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Runner's Stories
My Marathon Experience
by Pat Hanley
I decided to run my first marathon , the Marine Corp ,because it was my 55th birthday. It seemed like it would be a unique way to spend my day (and convince myself that getting older was no big deal!). That simple decision led to some of the most special moments in my life.
After training for half-marathons on my own, it seemed like a good idea to get real help,so I joined Palm Beach Marathon Training, where I met my running guru Bob Anderson. He handed me a sheet of paper with lots of lines and numbers on it. The numbers got really BIG towards the bottom-the dreaded training schedule! As I looked it over I began to question my decision. It looked like a long lonely road. But as I showed up for my runs Bob would introduce me to people- “Patty this is Jennifer. She’s running Marine Corp as her first”, “Here comes
Edna. Marine Corp is her first too”. And I wasn’t alone anymore.
Four months sounds like a long time, but to us the weeks flew by as we planned our runs together. We celebrated our good runs and commiserated over our bad runs and shared advice and encouragement to keep each other going.Because of my running buddies the training went from something I dreaded to the highlight of my week! And the miles piled up ,time flew, and just like that the race was upon us.
The Marine Corp Marathon is touted as the “people’s marathon” and great for first timers and it certainly lived up to that. Race day the weather was perfect-sunny and 40 degrees. As I made my way to the starting line I felt good. I had a plan I was comfortable with and I was more excited than nervous. I remember seeing the running color guard getting ready.While I’m all bundled up in old ski clothes,they’re standing there in red tee shirts with 75lb. backpacks and combat boots! I really couldn’t complain after seeing that.
One of the things that totally amazed me was how many spectators came out to cheer us on! Over 100,000 bystanders were taking the time root for me-a total stranger! As funny as it sounds the race didn’t seem that long to me because there was so much to take in along the way. Oh look , it’s the Washington monument! Hey, there’s Monticello..Oh wow..the Capitol building! I was a running tourist! I loved reading all the signs people made. “ If it was easy I’d be doing it!”, “black toenails are sexy” and my personal favorite, on the back of a young female runner, “the hell with a medal, give me a marine!” There was a wonderful esprit de corp among all of us that I’ve never felt in any other race.We all had a long way to go together.
During all of my long training runs I would start to feel the pain around miles 16-18,so imagine my joy when I passed those mileposts still going strong.As I passed the 20 mile marker with no pain I couldn’t believe it! But by mile 22 pain became my constant companion-it wouldn’t be a marathon without it! I soldiered on, talking myself to the next light -,the next sign-just keep moving because if I stopped I would die! And finally I reached mile 26 and there it was, THE HILL to Iwo Jima. My fantasy at this point was to charge up that hill and across the finish line in a blaze of glory.My reality was barely a shuffle chanting “don’t stop don’t stop don’t stop”. But I will never forget the sight of all those marines lining that hill urging us on. I saw some of them step out of the line and run with people to help them up that hill. And then I saw MY marine standing at the top shouting to me “come on! You’ve got this! Only 400 ft to the finish!” And there it was.
I have a lot of great pictures from this day,but my favorite is the one I’ve sent along with this article, because it was taken right at that moment when I topped the hill and turned the corner to see the finish line.The moment I knew I’d done it!! And as I crossed that line with arms barely raised due to exhaustion I realized I had not run a marathon…I had become a MARATHONER.
Pat Hanley, Marathon Runner
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Strands Fitness:
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Road Runners Club of America:
he RRCA is dedicated to supporting the growth of grassroots running clubs, training programs, and running events while promoting the common interests of runners throughout the United States.
Runners Space:
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