All the feels

- April 27, 2025

There is a little incline at mile 3 of the Glass City Marathon and a turn into a boisterous cheering crowd. It happened for me about 22 minutes into the race. Today the chill of the morning and perfect light made this moment the one where I teared up inside, and a little outside. It's been a long winter. It's been a long past 4 weeks. But in that moment I remembered the joy of participating in an endurance race. It might not have been the 26.2 I wanted or planned, but the overwhelming sense of accomplishment against the challenges surfaced as the crowd rang cowbells, held signs with silly phrases, and yelled words of encouragement. I didn't know a single person on the sidelines today, but it didn't matter to them and it didn't matter to me.

Over the course of this training cycle I've experienced a slew of emotions. I learned to feel the feels no matter how they came:

Wonder
Hope
Disappointment
Discouragement
Resolve
Satisfaction
Pride
Optimism
Frustration
Weariness
Contentment

And today: Success.

I legitimately did not know how the race would go. I didn't know if my leg could hold up. I didn't know if I should try to just run it slow. With the disruptions to my fitness, I was taking a shot in the dark at my pacing. Not completely in the dark, but there certainly was a lot of guess work and extrapolation of data points. In a way this created a sense of liberation as I ran by feel much more than running by watch. I knew the risks associated with going out too quick and the risk of blowing up early. But I also knew the way I ran the past 4 months and during my previous race experience in Detroit. I could be a little aggressive especially because I was "only" doing the half. I needed to time running out of juice with crossing the finish line at 13.1 miles.

Mission accomplished.

There is particular fortitude needed to physically accomplish a 13.1 mile race, but the mental strength is even more important to me in many ways. I discovered at mile 10 the endurance than comes to the mind from training through the dark cold winter months. Was it snowing sideways? No. Was it thundering out? No. Was it 2am in the morning. Again No. Well there's no excuse for slowing down for the next 3.1 miles. I worked off a rolodex of harder things I've accomplished over the past several months. Running alone without anyone near by for a frame of reference? No problem. I spent 12 hours in a hospital room alone. Unsure of what I should do for my race nutation? how about frozen water bottles on the coldest runs in February.

Redemption and mercy came together in full doses as mile after mile passed and fortitude of mind and body converged. I crossed the finish line with enough energy to celebrate with a fist in the air. Still a bit tipsy as I slowed to walk through the chute leading the heat shields and water station, but thrilled by the realization not an ounce of effort either invested in the training or on race day went to waste.

I'm deeply grateful for all those who cheered. Known and unknown. My family, friends, and strangers. Closing out this chapter means a new one starts in one exceptional story.

TRAINING CYCLE STATISTICS

Cycling 156.8 miles 10:20:28 12 Days cycling

Running 746.04 miles 102:48:10 99 Days of running

79% of the runs were between Midnight and 6am with a 55 happening before 4am