Finding Inspiration During the Portland Marathon
By Christina Rainey
Deciding to run the marathon was a tough one, not only because of the difficulty of running 26.2 miles, but because of the time away from my two year old, Lauren, and spouse, Paul. Training started in April and at first, the time commitment wasn’t too significant but by the time I was running 16 or 18 miles, I was away from them for hours at a time. Finally my training got up to 20 miles and I started to develop a knee ache. Finishing the marathon, much less even starting it, seemed to be a daunting and distant goal. I was heartbroken, not only because I had spent months preparing for my dream, but because I had sacrificed time away from my family.
Luckily, I found a chiropractor who specialized in sports injuries and after a few weeks, I was back running 6 miles. I was going to run the Portland Marathon! It was a goal I had for so long and now it seemed in sight. The next challenge was the weather. The Portland Marathon was October 10, 2010, and the forecast called for heavy rain. That morning it was pouring down rain! Here we go, I thought.
Running the marathon was much more difficult that I had ever imagined. Not only was it physically challenging it was also mentally challenging. It rained for hours, at times heavy rains, and wind. Aches and pains plagued me for miles and it was incredibly difficult. Lauren and my husband, Paul met me at the mile 19 marker. Getting to that point was difficult and at many times I didn’t know how I would finish the marathon and seeing them showing their support was just enough inspiration to carry me on for the remaining seven miles. The next seven miles to the finish line were difficult but their encouragement and motivation helped carry me through. When I crossed the finish line, I was overwhelmed with feelings of completion, success and joy to complete my goal.
Someday I hope I can share this story with Lauren and tell her that she was not only the motivation to run a marathon but also to keep going when it going got tough.
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