Life lessons learned from my marathon experience

Lesson #4.
DREAM. Dream big! Completing a marathon is a challenge that many, if not most, people would never even think of, let alone attempt. Therein lies the value. In committing to this objective, I gave myself permission to fail and, in doing so, to keep trying until I succeeded. No one, including myself, ever thought I would make it. Don't be afraid to dream big dreams. They are the stuff that life is made of. No matter what your status, situation or age, decide what you want to do, then move toward it. I am living proof that it is possible.

Lesson #3.
KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE. For the last twenty years, I've had on the wall just above my desk a sheet of paper with 26:385 in 72-font bold script. This is exact distance of a marathon. It was always in the corner of eye and, therefore, continuously in the back of my mind. I cannot say I consciously thought about it, but now that I've accomplished my goal I can tell you that I looked at it often. Writing things down does two things: it clarifies thought and instills commitment. Write your goal down, put it on the wall in front of you and look at it every day. The mind is a wondrous thing. It will work on your behalf, knowing you were meant to accomplish this.

Lesson #2.
ACT. The one thing that contributed most to my success in this endeavor was the fact that I was prepared to pay the price required. My daily commitment to making training a priority, to extending this commitment to other areas of my life including nutrition and non-running activities during my injury period, all of which combined to ensure my success. The final outcome was guaranteed by the daily actions I did over the entire six months prior to the race. It wasn't the race that was important, it was what I did to prepare for the race. The after-race feelings were almost anti-climactic, although I enjoyed the attention and admiration that came my way. I look back now and realize that my actions were my success, not the outcome.

Lesson #1.
FIGHT THE FEAR. Of all the lessons I've learned through this experience, by far the most powerful one is the realization that my biggest obstacle was fear: fear of injury, fear of loss of face, fear of pain, fear of failure. This was never more evident than when I drove the marathon route the day before the race. The scope of my challenge became huge, as did the fears that came with my decision. I wavered many times during that last day, but kept coming back to one thing: what did I really have to lose? In that one question came the resolve to do my best and give my all. And in the end that was all that was required. Fate brought me a quote in the last week before my marathon experience. I posted it above my desk and read in numerous times as race day approached:

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do." Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)

And now, on to the next challenge,

Michael