Slow Victory
Mar. 21st, 2012 05:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
angela_n_hunt
7 hours, 13 minutes.
That’s how long it took me to finish the marathon. But I *finished.*
I’m still processing. It’s why you got no post on Monday and only are getting this one now. I only just ordered my photos from MarathonFoto and as soon as I get them, I will scan and upload the two I chose, one of me running and one of me holding up my medal at the finish line.
Until then, I share this one with you, because after everything, it was the only place I wanted my medal to be. Laid at the feet of Nike Athena in profound gratitude.
Labor was still harder than running the marathon. For one, the marathon was over sooner, even at plus seven hours. But that’s about all I can write about it yet.
Like standing at the bottom of my first firewalk and realizing I’d gotten across unburned, here at the end of my first marathon, I am not the same person I was at the beginning of the marathon, anymore than I am the same person that stood at the head of that first fire.
And like that first taste of fire, I have to do this again.
It was fucking hard.
It was also fucking incredible.
I made it.
Originally published at Angela N. Hunt. You can comment here or there.
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no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 05:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 05:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 06:32 pm (UTC)Have really enjoyed reading what you've written through this particular journey.
*lovelovelove*
no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 06:34 pm (UTC)As the Marine vet with his daughter at Mile 19 yelled at me as he gave me a high five, "Finishing is winning!"
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Date: 2012-03-21 06:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 06:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 07:37 pm (UTC)Finished.
Didn't throw up.
And still walk. Then not only did you do it but you did it well and mighty.
Yay!
Anon
no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 07:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 08:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 08:11 pm (UTC)Thank you.
On my bad knee days, I run with knee supports. Works a treat, though I don't know if that would work in your situation. I was coveting the space age knee supports they were selling at the race expo...
The Mad Model Says:
Date: 2012-03-22 02:16 am (UTC)Re: The Mad Model Says:
Date: 2012-03-22 01:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-22 03:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-25 12:31 am (UTC)These kinds of things are addictive. I realised that yesterday, as I stood at the 'track' for the Kumeu Relay for Life. It wasn't "our" Relay since ours had been cancelled, but I wanted to at least make it to one this year. I did 2 laps, they were more symbolic than anything that counted (well, 1 was symbolic, the 2nd was trying to find the merchandise cart that was being pushed around).
I realised I am addicted to doing Relays. There's a feeling in the air, a shared comraderie you don't get at other kinds of sporting events really. Because when you do something like Relay or a marathon, it's all you. You need to keep yourself going. You need to push yourself. Others are there to cheer you on or support you, but in the end you prove you can do it.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-25 12:40 am (UTC)Exactly. It's not about anyone else. It's not about competition the way that people think about it, because of the difficulty level. And yeah, it's addictive and amazing and wonderful.