After 23 Marathons

My first marathon was the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2015. It seems like only a few weeks ago I was on the eve of that race, filled with excitement and anxiety about the unknown. Somehow though, it has been three years. I’ve now run 23 marathons. Twenty-three! And while every marathon has been different, there are some things that I’ve observed as part of my race day experience.

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I still have trouble sleeping the night before a race.

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My heart still beats out of control as I am in the corral, waiting for the gun to go off.

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Doubts about whether I can make it the full 26.2 plague me in the week leading up to the race, and they explode in the 12 hours before the start.

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I regularly forget a part of my 'favorite' race day outfit. For some reason, my shorts are the biggest issue. I have on multiple occasions grabbed the wrong pair of shorts while packing for my trip.

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The doubts about whether I can do it or not never truly go away until I see the 20-mile sign. That is when I know in my brain that I will make it. Even if I have to crawl the final 10K. 

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My playlist on my iPhone is the same one I used for my first marathon. I know how well I am doing time-wise in a race by where I am on the playlist at a given mile. 

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Chatting with runners at the start is always a way to help calm my nerves.

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I still read as many of the signs I see on the course, and yes, I still get a chuckle out of the old favorites such as "Worst Parade Ever" or "This seems like a lot of work for a free banana."

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Shouting encouragement to other runners is one of the best ways to pump myself up. Running for a purpose – whether a cause or to honor a person – keeps me moving forward and with bursts of energy when I think about for whom I am running.

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Miles 21-25 are a blur, even when I consciously try to burn some memory of them in my brain. I’m sad around mile 25 that it will all be finished in about 12 more minutes. 

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It still hurts. It’s still a really far distance to run.

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I smile coming into the finish line. Sad and elated at the same time.

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Yet somehow it seems to go by so quickly. Beer is always my first craving when I am finished, followed by salty french fries.

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I need a nap that afternoon.

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I wonder how I was able to make it 26.2 miles, and why I plan on doing it again, as I always seem to have another one on the schedule!