My First Marathon
You are never prepared for a marathon. A marathon will break you or heal you. There is no alternative.
I was overly optimistic about the marathon journey because I trained for long-distance miles and had run sections of the marathon course before. I was not ready for what would happen if my strength and endurance would have been tested in every way.
People were overly excited before the race started. I was able to channel some nervous energy from the people around me, but it wasn’t as productive. Thankfully, my running buddy, Leo, was there to help me with my first marathon jitters and met me before lining up. I never embraced the pre-race strategy, but I decided to set my watch, pray, and wish Leo good luck and just like that, we were off.
Once we journeyed through downtown Baton Rouge and into the Garden District, we were able to stay with the 3:50 pacer to finish under 4:00 hours. The lakes were beautiful with a dead silence across the water. Birds were steadily chirping as we entered the gates of LSU. A time or two around the lakes, I had to stop because my shoes became suddenly untied. I quickly tended to what I thought were double-knotted shoes. My running mate jogged slowly to wait for my sudden stop and once I was finished, I had to sprint to catch up. In that moment of nervousness, took my first energy gel that was supposed to last for at least 9.0 miles. This was only mile 6.5.
As we sped through turns and the 3:50 sign was plainly in view, I would also gaze on the state capitol toward over the trees. I realized we were having to traverse the city and journey back downtown to the capitol steps. The goal was to finish was I reassured myself I would get there.
Once we exited the gates of LSU and entered the Garden District, a sign revealed Half Marathon left and Full Marathon right. Once my mate and I went right, the runners thinned out and we were on an island at mile 11.2.
Four water stations later, we entered Mid City and my family was waiting to cheer us on entering neighborhoods and narrow streets. We received a burst of love and energy at mile 17.5. Later, my running buddy had to tend to his hamstring and was having problems. We decided to do a walk run a mile from 20.0 and continued this for a couple of miles. Then, I admitted I needed to move along as he was continuing to have problems and needed a bathroom break. Then, mile 23.0 hit me.
My legs started to cramp, I could feel the sun dehydrate my skin, and no amount of cheering at water stations would have made me keep up with the sub 4-hour marathon. I just needed to finish.
As I made my way through Mid City to downtown, I could see family that moved to the finish line to catch me at the end. By a miracle from God, I had energy surge through me and gave out a loud yell sprinting through the finish line. I finished in 4 hours, 32 minutes.
I felt humility first as my physical body is not immortal, and the marathon is a test of will. I may run another marathon in a few years, but choose to stay in the marathon moments as I publish this story a month later. There is beauty, persistence, and overall grit in the first marathon.
