WHAT BECOMING AN ULTRA MARATHONER DURING A PANDEMIC TAUGHT ME? #MCM50K2020 #RUNWITHTHEMARINES

Photo after running 32 miles, my face is full of salt from sweat….

“One Movement at a Time”

It’s more than just the tagline for JoyFit World, I live by this each and every day.

It all started with wanting to run my first marathon as a new year goal and 2020 ended up being the year I did that and became an ultra-marathoner at the same time. 

Wow!! 

I feel like pinching myself yes!!

Running allows me to set my mind free. Nothing seems impossible. Nothing unattainable.

Kara Coucher

I remember a few years ago saying to myself I’d only run half marathons. For no particular reason, just wasn’t sure I would ever be able to do a full marathon. So, at the end of 2019, I had this crazy idea that I would run my first marathon in 2020. I wasn’t sure which one, because getting into the major marathons can be quite the task of lottery systems and raising thousands of dollars for great causes. One of my runner friends, sent me a link to get a discounted price on the New Jersey Marathon that was it for me, cheap race easy entry point. Yay me!

To know when you are really committed to running a race, you have to sign up or else it’s just a wish right?

See every run, every race, every mile I see as me shedding and becoming the best version of myself, being better than I was yesterday and conquering self. It’s that for me!!! 

Here is an account of what happened by the miles…

Mile 1-5 oh yea! we’re really doing this! Where is the sunshine ☀️ though, is it going to warm up? hmmm 

Mile 5 bathroom break out in the wild only to realize my good old hormones decided today is the day for my period to make a grand entrance.

Mile 6-13 not sure what happened but it felt like we were flying 👀 I mean if you’ve even run with superwomen Cruz you’ll know 

Mile 14-16 push it to the halfway mark to fuel uptake pictures and realized my phone was at 15% imagine running the second half without music (btw that’s when you need it most) got a little charge from our support teams then headed back out. 

Mile 17 - ohh wait, we’re almost to 20 damnnn this is feeling good so far. 

Mile 18-20 the lovely cheery Val ran with is for a few miles until another bathroom break 👀 yea it happens when you drinking water and fuel 

Mile 21, wayyyzzz usually by this time of running a marathon I start to question my idea of fun (I.e running ) 

Mile 22-25 another blur but I remembered some disrespectful bikers on the trail didn’t give warning ⚠️ and dike really close to us 

Mile 26 - yay you did another Marathon girl!!! That means you have 5 more miles to go at this point I was feeling fine, a little tiredness in the legs but overall okay. 

This is when I decided to record a video after every mile until the end 

Mile 27 - started singing to myself, all the soca songs I could remember to keep the tempo 😀

Mile 28 - yess girl you doing this keep it up, recorded a video 

Mile 29.33 - tripped on a rock and fell forward down a little elevation on my knees, braced the fall a bit with my hands but still busted my tights and bruised knees. 😭 I sat on the trail bawling my eyes out (funny thing no one was around to see 👀) after my 30 seconds cry party. Ya girl spoke to self told self we have to finish, screamed out, then got up dusted herself, recorded a video and kept on running. 

Hit Mile 30 a few minutes after the fall, I cried and spoke out loud to myself all the way to 31 (snotty nose cry too) I know the people passing and the bikers was probably thinking 🤔 (who knows 🤷🏽‍♀️) 

You can do it Joy 

You’re almost there 

One foot in front of the other 

Lift those legs and move 

This is for you 

This is your run, come on 

Mile 31 - more crying 😢😭

You did that!!!!