In 2012, I made a decision to run 450 km in less than 30 days, I was hoping to raise money to CCC (Colon Cancer Canada) which I did. But that is not the point of this post. I had no plan what so ever on how to implement that, I am not a thinker, I like to start doing things and learn as I do, and boy I learned, I learned so much. First, I learned that I was stupid. No worried, I am not putting myself down, I am just stating a fact that I couldn’t see back then.
My “plan” was run as much as you can every day till you hit 450 km in as less days as possible. SO, my first day of run I figured I will run towards down town and back, that will give me a great head start since I was living back then in Thornhill, which is approximately 21 km, so I figured going down and back will give me a great start.
So I set the alarm to Saturday, 5 am, got up, had coffee, meditate and off I go, took $5 in my pocket for some water and that was it, didn’t even take my cellphone with me, you should know that I wasn’t a runner by any means, yes, I was in great shape, but my expertise back then was weights, spinning and yoga. But I thought how hard could it be running 43 km on a Saturday morning on an empty stomach. Everything went good at the first 17 / 18 km, I was happy and fulled, the problem started when I hit the 22 km, that was when I was suppose to start my going back, which was aside to the fact harder due the the length of what I have already did, it was also slight up the hill.
Just before I turned left towards young street on Queens-Quay W I got light headed, dizzy and my legs felt like they need some break, since I already used the $5 to get some water, I went into Starbucks and asked kindly for an espresso, the person in the front felt me and was kind enough to grant my wish. I pored 3 brown sugars in and zipped the coffee quickly, I even took one extra sugar with me, I felt it might be helpful, since in my head I had to rush and finish this stupid run.
So I kept going, I was drugging myself in what could have been looked like a run but felt more like a very slow motion of painful walking, all I could think of was; why, why, whyyyyyy didn’t I take my phone with me, I could have called my husband to come and pick me up, although he was still sleeping, but I also remembered that I didn’t want any distractions when I run so I kept going while I was cursing myself on my stupidity. it “only” took close to 5 hours to get home and when I say close I mean really close to 5 not like 4 and a half.
So I kept going, I was drugging myself in what could have been looked like a run but felt more like a very slow motion of painful walking, all I could think of was; why, why, whyyyyyy didn’t I take my phone with me, I could have called my husband to come and pick me up, although he was still sleeping, but I also remembered that I didn’t want any distractions when I run so I kept going while I was cursing myself on my stupidity. it “only” took close to 5 hours to get home and when I say close I mean really close to 5 not like 4 and a half.
On the high 30 something km I barely felt my legs, it was more like carrying 2 standing rocks, For nearly 4 days, I could barely stand, sit, walk or even breath, it was so painful. On one end I was so bummed because I couldn’t see myself doing it in less than 30 days, I literally couldn’t, on the other, I had to, since people donated money to this run, I promised donors that I will run 1 km for every $10 they donate, so it was must be done.
Why I am sharing this long post with you so many years after. well, first, because it is an experience that I will never forget lol. second, because looking backwards, I can pinpoint to so many lessons I gained by doing it and finishing it, in 26 days. That makes it to an average of 17.5 km a day.
After that Saturday, I sat down and started to figure how I can do it in the best way that will work for me.
So here are some of my lessons:
- even when you think you don’t have a plan, you do have something, and that something in most cases is enough to start with, you can always change as you go. My goal was to run 450 km in less than 30 days, my allegedly plan was to run every day as many km as possible and we know that didn’t work. especially when I was still working with my clients.
- When I was reading about marathons I realized that if I knew before hand everything I knew after, there is no way I was committing myself to such a thing, and I am glad I didn’t know. So maybe, sometimes it is best to know so much before you go.
- My mind is my worst enemy and my best friend at the same time.
- I learned to appreciate recovery, resting, proper fulling for the body
- This pushed me to dive in dipper into sports nutrition and got myself sports nutrition certificate.
- I learned that a plan to start something and finishing the some something could be totally different and yet the same. I mean, after the 4 days I couldn’t do anything, I figured I will run 15 km and see, and as I was running, I was afraid I wouldn’t finish it in less then 30 days, so I tried to figured what I can do. Eventually I went with what I knew. I knew that running 10 km for me is nothing, so I tested how it will feel if I will run 4 times a day (on the days I can) 10 km, that will give me time to eat, drink and rest properly between each run, and on the days I didn’t had enough time I could do 17.5 km in the am plus another run that I can get in the pm, what ever I could squeeze. and it worked.
- I learned that sometimes over dramatizing things doesn’t really help. meaning, as I was reading about marathons I found so much information about shoes, and bottle waters that could be wear as light back-bag and so on, so at time for few days I found myself running with a “whole running store” on my back and it felt like bbhhaa, so I started looking again what works for me.
- I learned that it doesn’t matter what you choose to do, at the end of the day, no one would care but yourself, and that is beautiful. Since this gave me an amazing opportunity to really appreciate myself.
I could have gone on and on, this is the first time I am sharing my marathon experience so openly and so detailed, so I am sorry it is a very long post, but in case you are heading to do your first marathon, make sure you know who you are before you start your journey, you wont be the same person after.
With love and gratitude.
Ilan Halfon.
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