26.2 miles of pure bliss

The typical, offical marathon length is 26.2 miles. That's a lot of miles. Running a marathon requires training, healthy living, and much preparation. But what happens DURING the marathon?

Now, other than the initial urst, most runners will tell you that running as fast as you can for as long as you can is a bad strategy. There is no way to keep that pace for 26.2 miles, and the goal is to keep running. It also isn't realistic to expect that you will choose the perfect pace at the outset and not deviate from that pace - we are not machines. And for those who run a variety of marathons...they know that the twists, turns, and terraines vary from marathon to marathon.

But here is one thing I wasn't aware of: I wasn't aware of the number of people who ALMOST finish a marathon. They run 24 miles.....and they just can run anymore. How silly, we think. I mean, it's only two more miles. Suck it up, get the lead out. But when the body gives out, the body gives out. That is one reason why having a big crowd cheering through the last leg of the marathon is so important. Those cheers, rather than jeers, can make all the difference.

I am in the 24th mile. It's turning from drizzle to rain. My legs, my chest, my head, are aching. The pounding of the pavement echoes every slower in my ears. Some of my fans have dropped their flags and turned to foes because I am not running with the vigor of mile 6. But I will keep putting one foot on front of the other, listen to my own breathing, and focus on the pavement instead of the people. And when that tape breaks, I will fall to my knees just like they do on television, and pour my cup of water on someone else's head :)