Any Marathon Will Do

If you want to know the runner you really are, not the one you once were or imagine yourself becoming, run a marathon. Any marathon will do. - Joe Henderson, Marathon Training

In 78 marathons, I believe that I have found a new and different runner in each one. It is what makes the marathon so captivating, so mysterious.  I would also argue that you will get to know the person you really are as well.  Maybe this can relate to my previous blog post about the "point of know return."  Knowing the runner and knowing the person once adversity sets in.  There will always be adversity in a marathon.  You know it will come in the later miles and you pray it doesn't in the early miles.  Its not only adversity where we get to know ourselves.  What kind of runner are we when things are going perfectly?  What thoughts go through our mind?  How do we remain in that state as long as possible.  We also can't rely on the way we once were, especially as we age.  We must find the runner we are today and how to be the best runner we can be in the marathon at hand.  It goes with a quote from Bill Rodgers, "the marathon can humble you."  Basically, whatever you think of yourself, think again after you have run a marathon.  And, if it was easy the first time, congratulations, but it will be harder than it is is easy other times.  It will bring you down to Earth, yet keep you floating safely above because of the accomplishment.  The hardest marathons are also the most rewarding.  I also think purposely signing up for a hard marathon is more scary than running it.  Signing up weeks or month in advance lets that marathon weigh on your mind.  For me, Umstead and Bataan were like that this year.  But, any marathon will do because running 26.2 miles is unnatural, not supported by the human body and sometimes not the human mind.

Days 172-174: 22 miles, 2014: 899 miles