LA Marathon

This past Sunday I ran my second full marathon in Los Angeles. I finished 4,810 out of 26,000 runners with a time of 4:43. Before the anemia came up my goal was 4:30 so I didn't quite make that, but in light of the circumstances I did ok. I can honestly say that I had absolutely nothing left in me at the end of the race and it was the best I could have done so I am relatively pleased. I will be running another one in the fall so hopefully by then I will be able to run the race healthier than I am now and improve my time.

As I am hobbling around these last few days more than a few people have asked me why I would want to do something like that to myself. Well maybe I am slightly nuts or perhaps a glutton for punishment or both but I sincerely enjoy both training for and running races. When I first decided I wanted to run this marathon I was living in Austin and was going through a hard time. I was really depressed for a few weeks and I knew I needed to pull myself out of it. I thought that if I had a goal to strive for it might help distract me and keep me from being so down on myself. I decided that running another marathon would be my best option and I threw myself into training. For the last month I was living in Austin I would wake up at 4:45 am and run in the morning and then after work I would run again. Slowly I started to feel better. All of the hours I spend on the road I fully enjoy because I am able to turn on my ipod and daydream or just completely zone out. For me running is equally good for me physically and mentally. If I am having a hard day, going for a run always improves my mood.

So why a marathon? Well it is a challenge and I like to be challenged. If you have never been to a marathon as either a participant or spectator I would reccomend you do so. Go to about mile 22 when people are really struggling, grimmacing in pain and wondering if they are going to be able to finish. At that point for a lot of runners it is no longer about physical conditioning but it is pure mental strength and willpower that keeps them going. See them again at the finish line and they may still be in a lot of pain but you also see their pride. At one point I was having a great deal of pain in my hips and I stopped to bend over because that was the only way I was able to get any relief. As soon as I had, two runners and spectator told me to keep going and encouraged me not to stop. Now dont't get me wrong I had no intentions of stopping, but the fact that they saw I was struggling and took the time to say a few words to support me meant a great deal.

Thats the other reason I love races, it reminds me that people are still nice and good in this world. You cover a lot of neighborhoods when you run 26.2 miles and there are spectators cheering you on the entire way. We didn't know them, they didn't know us but they clapped and cheered when we ran by. For a good portion of the race we ran through neighborhoods that were not considered the good parts of town. The houses were older and run down and the people who lived there didn't look like they had a great deal of money, but they were the best spectators throughout the entire race. Many of them were handing out orange slices to the runners they thenselves had provided. Some had their hoses on and were spraying the runners going by and the kids would line up with big grins and their hands out so you could give them a high five as you ran by. It sometimes suprises me how helpful and supportive people can be to a complete strangers, but having that support is priceless when you are the one running, especially when you struggle.

Don't get me wrong though, marathons are not all puppies and rainbows. There was the hour long line to use the porta potty at the start of the race because some genius decided that 5o porta poties would be enough for 26,000 runners. There was the poorly constructed finish line that was clogged with people because there wasn't enough room for everyone. And there was the walk to the family reunion area that was at least a football field in length, uphill. Oh yeah and then there is the pain. But aside from the minor annoyances, I am damn sure glad I did it and I am damn sure going to do it again.