This has been my biggest challenge in life to date. I share my experiences because I wouldn’t want someone to have to go through what I did. Traveling to a foreign country is an amazing experience. Trying to run a marathon in one is not. If I could offer some advice to first time marathoners:
1. Organizations like AIDS Marathon and Team in Training are AWESOME! They coach you every step of the way and if you follow the program you will get to the finish line.
2. Run your first marathon on familiar turf. Although it is exciting to travel to amazing places to run amazing courses … if this is your first time ever trying to run 26.2 miles, do it some place that you are familiar with (and in your time-zone). (Remember the first guy who tried to run a “marathon” died!)
3. Kiss your toenails goodbye!
4. Find a marathon that does not have a timed course, meaning the course will remain open until the very last runner finishes. (Some cities have laws that prohibit the streets to be blocked off for a certain period of time, this is why the course was being dismantled before our very eyes in Florence!)
5. Listen to your body. If/when you feel pain, STOP!
6. And the best advice I got from one of the coaches in the AIDS marathon program: “The true victory is not getting to the finish; it is that you had the courage to start!”
Though I have no desire to ever attempt to run a marathon I am glad I did it for no other reason than I was able to raise money for AIDS, and I met some incredible and wonderful people along the way.
Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.—Dean Karnazes
