Why Bother Running a Marathon?

I had drill this past weekend. For non-military folk, drill means that it was my one weekend a month I needed to work. I will be honest… I was highly uncomfortable trumping around the woods while pregnant. To top it off, I couldn’t do any of the fun stuff (meaning shooting or training). =( Aw well, being pregnant is only temporary… then the real fun begins. =]

The last time I was there, which was 2 months ago (we didn’t have drill last month) a buddy of mine in my company had signed up for a marathon. We seemed to bond a bit while talking about training, and respecting the distance. So, I asked him about how training was going and he said he just quit because he failed to see the point in it. “Why bother?”, he said to the girl that had a small addiction to running.

So, here are just a few reasons to run a marathon:

A Task to Knock Off the Old Bucket List

Like achieving any goal, running a marathon is a feat of sheer daring. Because of the physical and mental linits you are pushing our body to, running a marathon has become a bucket list must-have. Participating in these events gives me an automatic excuse to travel (or take in local scenery), be cheered on by supporters on the sidelines as well as the runners that are running along side you and really challenge both your mental and physical limits. Each one is unique experience in and of itself. Unlike most other events, most marathoners can probably tell you about every marathon they have ever run in. I know I can.

It Tests Your Resilience

Resilience is that ability to keep going when the going gets tough. Additionally, (for me, it has come to mean that even when I would really much prefer to veg out and to not train; that I lace up, and get off my lazy @$$. That discipline to train everyday (or lack thereof) will mean the difference between a successful and a more painful than necessary day. (And yes, I’m a huge dork as you can tell by the following image… There I admitted it… Are you happy now? lol.)

To Raise $ For a Good Cause

Despite what most media outlets might want you to believe, there are a lot of people doing amazing things in the world to help others. However, like all other things in life; these organizations would not be able to run without financial assistance. This is where fundraising comes in. For Operation Home Front, I asked my family, friends and neighbors to donate $1/ per mile that I ran. In the case of the April Fool’s Half Marathon, that meant I was asking for a suggested donation of $13.10 for 13.1 miles. Shockingly enough, most of my donors gave more and wished me luck.

To Get In Shape

That’s why I started running in the first place. As I’ve said in previous posts; when I came home from a consulting gig in Ohio, I was medically obese. I am 5’1″ and weighed 160lbs at the time. By keeping to a workout plan, monitoring what I ate, and quitting smoking and drinking; I was able to get down to 110lbs about 7 months later. One healthy decision led to another.

Bling!

I ❤ my race medals. My husband and I just moved into our new place and I’m really excited about making a wooden display for my medals. I love them because they are usually unique testaments of my hard work.

BEER!!

I don’t drink. However, for those of you that do enjoy a beer every now and again, this should be a good incentive. When you sign up for a marathon, you are typically paying for: the logistical cost of the race itself (ie: venue, staff, aid stations),  your race bling and beer. Now, I don’t have to feel as if I am wasting anything because I have my husband to drink my “free” beer for me.

Training for a Marathon Transfers into Other Aspects in Life

Not only did I find that I was a more resilient runner; but I gained other positive traits as well. One thing I have learned from running is that planning goes hand in hand with goal setting. As the old adage goes, “If you don’t have a plan, you are planning to fail.”.