It wasn’t until I’d gotten to the point of run/walking four to six miles regularly that I finally began to enjoy the process and then began to realize why I’d taken this journey. I was in desperate need of finding myself again. Just ten years ago, I was this cute, classic career woman and now I’d become this plump, tired mother. I think that getting those endorphins pumping gave me my confidence back and also gave me reason to get up every morning. In my opinion, being a mother is just like being a career woman; it’s a love/hate relationship. So, as I was adding miles to get closer to my marathon goal I was gaining access to my internal self once again.
I had chosen the “Nike Women’s Marathon” in San Francisco. Everything was geared around women, from the spa booths to the Tiffany Necklace we would receive at the end of the race. At the starting line there were approximately 11,000 women; we were all there for different reasons, but were all aiming for same finish. It was such an empowering event!
Getting to the finish line was somewhat parallel to the last ten years of my life. Initially, it was anxiety-ridden and thrilling, then it made me realize that I was in this for the long hall—and then (as many veteran marathoners can testify) “I hit a wall.” The last several miles were painful, but once I crossed the finish line I had an enormous sense of accomplishment.
The question for all first-time marathoners is: Would you do it again? For me, yes. And I’ve already recruited friends and family to join me. As I go back to relating a marathon to childbearing, it’s an amazing thing—once you’ve finished and the pain is forgotten you want to do it all over again!
photo: Brenton Nicholls
