Having trained for my first marathon throughout 2022, I became aware of the potency of a thing called 'runner's high.' This feeling of euphoria only came after constant time, effort, sweat, and determination. Many runners devote years of their lives to attain this unique feeling. The longer and harder the run, the better the feeling afterward. It left me constantly questioning how I would feel after, or if I could ever complete a marathon. It was a driving force in keeping me motivated to complete my training, but it also led to extreme anxiety and fear about whether the months of work would come to fruition. Having now completed two very different marathons, I can honestly say they are the most memorable moments of my life.
The feeling after a marathon is unparalleled with anything I have ever felt before—the self-satisfaction of proving to yourself that you were right all along. However, like any good moment, memory, or point in your life, it must come to an end. Only two minutes after I finished the Robe Run, one of my friends asked, 'Still want to do another one?' I didn't say anything at the time because I was far too exhausted, but it did stay with me for several weeks. Have I achieved everything I set out to do, or is there more? I proved to myself that I could stay disciplined, run five days a week, and most significantly, complete a marathon. I was pretty resolute with the idea of not running one for at least a year or two. However, seeing that I wasn't able to break three and a half hours, I questioned if I could achieve that on a flatter and easier course. On April 19th, I signed up for the Nike Melbourne Marathon and jumped back on the horse to start training. Having improved significantly from my first marathon, my goal time kept shifting. Eventually landing on sub-3 hours.
Now, having run my second marathon and going sub-3 hours, I can confidently say that the feeling doesn't change. I encourage anyone and everyone who believes they can run a marathon or push their running abilities to do so; it is truly eye-opening. Big things are coming for this brand as we push towards our own goals and helping others achieve theirs.