I remember the first time I “decided” to run a marathon. I hadn’t run more then 3 miles throughout my athletic career. In high school I was a sprinter and a pole-vaulter. It was my first year of college, and I had disclosed to my college track coach  that my dream was to run the Raid Galois’s or the Eco Challenge before I was 21. He laughed, not in a mocking manner, but just that I had not really ever experienced that kind of training. So he first challenged me to run the SF bay to breakers. It's a challenging 12k race through the hills of San Francisco. I set my mind to it, I trained for it in four weeks and ran it. It was a blast!

I came back to the coach and he said ok, now you will run a half marathon. We picked out the Lake Tahoe half. Not too hilly but the altitude makes it gnarly to get through, but I set my mind to it, I trained for it and I completed it.

And then came the marathon. It was the San Francisco Chronicle marathon. I trained for 16 weeks with Team in Training; I raised $3000 for the leukemia and lymphoma research society. The morning was cold and rainy; My boyfriend at the time was there with his roller blades to meet me at various water stations, my roommates where there, it was very exciting. I started out and the adrenaline was rushing, and I had a good pace going. Everyone was smiling and happy, we were even chatting about the latest episode of “Sex and the City.”

I thought to myself, this isn’t so bad! That happy buzz lasted about six miles.

By then it had started to rain, the pace started to slow, and my calves started to cramp. By mile 15 I thought to myself that my coach was actually trying to kill me … how could 15 miles be SO much harder then 13?? I gimped my way to 18 and thought “Holy Crap! I still have six more miles to go!”

I walked all of mile 20. My body hated me, I hated me, but I wouldn’t quite … after all this was the precursor to the big training for ironman distance triathlons, and 4 day long adventure
races. I couldn’t wuss out.

The phrase “mind over matter” took on a whole new meaning to me. I had to will myself across the finish line. And when I crossed I was greeted with cheers and high fives from my friends and from strangers! It was the most exhilarating moment of my life.

The term “runners high” took on a whole new meaning. My coach was there, beaming from ear to ear. He asked me if I had any idea about my time ... My time? I barely survived and he thought I cared about my time?

To my amazement I had run the second fastest time for my age category. I completed that marathon in 3:45. I didn’t even train at the pace! How I ran and completed a marathon at the pace was unbelievable to me. Perhaps it was the adrenaline or my desire to keep pace with others around me.

It didn't matter at that point. What did was that I did what I set out to do.

Running a marathon is a question of mind over matter. The practice, the pain and working through the pain is an experience that I encourage everyone to experience at least once in their life.

Today I currently coach a beginner's marathon program. It is one of the most rewarding things that I do. Taking people from walking to jogging to running and completing a full length marathon, seeing the joy and the change in their lives that the marathon can bring them -- this is truly inspirational. It takes people to a level of living they wouldn’t otherwise experience.

There are a few key things when training for a marathon:
  • Have a good program in place and stick to it.
  • Be consistent with your training.
  • Give  yourself permission to slow down, walk or take a crosstrain day, but never allow yourself to give up.
  • Learn as much about hydration and nutrition from the professionals as you can.
  • Relax, enjoy the experience!
Even though I could barely walk the day after my first marathon it was that experience that launched my years as an ironman distance competitive tri-athelete. And it is the mental discipline I learned from that experience that has helped me through the most trying times both personally and professionally.