During a marathon there is a point or multiple points when running becomes uncomfortable. No sh*t Sherlock, figured that out all by yourself?
I have these ‘moments’ every time I race. I ask myself ” Why did I do this? This sucks. I will never do this again!”
In my first marathon I figured that I would have reached this point around mile twenty. Many call this and know this as “hitting the wall”. But for me it started around mile seven. I thought about quitting very early. I looked over at a warm and dry gas station or fast food place and think about calling for a ride. Waiting out the storm. It was the sensible thing to do. Running a marathon in a raging storm was nuts.
Later, after mile twenty. There were times I had to slow and walk. Loads of people were passing me. It was like a stream of people.
In later marathons I was better prepared and did not walk. But I did suffer discomfort. I did have moments of “this is the last time I am doing this”. Or “this sucks, why?”. That never changes I guess.
What has changed is my response and the duration. My response is less emotional. I am more like a detached observer and I can say “oh, here we go again, this thing is happening.” The duration of these episodes is also shorter. It’s as if instead of tightening up and shutting down. I can relax, if that’s possible, keep moving and let the negativity pass.