***BIG CHANGES IN THE WORKS***

***BIG CHANGES IN THE WORKS***

Be sure to stay tuned to this blog over the next couple of weeks. There are some fundamental changes in the works for this blog.

October 17, 2011

26.2 miles in brief


Brief and 26.2 miles (AKA the marathon) don’t seem like they fit in the same sentence.  I have been too busy to comment at length on the Rochester Marathon a few weeks back.  I did leave the reader at a cliffhanger… bad blogger Glen! Bad.

On the cool and comfortable morning of September 18, 2011 I ran in the Rochester Marathon.  Conditions were perfect.  It took me 4 hours, 1 minute and 36 seconds to run the 26.2 mile distance.  Among the loved ones cheering me on, I had my loving wife Emily, my supportive parents (Ron and Carol – with dog Angel tagging along) and Emily’s parents (Bill and Sue – with Brian tagging along).  Fellow runners; Pete, Brad (and girlfriend Jamie) and Chris were all there as well.

The first 2/3 of the race contained most of the emotional highs of the race.  Excitement and anxiousness pushed my mile pace down to about 8:30 to 8:45.  The final 6 miles was by far the most difficult physical activity I have ever undertaken. At the low point I laughed at the thought I had two days earlier pondering where my second marathon would be.  All I could think was, “I’m not doing this again.  This isn’t any fun at all!”

Coming into Genesee Valley Park my legs just gave out and they slowed to a walk.  “WTF!? There’s only 4 miles to go!”, I thought.  Typically on long runs you get into a rhythm.  Your legs just move naturally.  It’s kind of like breathing; you don’t have to think about it to do it.  Keeping my legs moving at a steady jog required significant amounts of thought and mental energy. At the turn onto Plymouth Avenue (about 1 mile left), I met up with Chris and told him I realized what it really felt like to be running on an empty tank.  All those other times where I thought I had no more in me… I really did.  This was a painfully evident demonstration and reminder to me that we are all capable of so much more than we think we are.  That lesson is going to stick with me.

I ran up Plymouth towards the final turn and the finish line.  It was the most amazing finish line experience I have had.  I immediately hugged my parents and wife and thanked them.  I thanked my wife especially because nearly every Saturday morning since we got married was spent with me out on a long run.

So that is my marathon experience in brief.  I have climbed my Everest.

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