"I DON'T RUN" TO "I FINISHED A MARATHON"
I took a glimpse at the training schedule and sighed, “How was I going to run a marathon when I couldn’t run 3 minutes?”
T H E S T R U G G L E (s) : that dang heat
I’m going to be honest; I would much prefer to train in the summer heat underneath the blistering sun than the whipping wind of winter. However, I do not fare well in warm conditions. I like to be cold. Always. So I tuned out the haters that assured me I was the dorkiest runner and bought a visor, a belt for nutrition and water bottles, and those lovely, but God help me, dorky, compression socks. I kid you not a lady approached me as we were running the marathon and said, “Yeah, my doctor made me wear those too. Aren’t they awful?” And I was like, “Listen lady!” Just kidding. I ran into a sprinkler and nodded at her. Because it was too dang hot to argue. It was only 75 degrees but the sun was blazing and my friends will tell you, I as not very nice by the last few miles of the marathon. And it’s a trend. Some people get VERY cranky.
Lastly, my sanity. Music. And stretching + foam rollers. Shout out to the MVP: Spotify Premium. Well, actually, my sister who lets me use her Premium account. And I’ve never felt so good after a run until I’ve foam rolled the pain away and stretched those ridiculous legs to noodles.
Oddly enough - Marathon day presented its own challenge and I didn’t have music to run to that day! I’ll tell you more of the story further down but it did teach me one thing: if you think you will not survive without headphones: you will.
lack of social life:
As August approached I could tell my social life was going to become limited. I built in time every Sunday to have brunch with friends but didn't really make time for the deep, vulnerable friendship moments. I'll be honest, I let myself and my friends down a few times. Staying focused on the marathon meant l running 18 miles that morning and not having energy to exert to be there for them. I jumped into a short relationship that revealed how I was mentally spent in my personal life. Everything I did was put into running or teaching. I was exhausted. But that's what life is about, right? Valleys and mountains. So if you're doing this, get yourself a friend that's got your back on the mental recharge and honest moments.
M A R A T H O N D A Y
October 8th, 2017 wasn’t about to start like any other day. Meaning my plan was a simple figment of my imagination. I woke up to my mom on the phone letting me know they were 15 minutes away. I dressed, made some toast, gathered my water bottles, and grabbed my phone off the charger. It blinked and then died. Later on I’d find out my phone had a software blip and needed to be COMPLETELY REPLACED. I can only laugh at it now but on the day of running 26.2 miles do not tell me I’m not about to have my music and pace tracker on the most important day of my life!!! So there I was, 2 hours later, finally waiting to cross the start line. The air was brisk but soon the sun was intense. After mistaking biofreeze for hand sanitizer, I stayed cool till mile 16. Thank goodness for those ice cold sponges and ice cubes (which I was literally holding anywhere on my body by the end.) The people who came out kept me going.
Goodness does Chicago really know how to cheer a marathon! Strangers were reading my name off my jersey and shouting it out. EXHILIRATING! My friend turned to me, “You run faster when they call your name.” And it’s true. Straight adrenaline shot. But by mile 22.5 I was in some pain. I hadn’t felt this way since a 6 miler where my arch tensed up and I spent most of it walking. I stopped into a med tent and the physical therapist looked at my feet to assure me: nothing broken, just keep running! And that’s all I could do. Walking hurt enough to bring tears so I kept running to see my mom and family around the corner, “I’m so proud of you!” They screamed. And I’d never felt so loved. Down the road a close friend of mine joined us and ran as the 26.2 drew nearer. Up the hill to finish I began to tear up. The fundraising had brought one hundred and twenty-three lives clean water for their entire lives. A community had risen around me to financially back my commitment and a team of runners from all backgrounds formed a family in just a few short months. I was humbled to see a short season of my life could be dedicated to bringing life to so many.
So there you have it. 6 months of my life, half of 2017. Believe me, there were so many more details I could have shared. But I’ll spare you and just let you know: I’m probably running another marathon in 2019.
CHEERS from C H I C A G O,
ashley brianna
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