Nothing exposes one’s ignorance and blatant disregard for personal health quite like attempting to run a marathon after very little training. The rigor of my coursework this semester in tandem with my aversion to running in cold weather doomed my preparation over the past eight weeks. Achieve a personal record in last weekend’s race I did not.
Nonetheless, the D.C. Rock n’ Roll marathon was extremely rewarding as the three and a half hours I spent running sparked a great deal of reflection. Namely, I ruminated on what drives me to continually place myself in such a mentally and physically taxing environment as well as what exact role running will play in my life moving forward.
Lessons learned:
- I have a great deal of mental fortitude. As I touch on in the vlog, the race was almost entirely mental— some three hours of pushing myself through every step. In preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (the MCAT), I can take comfort in this experience of great mental strain. Surely if I can endure over three and a half hours of running, a seven hour test can’t be that bad.
- A marathon cannot be entirely mental. Though I certainly had the mental wherewithal to press through the entirety of the marathon, it is an approach that is utterly unsustainable. This race and my lackluster finish reminded me how important training is. I cannot rely on my body to consistently perform at a similar level just because of my history of doing well in other races. Nothing can take the place of actual preparation.
work//life 