Why run a marathon?

I mean, let's be honest. 26.2 miles by foot sure is a LONG way! What makes people want to endure the pain of training for months and months only to endure MORE pain for a few hours? Your entire body is taking a beating, your glycogen stores are most likely gone by mile 20 and your starting to hit the wall... and all for what? So you can hobble around for the next week? To say you finished? Well, that is certainly one of the many reasons people give, but I think there is something more than just to be able to say "I did it."

I wondered too, many years ago, why would anyone want to do such a painful thing? I assumed most had done it just to SAY they had done it. But, then I started running for a purpose. And I couldn't stop.

I ran through out high school, mostly to stay in shape. Slacked off from time and time throughout college - but, it wasn't until my senior year that I thought about running for a purpose other than to just cross the finish line.

We all ask ourselves the age old questions from time to time "why am I here?" "what is my purpose in life?" "am I happy?" I really started thinking about the answers to those questions about a year ago. Why HAD God put me on this earth? What DOES He want me to do? And then, it hit me. The wall.

I joined the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge and finished my first marathon EVER in 2010. I was of course, very nervous. Many told me I couldn't do it, I couldn't run the 26.2 miles, I couldn't fundraise the $5,000. I thought to myself "well, I'll show them, I'll finish it!" I did end up finishing the marathon and let me tell you it was TOUGH. I was definitely not prepared as well as I should have been. Physically, our bodies can definitely take it. Especially the body of a healthy 22 year old female. But, mentally - no way. Not even close.

The wall hit me way earlier than I had expected. The feeling that I just couldn't go on. It was too tough. I was too slow, it wasn't worth it. I can just hop on one of those medical busses and they will carry my slow butt to the finish line. I ran most of the race with a fellow DFMC runner and she definitely helped me push. But, as I hit the wall - knowing I had miles and miles to go - I thought "wait a minute, why am I doing this again?"

I swear, my brain did a 180 those last 6 miles. As we approached mile 25 my heart was truly in it. And for all the right reasons. It was no longer about ME finishing the race or what I'M going to get out of it. It was different. Thank the Lord that I am ABLE to run this race, that I am ABLE to make an impact in the lives of others and that through running, I could possible serve Him. I knew running for Dana-Farber was a worthy cause, but it wasn't until I saw the faces of the children and families who had come out to support us at mile 25 (the DFMC cheering section) that I truly knew why I was running.

We all run for different reasons. Some run to stay in shape, some run to say they did it, some run simply because they can. We all run the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge for different reasons too. Whether its a loved one who was treated at the DFCI/Jimmy Fund Clinic, a friend, a colleague, or someone we know who has had/has cancer - we are all running in hopes that some day, those that we are running for will be able to run with us.

God has truly blessed me with a wonderful gift. That gift is two working legs, a clean bill of health and the drive to never give up the fight. We all have the power in us to love one another. To help one another. To do ALL we can to support one another, and we CAN do it.

Philippians 4:13