What I found running 20,000 miles

I have run over 20,000 miles during a decade of marathon training.

From a geographic perspective, it’s almost the same as traveling from Sydney to London, to New York, and then to Tokyo (0.8 of the entire Earth).

I came to running when I quit smoking in 2016. I had my last cigarette on a porch in Atlanta, Georgia (just after completing a run). I told myself I would never smoke another one again, and that I would train to run the Boston Marathon.

I ran Boston twice.

On my fastest marathon, I crossed the finish line in 2 hours and 48 minutes. I’ve run a half marathon in 1 hour and 15 minutes. And I clocked my fastest mile in 4:59.

I lost a lot of things, but I gained many more that no one can take away from me. I used to think running would be my finish line, but I found it was just the start.

Some people might wonder, “what did you find, Mike?”

I found out how capable I am at keeping going even when—and especially when—it hurts.

After my 9th marathon on Sunday, August 30, in Sydney, my marathon racing is complete. I’ll be moving towards something new.

For now, I want to honor the moment, the miles, and what I found after crossing so many finish lines.

If you’ve been following my running journey and you want to show support, consider giving at patreon.com/mongabay. Even a dollar a month helps keep us running.

See you at the finish line,

Mike

Photo: Arashiyama bamboo forest. Kyoto, Japan. Photo by me.