Marathon Madness. Part one...Why I chose the Marathon...

 

"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon." Emil Zatopek, winner of four Olympic gold medals

As many of you know, I am training for a marathon. This will be my 3rd marathon. 

• Chicago Marathon-10-10-10. 3:40:02 Ran for for Leukemia Lymphoma and qualified for Boston.
• Boston Marathon 4-18-2011. 3:39:44

The marathon is NOT my favorite race. I like the Half Marathon. 

The Marathon makes you feel like a Stallion. Powerful, strong and tough! It is the Race of all races, the Grandfather of distance. The "arrival" as a runner. This is ALL ONLY my perception!! And I am not working with a full deck..Just saying. There is no where this is written as truth.

The Marathon has been around since 490 BC. The Modern Athens Marathon commemorates the run of the soldier "Pheidippides" from a battlefield town of Marathon, Greece, to Athens where upon arrival of his message he was delivering collapsed and DIED!
The Message simply said "NIKI" which means VICTORY...."NIKI" is also know to many as NIKE!!

The apostle Paul gives many illustrations about "Running the Race" He talks about it often because the people in Greece could relate to the familiar games.

•  "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it" (1 Corinthians 9:24, ESV).
•  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."(Hebrews 12:1-2)

MARATHON HUMOR

The Marathon is ALWAYS 26.2 mile. I loved when I got done running or am training and someone always asks:
"So Nita, how far is a marathon?"  or "So, did you Win?"
Or one of my favorites "Is the Chicago Marathon as long as the Boston Marathon?"
I ACTUALLY even had someone ask "So how far is a Half?!
Many of you training for a marathon have heard these, ALL of these and can say "Yup, I have even heard these a few times!"

WHY RUN THE MADNESS of THE MARATHON:

 Frank Shorter, 1972 Olympic marathon gold medalist:

 "You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming."

I ask myself this many times. I Love pushing my body to its limits. I love running. I love the warmth of the sunshine against my bare skin in the summer, the sound of my feet hitting the pavement. I love the breeze refreshing me, the birds soaring through the sky, and the serenity of quietness. I love the peace I absorb in the elements of earth. The greenery, the smell of lilacs, pine trees, horses in the pasture...I have a sense of smallness, humility, and powerlessness in Gods Beauty. I Love FEELING GOD all around me. A Oneness. I feel his presence as I run blocking out the chaos of the Children, the hurts of yesterday and today, the disappointments, disputes, and the overall DRAMA of LIFE and the people in it.

Bill Rodgers, winner of 4 Boston and four NYC marathons. "The marathon can humble you."

I push myself to the limits of the marathon for the same reason only more emotional. I do it because I believe God uses me in my weakness. "When I am weak He is Strong." I desperately seek his strength, his stamina, His endurance in my running...And that is where it collides with my life also. I break myself soo down that only GOD himself can carry me. Running to the level of pain and endurance of a marathon reminds me to humbly SEEK God. In order for me to ask him for Anything I have to come with a clean heart...It is here...HE searches me, It is HERE I purge, I release, I repent and Ask HIM to do a work in me.
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Soo Here is YOUR CHANCE:
ARE YOUR THINKING ABOUT RUNNING A MARATHON?
GIVE ME YOUR QUESTIONS...
For those WHO HAVE RAN AND DO RUN THE Marathon...Why DO YOU RUN it???
What Compels YOU to put your Body their such Stress and discipline???

Tomorrow I will answer some questions and give some Tips and Ideas for those considering Tackling the Madness of the Marathon!

"I've learned that finishing a marathon isn't just an athletic achievement. It's a state of mind; a state of mind that says anything is possible." John Hanc

Anita

My Heart took me running but I forgot to grab my brains!

 "The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
-John Bingham

I decided today would be a good day to get my long run out of the way. Sundays or Mondays are typically when I like to tackle my distance but Monday my kids are off school and home with me. 
I tried to guilt Andy into running part of my 14 mile run with me. I even sent a text to my long lost running partner Heidi. She has a new job and her schedule is a bit hectic these days.
It was 10:30 and I was desperately seeking someone to share on ANY part of next 2 hours pounding the pavement.
My phone alerted me I had a TEXT... It was Heidi..."PLEASE Please, join me, even for 2 miles." I thought. She responded with a "YES"!  Heidi wasn't available until 4:30 but could do 4 or 5 miles with me. I was tickled pink!! I was so grateful that I could hardly wait to lug my body out in 29 degree weather for over 2 hours of monotonous running!

I spent 25 minutes stretching and rolling my IT-BAND. And was surprised my leg wasn't as painful rolling as it had been for the past 3 weeks. This is a good sign.

All dressed, I grabbed my Juice Plus Chews, 2 pieces of gum, water with CHIA seeds, and headed out the door.

Now I am not the sharpest tool in the shed. I have never claimed to be but this was the 3rd time I miscalculated  my run in 5 weeks. SIMPLE MATH.
Thank God today my legs worked better than my brains!!!
 I left my Chia H2O at home to do a 6 mile loop where I grab my Chia H2O and carry it to Heidi's.  I would drop it off at her house and together continue on. Drop her off after 6 miles, grab H20 and run home.
6mile loop
6miles with Heidi
2 miles home
14 miles

CAN You figure out what I didn't add in?????????????????????????????????????????????
If you answered the miles to Heidi's house- could you please share some brains with me??!!
I just turned 14 miles into 16 and couldn't believe I was still standing when I got home. Not only standing but feeling pretty good. Maybe not "pretty good" just not "pretty bad"!

ICE*Motrin* Elevate*

"Marathon running is a terrible experience: monotonous, heavy, and exhausting."
Veikko Karvonen, 1954 European and Boston Marathon Champ

When I have to run that long I battle with so many demons. It is not easy. I do it because it is part of the training, part of the package. But I am not gonna lie..It SUCKS. It is cold, windy, I am layered and uncomfortable. I worry about my body, blisters, and my sugar not dropping.
Today I had Hope. I didn't even notice the temps, my feet, the wind or the miles or minutes. I couldn't think about anything but seeing "Heidi".  She always has this incredible smile. She was there for me when I needed her. What a incredible feeling. She was such a blessing to me. Heidi just helped her sister with her long run on Friday, doing 10 miles with her! And Now she was helping me!
Do you know how good it feels when you are all alone, when you have to do something you are dreading and someone says..I will do it with you, You are not going to have to do this alone. ANYTHING...I would have taken Anything...2 miles...30 minutes...It was such an encouragement to me.
Everything hurts more when there is no one there to support you. It feels like it will never end. The obstacles seem more difficult and defeat appears clearer then accomplishment.
But today...There was Help..Encouragement..Support... Faith and Ambition..
Today I was not only able to finish...But finish Farther...Stronger and Sorer! LOL

Proverbs 20:6 “Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?” (NLT)

Can I encourage you to be someones Silver lining? Be their  Glimmer of Hope..Maybe you can't go the full distance...But any little bit, I promise could be someone else's Blue Sky.
Not just in running..In Life. It may be a little uncomfortable for you, It may even interrupt your agenda..But it will Make Someones Else's Journey a little Better, a little Easier and  a little Happier.

BTW..I am laying here in bed..My toosh is soo sore, my legs feel like rubber and I am exhausted. I took a hot bath and thought it was the magic remedy...But all that pain is slowly surfacing.....It is going to be a long night!!
Thankful For My RUNNING Partners to the fullest. Each one have been there for me. I wouldn't be where I am at without them the last year. Soo blessed for those Angels God has given me...
All My Love  TO Heidi, Katie and Danielle.

CHECK IN TOMORROW TO LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT MY CHIA!!

Anita