Mel On...Keeping My Head Up

The only thing that hurt more than my feet the next morning was going downstairs for breakfast and hearing everyone talk about their finishing times....4:45, 4:38, 3:57....I found myself trying to avoid telling people my time.  I know, I know, I know...I finished.  That was my goal.  I DID IT....but it still smarted...


John and the kids were so proud of me, they were telling everyone that I ran the marathon too.  I knew that if they could be proud of me then I should be proud of me too...besides, I was able to hold my head up high when I had to walk during the race, so there is no reason I shouldn't be able hold my head up high now...

And, if it was anyone else, I would have told them they were crazy to be embarrassed by finishing a 26 point friggin' 2 mile race, for reaching their goal, for doing something that so few people even attempt to do...

I would have reminded them of some of my favorite running quotes:

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last.  You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."

"It is very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners.  Eventually, you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants to quit." 

"There is no way you can fail when you are in control and the judge of what constitutes success.  Anything you do over and above what you normally do is to your benefit.  You're still doing more than before.  Everyone who runs a marathon is a winner, regardless of how long it takes..."

"Don't attach 'covert agendas' to the process.  Run the marathon.  Finish the marathon.  Don't worry about time limits, beating someone, losing weight, not walking...Don't go 26.2 miles and think failure."

If it were anyone else I would have shook them silly.  But, it isn't easy getting your mind to listen to what you would or would not have told someone else...no matter how hard you try sometimes.  This was hands down the most physically and mentally challenging thing that I have ever done (and I have birthed two children).  Yes, it took me over 6 hours to finish...but I finished...I did it...and, as hard as it is to not compare my race to the race of others, I will keep that head up...or at least try to...afterall....I DID IT!