Just Another Runner’s Perspective June 2024 By Gale Fischer
Why a Marathon?
“I dare you to train for a marathon and not have it change your life.” —Susan Sidoriak
10/19/1997, Chicago, Illinois: An array of emotions swept over me ranging from excitement to intrigue as we hurried from checkpoint to checkpoint cheering on our friend Clay. I had tried running in the past and always felt that my level of endurance was decent. I could go out for three or four miles anytime I had tried, even if it had been a year or two since my last run. Up until today, I hadn’t possessed any kind of a passion for running nor had I considered myself a runner. Watching Clay pass through each checkpoint as he made his way to another marathon finish ignited a fire deep in my soul. I couldn’t imagine the possibility of trying to complete the distance myself but as I watched Clay, along with twenty thousand other runners, I felt like it was something I wanted to attempt. I came back home and ran four miles the next day. I had months of training ahead of me before I could identify as a marathoner, or a runner for that matter, but the life transition had begun.
One does not need to run twenty-six miles to identify as part of the running community. Some take on the half-marathon and distances shorter than this, while others search for a more obscure type of physical test, training for and attempting running events fifty kilometers to one hundred miles and beyond. There are also those in the running community who never sign up to race but still put in a consistent regimen of miles each week. So what is it that draws one to the marathon distance? Before we dive into an answer to this question let's look into the early history of endurance running for the human species.
A 2007 National Geographic article written by James Owens titled, Humans Were Born to Run, Fossil Study Suggests, delves into the theory that our ancestors were well-equipped to run long distances.“ Researchers have identified a range of physical traits that suggest human ancestors evolved as distance runners. These adaptations helped them chase down prey and compete more effectively with the speedier carnivores on the open plains of Africa, the study says.”
Pre-historic human beings may not have been able to hunt their prey by sprinting to catch them but survived because of their built-in genetic endurance. With patience, they were able to capture and kill their food source. Of course, in time the development of weapons and eventually the conception of an agricultural system made running long distances not such an essential part of human survival.
Knowing that our ancestors used endurance running as a way of finding a source of food might suggest that running a marathon or multiple marathons is something that many were destined to do. How then did a distance of twenty-six miles and three hundred, eighty-five yards come into play? The legend of the marathon goes back to a Greek Myth dated back to 490 BC. At the time a clash known as the Battle of Marathon took place between Greece and the invading Persians. Greece, the underdog, won the battle and sent a messenger named Pheidippides, a distance of twenty-five miles to Athens to deliver the good news. After completing the journey on foot and making the announcement he collapsed and died. Nearly two thousand, four hundred years later, organizers of the first Olympic Games held in Greece, in 1886, wanted to recreate the run that Pheidippides completed, using the same course. The Olympic event was named the Marathon because of the Battle of Marathon. The current distance was modified to 26.2 miles for the 1908 London Olympic Games when Queen Alexandra requested that the race start in front of Windsor Castle, adding extra distance to the race.
A string of events compiled over many years led to what has become a popular Olympic event as well as a sought-after race distance for many novice runners. According to Racewaves.com, race distances such as the 5K, 10K, and half-marathon are ahead of the marathon in terms of number of individuals finishing each distance. The marathon is definitely not the most popular distance among runners but for those who attempt its distance, there is often a love/hate relationship.
The marathon must hold some kind of magic spell on its participants. With the physical and mental effort required to finish such a distance, as well as the hours of training required to get to the start line, the desire for some to sign on remains a mystery for many. A Runner’s World article written by Dane Rauschenberg and published in January 2015, titled, 52 Reasons to Run a Marathon, discusses several reasons that support why anyone might choose to run this magical distance. Although many of these reasons discussed in the article are legitimate, there are a few in particular that hit home for me.
“Exuberance—The marathon is mythical. While you can get an amazing high from tackling any race distance, conquering the mother of all races gives you a high which is hard to duplicate.” When I ran my first marathon this was something that I was not expecting. Instantly, after crossing the finish line, I witnessed a contradiction of feelings unlike anything else I had ever experienced. Physically my body was in misery. Emotionally, however, I was sky-high. I have run a total of forty-five marathons to date with some being more challenging than others, but with each, this high created from the contradiction of the physical and emotional has always been present.
“Inspire others—Doesn’t matter if you are speeding to a PR, crawling to the finish, or anything in between, someone on the sidelines is going to start running soon because of seeing you push through the distance.” This is one of the most thrilling parts of running for me. It is always one of my hopes to be the seed that initiates the process for someone else to make a positive life change or even transform their lives through running. Being a runner on a marathon course may put me in the position of inspiration but this inspiration is a two-way street. There are always many examples of others on the course inspiring me.
“Self-confidence—That whole conquering the beast thing? Yeah, with the beast being slayed, daily tasks will seem simple by comparison. If you could bottle the self-confidence you have after finishing a marathon and sell it, you’d be a billionaire.” The confidence that comes from completing a marathon can spill into all aspects of life and lead to positive experiences not necessarily directly related to running. This sense of accomplishment is amazing. The thrill might be similar to what a professional football player experiences after scoring a touchdown or a rock star feels when belting out a number one hit in front of an arena filled with fanatics. You probably will never have the chance to perform as a professional athlete or musician but running a marathon might be a reasonable goal.
“Camaraderie—Run 26.2 miles with someone and you just made yourself a new best friend. That’s some deep existential sharing.” The connection made with a stranger out on a marathon course is unlike any other. Although most of these friendships are short-lived, there are few other examples of sharing moments when you are at your worst followed by moments when things couldn’t be better. It’s hard to imagine that this social phenomenon can occur over a four or five-hour stretch when running a marathon.
The rush that I experienced from my first marathon finish has been difficult to replicate, but the array of emotions has been present for each marathon that I have run. The combination of nervousness, anxiousness, pride, and excitement has become sort of an addiction. Many of these feelings are common with running and/or racing any distance, but in my experience, the marathon always seems to raise the level of elation that comes from running. It’s almost a model for life, as it can knock you down while also placing you on top of the world. The energy level on a marathon course is unlike anything I have ever experienced. It is magical and electrifying. Each participant has a story. These individual stories center around overcoming obstacles, making a positive life change, redemption, and exercising demons. Running a marathon can provide each participant the ideal opportunity to learn some things about themselves that they might not have previously known.
“If you’re losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon.” —Kathrine Switzer
KEEP RUNNING!!
Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.
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