I Ran a Marathon Last Year & I'm Still Recovering

I trained for six months and had no idea the commitment it would take, what running a marathon would look like, or how it would exactly change my life. But I'm sharing it with you today because this has been quite the journey, and I think in a way, we're all running a marathon. Committing to such a physical challenge was something I'd never tried and it opened up my eyes to see the boundaries I could push.

My Marathon High: Every sign, shout, run along-side-me moment in the marathon kept me going. It's every face I saw along the route that knew me and showed up to support.

My Marathon Low: The almost debilitating pain I felt on mile 23.5. I don't know how I pushed through it other than my stubborn determination to not. quit. And the people I love cheering me on.

One year ago I woke up and realized the relentless hours of training for one of the biggest moments in my lifetime was over. Experiencing a crescendo of emotions; I tried to unplug and process. There were family members who had passed that I wished could have been a part of my big moment. Instead of feeling an insurmountable amount of pride, I felt numb. I was scared of a lot of things. I journaled, "Training brought specific direction and now I feel lost.."

In any big moment we experience in life, there is a shift. I had experienced an ultimate high and low in one day so it's only natural to feel a little turbulent. No one told me that, though.

Recovering from running a marathon, physically, is easy. However, spectating the marathon on Sunday made me realize that it had forever changed me. If you're reading this fresh off a race and struggling to figure out how to enjoy the cool-down without burning out, listen up.

This picture below is when one of my friends, Aadam, hopped in to run the last part of the marathon by my side. I had the worst attitude because I was in so much pain and it was so hot outside. You can tell by my clenched fists that I'm barely hanging on. But he suffered my wrath and I'm thankful for that. Haha!

Marathon Recovery

Don't (Because I did)

-Bring flip flops to wear post marathon

-Go to bed without stretching and doing yoga post-race

-Decide walking to stretch in the days following a marathon is silly

-Get a massage the day after

DO (Because I wish I did)

-Bring breathable, supportive shoes to change into after a race.

-Have a restaurant picked out for your post-race meal and let everyone who comes out to support know where so they can join you in celebrating!

-Use compression boats/shorts the day after

-Get a massage a few days after the race so your muscles have loosened up enough to absorb a massage.

-Maintain some of your marathon diet (I made a lot of excuses in the spring following my training. Whoops.)

-Take time to reflect on your past 6 months of training.

In 6 months the training pushed my physical body past barriers I had always accepted. Shutting off my thoughts and self-doubt had become a habit while running but in many other areas, I had just pressed the pause button. I knew it was time to move on from the fundraising for clean water with World Vision. I had raised enough money to give clean water to 200 people, but the experienced had actually changed 201 lives. Because I'd never be the same.

Life After Training

The new challenge I began to embrace was self-awareness. Over the past year I have made a priority to not edit my thoughts while journaling and to take note of positive moments instead of dwelling on memories that threaten to invoke shame and self-doubt. It's been amazing to go back through my journal (and tweets. Ha) to watch the journey unfold in rapid speed.

I thought about highlighting passages of my journal or tweets for you but I don't really know who would read all that! The journey through my self-awareness consisted of setting the vision: to create a space for my passion and a safe place for a community of like-minded people. This past year has forged my belief of how important community is. Cheering each other on in the highs and the lows. If it hadn't been for such a unique experience as training for a marathon, my blog wouldn't have met so many wonderful people already! It takes so much time and effort to cultivate content that I hope uplifts and restores anyone who rests their eyes on it - but it is worth it.

This is meant to be a haven - my heartbeat is that you would feel at home anytime we interact. I hope you know Safe Haven is a place where a pot of coffee is always ready and brownies are fresh out of the oven. Your friend Ashley is sitting next to you, listening as you pour your heart out or gab about relationship problems. If life is truly a marathon, you're not in this alone. It takes a team to train, encourage each other, and shout each other's names when you're feeling the overwhelming emotion of life's ups and downs.