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First Marathon Run Wichita Ks Prairie Fire |
Are you
considering your first full marathon? The first full marathon is the run you
will remember more of than all runs that follow. For me it was and
unusual time in my life; aging parents, kids leaving the nest, and grand kids coming into the picture. Around every corner of life I felt the
challenge of aging coming on and it was kicking my butt. At 56 I lined up for
my first marathon, come on in and let me share my triumph and do
my best to get you registered for yours.
My First Marathon
Run was the 2011 Wichita, Ks Prairie Fire. I knew it would be a little smaller than
most, but big enough to make it a major experience. I spent the night before
staying with my older son. It’s always great to collect on the years you spent
bringing them up; besides he’s an awesome host. Check him out at www.SaltyWanderer.com.
We got an early start that morning as I made my way to parking.
The biggest
challenge I was facing was calming the monster within. It’s amazing how you
challenge your own abilities as you look at something like a marathon run. Are
you really as crazy as everyone tells you?
What is the right gear? What about bathroom stops? Am I really ready for this?
What is it going to do to my body? What happens if I drop dead out there? The kids got me an ID bracelet, so we knew they could at lest identify the body when I dropped.
Once, I crossed
that mental barrier and got registered, some concerns started to fall away. By
the way, my registration number was 26. I knew I needed plenty of time and focus for this. One of the biggest confidence builders
was going out and doing some research on how to run a marathon. What training
is required for a beginner and what else should I know before hand. With the
research and the training came some confidence. But this only
addressed the technical aspect of my first marathon run.
The real challenge
that you can’t find solutions on-line or in a book is how to address the
emotional aspect of a marathon run. I know this is getting kind of weird for
you guys out there, but when you are lined up, waiting for the gun at your
first marathon run, it will all start to make sense.
Your first
emotional challenge will come with pacing yourself for the first 6 to 8 miles.
More than a handful of runners have run themselves into the ground during their
first few miles by following emotion and not logic. Know your pace and don’t
get caught up with other runners. Most of the runners around you are only doing
the half, don’t try to beat them. In
this case hold the monster back.
The next emotional
challenge comes someplace in the middle of your run. The monster within will
start to give you excuses about why this was a bad idea. Key at this point, is turning the monster
around to run for you and not against you. I remember two things that I used to have my monster run for me.
First, I had been
doing a lot of genealogy work on the family tree. I came across several
awesome members that I had no idea how strong they must have been. The one that
came to my aid the most was Great, Great, Great Grandma Basgall (Fisher). In
1796, just 3 month, after her husband died she when forward with plans to pack up
the family of 5 kids and emigrate from Russia to the USA. Imagine how much grit
that lady had. I realized then, these 26.2 miles of marathon where nothing
compared to her journey. You can check out the whole story at www.VolgaGermanHeritage.com.
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Encouragement for first Marathon Run |
I also planned
ahead by bringing something of my mothers along. She passed away just a couple
of years earlier and in part I was running my marathon for her. As I hit the
runners wall around 20 miles and watched the 4 hour pacer blow by me, I reached down
and grabbed a ribbon my mother had won in the Rush County Fair for some of her handiwork.
For most of us the one person you can’t let down is your mother. With this to
focus on I was able to walk / run on to a finish of about 4:25.
There is one
emotional aspect you will never forget. This one overshadows all the earlier
ones. It’s the last mile or two as you here the crowd and you pick up your
pace. Once you see the Finish line you feeling like your flying, even though
your pace really sucks at this point. But the emotion you experience as you
cross the finish line is worth everything you put into getting to that line.
So, now it your
turn, get registered, and train for the most emotional running event you will
ever experience.
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