14 Thoughts on Running a Marathon

1. A marathon is long. 26.2 miles. You might not drive that far in a day! Or a week!
   
2. Running a whole marathon when lots of other people are running only a half marathon is quite disheartening. When you get to mile 6.5 and over half of the people in the race with you get to turn around because they are half way done and you realize you're only a quarter of the way done, you might want to burst into tears.
3. You might feel like you're going to puke. You might even gag a little. In which case it is completely acceptable to talk to yourself (in your head or out loud). If that doesn't work, maybe you should bribe yourself; "Lauren, I'll give you $100 if you don't puke." Trust me, it all seems totally logical at the time.
4. You fiance might be a way better runner than you and might pass you when he's at mile 15 going downhill and you're at mile 10 going uphill and he looks great and you want to keel over and die.
   
5. In the first few miles pacing is completely necessary, around mile 15, not so much. At this point you might even look at your watch and forget .1 second later what your watch said.
6. Your brain might play tricks on you. "Hey Lauren, didn't you just run past that 18 mile marker sign?"
   
7. People who cheer for you are nice, and might not expect you to say things like "What was I thinking?!?"
8. If you family comes to cheer for you you are the luckiest person ever. If they don't tell you what miles they will be at it will inspire you not to cry at any point because they might be around the next corner.
9. Nice people might give you a tissue if you ask nicely, or maybe just because you have snot running down your face.
   
10. If your aunt used to run marathons and meets you at mile 19 to run with you you are also the luckiest person in the world. She'll most likely fill your water bottles and say nice things like; "You're awesome/ almost there/ doing great!"
    
11. There might be someone in front of you who you really want to beat. That person might have the most annoying beeping watch in the word that tells her when to walk and when to run. Due to her mixture of walking and running it may seem like she is taunting you. And you may be motivated enough to run a lot faster than you should to beat her to the finish in the last 1.2 miles. And you may run an 8 minute mile and kick the annoying ladies butt.
    
12. Once you cross the finish line there is almost a 100% chance you will cry. No one knows why, it just happens.
    
13. Getting a medal put around your neck, a water bottle handed to you, and a tin foil(ish) blanket wrapped around you at the finish line might make you feel like people are waiting on you and you're awesome, but you'll probably still be crying.
    
14. You will probably tell anyone who listens that you are never running a marathon ever again. But then a few days later you will probably be searching for long races to run in the spring.
    

The marathon was great. I still can't believe I did it. It doesn't seem real yet, hence the hypothetical post.

My official time was 4:12:42 and 494th place.

And as I said, I am already searching for more long races to run. I am hooked!

Lauren