A marathon is hard, extremely hard, but not nearly as hard as training for a marathon.

I ran this because I felt like pushing myself. I quit rowing in my first year of University and I found it depressing not having anything to release stress. I took up running and said I would finish this marathon no matter what, so I did. I trained 6-7 times a week with the rule that at minimum I would do 5km or two laps around UVic every day I would run.

The training overall was difficult, not because I was pushing myself to extreme levels but because it was all me. I had to get up and go, nobody was waiting for me, nobody wants or needs me to do this other than me. Most weeks I put in around 50km with some good weeks doubling that. Running became something that although I hated getting up to do, once I started I never wanted to stop.

I distinctly remember one run in particular that I felt this, it was 8pm when I started. I was to run towards downtown from UVic. I had run this route before once but never as far as I was planning. I started the run tired and upset at a program I couldn’t get to compile. 45 minutes later I woke up and realized that I was basically at beacon hill park. I was completely zoned out and relaxed, my legs hurt but I didn’t notice, that feeling of wanting to sprint came onto me and I felt like I could run forever. It was a amazing experience and I smiled the entire time. I finally understood the runners high people love and I can see why not.

That is what my experience is like with running, I hope more people with give it a shot and I will continue to run and progress.