SF Marathon Recap

So I did it, it's done.  I jogged 1 mile of the San Francisco Marathon as planned, took a photo of the 'Mile 1' flag, and then proceeded to walk back to the starting line, against the grain of the oncoming runners who were just getting started, took off my bib, and then jogged back to my car and headed home.

What a strange feeling.  I've never done that before, not finished a race (except for a bike race I did a while back, where I took a wrong turn and ended prematurely).  It was a great contrast, the energy of the start of the race with everyone going in one direction, compared to the calm and stillness and quiet of the walk back, against the grain.  It seemed like everyone was looking at me, wondering who I was, what I was doing.  Maybe some of them thought I finished the race already, maybe some of them didn't have an idea.

I didn't really mind.  I was just taking it all in.  The past 12 weeks of training for this moment, the injury to my knee which prevented me from completing the race, the decision to go anyway, to walk 1 mile and be done with it.  It was better for me to show up, pick up my stuff, prepare as if I was going to complete it, and do a small part versus just not showing up at all.  And it was worth it.

It's brings closure to my marathon career, no more 26.2 milers for me, I've decided.  Just halfs from now on, so much easier on the body, so much more efficient to prepare, so much easier to recover.  And it also brings closure to this block of training.  I've learned a lot through the whole process, especially dealing with setbacks and the emotions that can be tough to deal with.  You train for so long, with so much effort and dedication, only to see all of it washed away with an injury that requires you to set aside you goals for now.  Dealing with that, the way I did, was pretty cool.  The way I'm wired, I like to finish everything I start, and in this way, I did.

And you know what, just for me to jog 1 mile of that race, when so many other people will never have the chance even to do that, is a blessing and something I will never take for granted.