The Worst and Best Experience of my Life.

Throughout my high school years, I participated on my school’s Cross Country and Track Teams. Although I was never a bad runner, I was never extraordinary compared to my peers. However, during my senior year, two of my friends and I decided to undertake a marathon.

A marathon was extremely daunting as I normally ran 3.1-mile races, while this would be 26.2 miles. However as soon as my track season finished, I immediately began preparing for the marathon. I slowly built up my endurance over months until I was able to run 20 miles in one run. I was now ready for a real attempt.

My two friends and I drove out to Virginia and spent an anxious night worrying. We left our Airbnb at 5:30 AM and by 7 it was time for the race to start. The thing I was least prepared for was the amount of time I would consecutively be running. By the halfway point I was already tired of the tedious motion of putting one foot in front of the other. However, I had finished the first half in one hour and fifty-eight minutes, which made my seemingly unrealistic goal of finishing in under four hours possible. I kept focused and by the time I had 3 miles left I had never been this so exhausted my life. I had separated from both my friends, and I only had my music to keep me going. Eventually I finished with a time of three hours and fifty-three minutes, and I had never been more satisfied and sore in my life. Overall, though it was extremely difficult, it was an unbelievably valuable experience I will cherish forever.