So you have taken your first steps toward becoming a marathoner. One of the first questions that may pop into your mind is, “How long will the process will take to complete?”. The answer to that question is really simple and very complex, all at the same time. You see, the journey to the finish line of a marathon isn’t really a quest to finish. While there are some people who have a marathon on their bucket list, and will run one, and only one marathon in their entire lives, I would submit to you that those people miss the whole concept of the marathon.
The big question
If you run marathons, are training to run a marathon, or are even thinking about starting to train for a marathon, the question that you will hear from almost everyone that you come in contact with will be, “Why?”. It isn’t really a question that they are asking, but rather, it is a statement about your sanity. What they really meant to say, but are far too polite to actually put into words, is that you are completely out of your mind! While your friends aren’t actually expecting an answer that makes any sense, it is a question that you, as a runner, need to ponder. Why are you thinking of taking upon your self the task of running so far? While the answer to this particular question will vary by the individual, if at least a considerable portion of the reason isn’t that you are doing it just for yourself, then I would suggest that you save yourself the frustration and discomfort that will follow by quitting at once! Maybe it’s because you like running, or you need to get into better physical shape, or you want to see how far you can push yourself, or because you want to do something different with your life – no matter the reason, if you don’t do it for YOU, then you won’t be doing it for very long.And don’t think that just because you can answer the question of “why” means that you are through answering that question. It is a question that you will ask yourself, and have to answer, a hundred times. You see, since the answer is within yourself, and you are always changing, the answer will also be ever changing.
No easy answer
So how long will your journey to the marathon take? That all depends upon how you define your own journey. If you think of your journey as ending when you cross the finish line, then your journey will only take as long as your training program. If you are in pretty good physical shape, and have already been running a few miles, it may only take you 32 weeks to get all the way to the finish line. On the other hand, if you haven’t been running, are carrying around some extra pounds, it may take you up to a year to complete the distance comfortably.
Now you may think that this is a long time, but if you think about the journey in different terms, the time frame begins to make sense. If your focus is the finish line, then the marathon becomes nothing more than a check box on a bucket list. But if you look at the finish line of the marathon as the beginning your new life as a runner, then this journey has just begun. Enjoy the journey!
Next time: The Happiest Race on Earth