My First Marathon
Since I was a kid, I was always interested in running and exercise in general. My parents used to take me to the park every weekend, so I could get some fresh air, play some sports, and just enjoy the warmth of the sun. I kept this as part of my routine and it wasn’t until my college years that I started to develop a passion for running.
It all started one day when a friend and I were discussing our weekend activities. My friend suggested going for a jog and I thought that sounded like a great idea! So we did just that and despite feeling totally exhausted for the rest of the day, I felt refreshed and re-energized afterwards. After that, I decided to make running a part of my weekly routine.
My first race was a 5K in which I managed to finish with a time of 24 minutes. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment and because of that I decided to start training for a longer distance. After a few months of consistent running and training I was ready to take on my first marathon race.
On the day of the race, I was filled with an overflowing feeling of excitement and nerves. I started the race with dozens of other participants. As I began to hit the 7th mile, the sun started to beat down on my skin and the muscles in my legs started to tire. It felt as if my legs were no longer part of my body and my breathing became staggered. The thought of giving up crossed my mind multiple times, but I persisted.
When I crossed the finish line I felt a huge sense of accomplishment! More than anything, it felt amazing to be surrounded by people that shared the same feeling of accomplishment as I had. I was presented with my medal and I remember thinking that I wanted to make it to the finish line in the future, too.
My first marathon was both a mentally and physically challenging experience. Additionally, it was an incredible way for me to push my physical and mental limits and a great way for me to interact with others that shared the same passion as I did. I plan on continuing to train and race in the future and seeing what more I can achieve through this amazing sport.
