Track and Field Blogs - Allen Wagner

There are only two events where runners of all abilities get together to test their true grit. One is cross-country and the other is the marathon. The most talented, fastest, and toughest runners can be brought to their knees in these two great events.

Yes cross-country is amazing and yes the US Champ in Cross is also the US Marathon Champ but the marathon is what I know so this is what my blog is about.

The greatest public stage for runners to display their talent is the marathon. This stage, this grand example of the struggle of man's willingness to push himself farther, faster and higher is shared by the last person who takes six hours to finish 26 miles and the prodigy who takes just over two hours.

Why is the marathon the greatest test of a runner, because never has a human been able to confront his own weakness at his greatest moment of pain and realize that he must still go 10 more kilometers. Then and only then is the deepest most primal emotions evoked, flight or fight! That is 15,000 years of hunting animals for survival. As my venerable Coach Jay Birmingham would say you are the product of many generations of success you the reader are a miracle of your ancestors. Just the possibility that you the reader exist is because of the success of your ancestors surviving all of the hardships that besought them.

When do you lose your innocence when do you lose your child like optimism of the world? How does modern man protected by its first world society test itself? it is the bone grinding, stomach wrenching reality of bringing your body to the brink of failure after twenty-two miles of self-flagellation. Then and only then you realize there is no help there is no haven there is only your self resolve to grind on towards the finish. Right before you reach the end the purification process of your suffering is complete and a singular thought is born into your consciousness and this thought is the only thing that kept you going. What is more crazy is at the beginning of your 26.2 mile journey you the runner have no idea that this little thought worked its way through the most primal regions of your mind, through the cortex, and through the limbic region to flash like lightening into your frontal lobe before your final foot strikes and then sweet body collapsing elation! You cross the finish line and overwhelmed you realize what kept you going the whole time.

You the human the flesh and blood success of your ancestors confronted failure looked it right in its damned eyes and prevailed you made it you crossed the line. Self-realization achieved and a flood of emotions breaks down the front door of your mind and you realize that you made it, all your struggles all your doubts every negative thought laid to rest. You have made good on the hopes and dreams that came to rest upon you at your birth. You became a miracle you are a success. This is how I felt at NYC Marathon and I just want to express my thoughts on the whole process. This may well be just the rambling of a man under the influence of high mileage. Many blessings to all you runners out there in the ether!