Silver Linings to My Marathon Woes

I have run 13 marathons.  Nine of those marathons were actual races.  Eight of those races were Boston Marathon Qualifiers, and in every attempt, I failed to qualify for the elite Boston Race.

In a recent Blog Post, I did my best to identify whatever silver linings (life lessons) I could find in the midst of feeling very disappointed at having failed in my ultimate marathon goal I had been working on since January 2011.  

Last Saturday, in New Braunfels, Texas, I found another silver lining by recording a new personal best for the half-marathon race distance.
I also finished first in my age group (I love small town road races!  SMILE)  My time was 1 hour 32 minutes and 36 seconds (1:32.36).  I am making progress toward reaching my mid-term goal (sub 1:30), and my ultimate goal (sub 1:20).

The BEST part about the entire race was that I was able to avoid the dreaded "WALL" that almost always cuts my legs off somewhere during the second 13 miles of a full marathon.  I cannot adequately express how much more I like running half marathons than marathons.  It was wonderful beyond words to be able to finish after 13.1 miles instead of merely being half done with the race with a growing knowledge that the "WALL" is looming.  While a marathon is twice as long as a half-marathon, it often feels about 10 times harder.  

Chances are good that someday (perhaps in my 50s or 60s), I will have the time and opportunity to put in the necessary training to finally accomplish my elusive Boston Marathon goal.  In the meantime, I am genuinely enjoying the next chapter of my running career, which will not include races beyond 13 miles.  I can hardly wait to keep working and improving at shorter distances, which I have more talent in anyway.  I am having more fun and enjoying running more since my retirement from the marathon distance.  I love half-marathons!  Thank God for the silver linings in the storm clouds of life.