My sister Jamie signed me up for the St. George marathon for the first weekend in October. My goal when I decided to run it was to qualify for Boston, but that was something I kept very hidden and personal.
I honestly was scared of my goal.
Each run when I had a bad moment or mile I would just think to myself, "And you think you can qualify for Boston..." A Boston qualifier for someone my age is 3 hours and 5 minutes. About a 7 minute mile pace for 26.2 miles.
Through out my training from Central Park, the hudson river, to Provo Canyon I tried to strengthen my mind just as much as my legs. Running a marathon is a physical exertion but it vastly more a mental exertion. Anyone who has run one knows what I'm talking about.
Self doubt...hatred...pain...sorrow...joy...depression...relief...euphoria...are just some of the emotions that well up inside every time I thought about my goal of qualifying for Boston and every run I took.
A positive mindset, attitude, and outlook really changed my running experience.
St. George Marathon was a beast, but also a beauty. Here was my experience hopefully you can take snippets of a physical run and apply it to your life, because it's something that I treasure now as I run, I find moments to connect to life to help me grow as a person.
4:00 a.m. - Alarm (I set two different alarms iphone and alarm clock) Can't be too careful.
- Dress and try to poop (I always lay my clothes out the night before my runs to make it as easy as possible to get out the door and make no excuses not to go)
4:30 a.m. - Hotel Lobby with Jamie.
5:00 a.m. - Fighting off the other snooty runners to get a shuttle to the buses
5:15 a.m. - hour bus ride on the running course (this was depressing as we drove the whole course, also it was extremely awful because I had to go to the bathroom like crazy bad...like dancing to hold it in bad)
- Bathroom, space blanket, bathroom, heater, bathroom, heater, bathroom, line up, bathroom, line up. Yep that is an accurate account of my fixation to be ready haha a little OCD?
7:05 a.m. - We suddenly just started jogging, and I guess that was the start of the race. I started next to the 3:05 pacer. When we began I looked at him and said to myself, "I'm never seeing you again." and I ran ahead.
We paced through the dark and I felt great. Trying to pace myself I wanted to run faster but had to physically and mentally hold myself back (probably the hardest thing to do...not to just sprint out as fast as you can, but instead to pace, be patient find a groove, find a rhythm, and a balance)
Mile marker 8 - First mile marker I actually noticed, which was cool!
Hilarious people runners are. No reservations as men and women simply slide to the side of the road, drop trow and relive themselves. Haha I simply just had to keep looking forward.
Veyo Hill - a huge crowd at the beginning of the hill that just pumped you up. This was the first time I needed others in my run to give me positive energy and a boost to keep going. (This is a theme that will continue)
Veyo Hill - A sign that made me physically laugh out loud which read, "It's a hill get over it." (Life is full of hills and we need to simply realize they are hard, they will stretch us, but we can't be sad. We just got to laugh, enjoy it and bear down and get over it.
Mile 13 - 22 - Made a running friend named Zach. His goal was to beat 3 hours. I said to him, "I'm going to keep with you for as long as possible." (Now not only a large crowd but a single person who helped give me positive vibes, comments, and a friend to rely on)
- Beautiful snow canyon. Several times I tried to play my favorite running game of "I, Spy." (Always look up and not at your feet. Same for life, look up and forward never down and backward.)
- Aid stations always taking little sips of water and Cliff bar gummies. Never eating or drinking too much, just moderation.
Mile 22 - Zach pulled ahead, everyone pulled ahead, a guy with no shirt and a gut pulled ahead, a woman pulled ahead. My head went down. I felt dead and was hopeless. I almost started crying and even said to myself, "I'm not going to qualify for Boston..." Then I realized I still hadn't seen the 3:05 pacer, I still had a chance so I hung onto that chance and just gritted my teeth and kept that small hope in me, I can do this still.
Mile 25.2 - One last turn and I think the finish will be right there...not so. My heart was so sad as I couldn't see the finish.
- Suddenly I saw the orange finish. Breathing audibly (almost grunting) I just pushed as hard as I could. Still no pacer I could do this.
- Then black...My vision just went black
- Then street and orange finish
- Black...Orange...(Almost passing out, but I was so scared that if I passed out that I wouldn't beat 3:05 I wouldn't let myself, so I would shake my head to keep blood moving)
- Finally I could see the clock at 3 hours as I made my last hundred yards. I made my goal. I couldn't believe it. I crossed the finish line got my medal and tried to walk. Instead a staggered.
26.2 + - Drank chocolate milk like it was my last time ever! Heard my parents cheering and just was so relieved to have them there.
Complete exhaustion so much so it hurt to breathe. Happiness...Euphoria...
Goal achieved. 3 hours, 1 minute.
(Boston Bound)
It's not often that I feel like I set a major goal, make mini goals to build to that one goal. I have never done that successfully in my life until now. This marathon is a testament to me that unless we set major goals by also following those major goals, with minor actions we will never achieve to our fullest capabilities.
Surround yourself with people who will cheer you on, from the big hills, to the blurry miles, and then those at the finish line. We all need people along the whole journey to help us succeed in life.
Happiness is felt when shared.
(First supporter and sister who put me up to this. Baby Girl how couldn't I run fast with her at the finish?)
I hope you got a taste of the marathon mindset, it really has made me a better person, son, brother, uncle, friend, student, hopeful entrepreneur and priesthood holder.
So go out and do your marathon run whatever it may be from raising kids, gaining a testimony, going through school, or trying to achieve a personal goal, remember the first miles always suck.
- Enjoy the journey
Jonny Boy
(Mum's victory present = Fillmore gas station, "Grumpy Cat")
