LIFE IS A MARATHON…

Last Sunday, I participated in the Amsterdam Marathon . It was the first marathon I participated in; I ran 42 km 195 m. I would like to share that it was a very interesting and difficult experience for me.
In the excitement of preparing for the run for the last five months, I didn't realize that I had pushed my limits a little too far, because I learned that I had injured my knee a month before the run. I was first demoralized because I had such a health problem before the race I was going to participate in. Then, after talking to my doctor, I decided to continue with the promise that I wouldn't push myself too hard on speed.
The Amsterdam run, which is a very popular and highly attended marathon course, started with a large crowd. At the 11th km of the race, my foot got caught by other runners and I fell. I saw that my elbow and injured knee were bleeding. I twisted a little and started walking. I didn’t stop or sit down. When I moved forward, I saw the medical teams and they dressed the wounds on my arm and knee. Taking a break from running like this had demoralized me. I remember having ups and downs about continuing. But I had been preparing for this run for the past 5 months. It wouldn’t be right to leave it half-done like this.
At the break station, I ate a banana and drank water, and started running, albeit slowly.
Around 30 kilometers; something strange happened. I felt like my body was split in two. I couldn't feel my legs below my waist. As if I didn't have legs. I was moving. And suddenly I saw that I was in the sky; I saw someone running on the ground. That person running resembles me... It's me. Yes, I'm both in the sky and running on the ground. But I look at the me running; it has no legs. I'm very surprised. How could something like this happen? From the sky; I watch myself running and I'm running without my legs. I don't remember exactly how many kilometers I ran with this feeling and surprise. I was in very strange feelings.
I suddenly heard someone asking me a question in my native language. A person from the running group I was a member of, ADIM ADIM, started asking me something. I don't remember. I think he started running with me because he realized I wasn't in a good shape. He was trying to encourage me by running together since I was very close to finishing the race. With the feeling that I wasn't alone, I started to run with more energy. I lost myself in the crowd, and thanks to my supporter, I looked and saw that I had entered the last kilometers. I couldn't finish the run in the time frame I planned (4 hours and 20 minutes). But I didn't give up and quit halfway. I completed it in 5 hours and 5 minutes. When I examined the statistics sent after the run; when I met the person I met in the last 4 kilometers of the race and who encouraged me; my running speed doubled. I experienced once again how important it is to know that we are not alone and to receive support.
Will I ever run a Marathon again? I don't know. The 5 hour 5 minute experience I had showed me; Life itself is a marathon. We dream in our lives, we make plans, and with events that develop outside of us; plans may not come true. Our morale gets low. We stumble. We fall. It is important to continue when we get back on our feet. We can stop and rest. I think it is very important to continue by looking at which direction we are going. To continue without giving up.
And most importantly, to continue on our journey by gaining strength from and sharing with people we love and trust.
Chasing our dreams.
Ozlem Tuna