Why does someone decide to run a marathon? – 02/06/2023 – On the Run

Why run a marathon?

For each person there will be a different answer to this question. In general, the explanation lies in the “search for challenges” or in the worn-out term “overcoming”. More generally, this answer satisfies. But if you dig deeper, you’ll find very specific reasons why someone tackles a 42km marathon.

I speak for myself. Next Sunday, I run my second marathon. The first, in 2018, I did without a coach, without a spreadsheet, and without looking at the clock. I wanted to prove to myself that I could run the distance without stopping. Why? Just because. It took me a while, but I arrived. I could finally tell the world that I was a marathon runner.

Meeting such a challenging goal had a discouraging effect on my training routine. What else could I dream of, if I had already conquered the grail (I mean the holy grail, not the gas station) of the amateur racer?

Then came job change, pandemic, new challenges. Growing son, growing belly. The roadmap common to most earthlings in 2020-2021.

Last year I started running hard again, this time with the help of a coach. And I set myself a goal: to do a marathon lowering (and a lot!) my time from five years ago. It would no longer be a walk, it would be a race. Accelerating was no longer a detail to become a priority.

Five years later, with less muscle and more fat, would I be able to outdo myself? For anyone who has crossed the middle-age line, this challenge signals an attempt to deny my inevitable aging. A way of showing life that I’m here, firm and strong, and that the weight of age wouldn’t get in my way.

In short: the second marathon became my race against aging, in which pace is measured in years.

What would be the scenario for this challenge? I don’t see a better destination than Porto Alegre. The race is fast and flat, something important for someone looking to improve their own time. It is also a city that I know superficially. I want to take advantage of my “city tour” of 42 kilometers on foot and be dazzled by walking through streets and avenues that I have never seen before.

How does this story end? On Sunday I hope to write another chapter, the second, in my marathon memoir. I don’t know if it ends well, but I anticipate that it will have suspense, drama and maybe a little terror. And, although it’s too early to say, I don’t think it’s time to put an end to this story. Time advances at a strong pace, but it won’t catch up with me. Not for now.

Want to know how the story ended? I’ll try to tell you a little more about the race on my Instagram profile @rodrigofloresnacorrida. And tell us in the comments why you ran or intend to run a marathon. Open your heart!

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