip classes before 10 am, and it certainly doesn’t care about the car you drive or the way you dress (I’ve seen people run in bunny costumes so trust me on this).
So why should you run a marathon? Even though I said running one is fun, and it is, the real reason is to test your limitations. As we age, our bodies weaken when we don’t use them.
In Men’s Health magazine, Adam Campbell writes “For years, aerobic exercise has been touted for its many health benefits; it’s no leap to suggest that it can reduce your risk of nearly every known disease.”
Training for a marathon is an amazing way to engage in aerobic exercise and bolster your self confidence, lower your stress, and actively engage in life. You’ll never know the feeling of a deep breath at mile 18 if you never get to that mile, and believe me—you want that feeling.
You want that feeling because it makes you crazy to have thought you never wanted that feeling. Your perspective changes as if you finishing reading (and understanding) a book on literary theory or incorporating a new invention into your life or how you feel when you receive a letter in a mail from that crush you never went after because it would be weird to turn a fulfilling friendship into an awkward moment: we’re all morons if we never try something new.
Break away and breathe, the marathon awaits you.
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