Perspectives From a Runner’s Sole

Running. Photo by Josiah Mackenzie. (CC BY 2.0)

Running is all about pushing yourself and not giving up. I walked 12+ miles my first marathon. Same with my second…I completely crashed halfway through. Some might consider that a failure, but not me. Why would I? Walking means I didn’t give up.

Instead of quitting, or finding a new (and easier) hobby, I kept striving for improvement. Now, after completing 8 full marathons, I’ve learned so much about myself and marathon training during the painful process.

1. First, when running, it’s nobody’s race but your own. There are thousands of others running alongside you, but it’s truly your race to run.
2. You trained the way you trained, and you either prepared yourself or you didn’t. There’s no hiding yourself once you hit the race course. Commitment is a major part of marathon training, and a person needs to be sure they’re going to follow through with getting the miles needed before race day.
3. When you get to the start line, adrenaline will be pumping and it will be hard to hold back. Take deep breaths and stick to your plan.
4. When you count out 26.2 miles, it’s roughly 50,000 steps. That’s 50,000 times your knees, ankles, back, and other body parts will be taking direct impact. Proper rest and nutrition are just as important as the miles you log; otherwise your body is going to break down.

At the end of the day, taking up running was one of the best life decisions I’ve ever made. If all of the above is something you want to commit to, then let’s sign up for the Milwaukee Marathon on April 6, 2019! I’ve run the event twice times and it’s one of my favorite races (they also have a half marathon and 5k option)! Learn more at runmilwaukee.com.

By Shilo Titus.