Just One More Mile

Still reeling from this marathon high...

When I think back to the pain I felt and my growing desire to quit as I ran 10 miles uphill, I am impressed that I was able to push my body through boundaries it had never passed before. I kept telling myself "Just one more mile, then you can quit." Once I reached that mile, I let it pass knowing that I could endure the pain for a bit longer. My hips burned, my ankle screamed, and my fingers were numb. Still, I grunted through it. Cursed even. I found myself speaking to the pavement about how badly everything hurt since there was not a single runner around me I could talk to.

Then I saw the the sign for mile 25 and realized that I was at the end of this grueling race. After 4 hours and 20 minutes of running, I had only 10 minutes to go until I crossed the finish line. In 10 minutes, I would be able to sit down, I would see my husband, and I could shovel whatever food they had in my mouth. Are those few things worth the pain of running a marathon? Absolutely!

You never realize how amazing the visual of your spouse or your family is after putting your body through hell. The sight of them can bring tears of joy to your eyes because you know that you are okay and they are there for you! You never realized how good food tastes until your body is starved from hours of exercise. You never realized how good it feels to relax on a couch after being on your feet for 26.2 miles.

I have become more thankful of my body and how strong it truly is. I feel like a machine sometimes! I have become more thankful of my mind and how powerful it really is. Five years ago, I didn't know if I had the strength to continue living each day, but after pushing myself through 26 miles once again with the simple thought, "just one more mile," I was able to get through something that was so challenging for me.