I think that marathon running is the closest a man can get to giving birth to a child. There are a lot of similarities; the pain, the determination needed to finish, the blood (hey - lots of men get chafed nipples!), the mental stress and doubt. The mental and physical fight needed to get to the finish line. I could go on. Of course in the ideal world your nutrition, hydration, clothing, weather, etcettra would be on point and you wouldn't have any of the above going on but chances are everyone running a marathon will experience most if not all of these at some point or another. Take all of that mental and physical pain and anguish and extend it for 8-10 hours (the average time it takes to give birth) and you, my husband, have just experienced childbirth. Even the fact that you usually forget how hard marathons are and want to do them again... that is just like childbirth too!
So, all you marathoners and ultra marathoners out there,... Let me remind you that you're about to voluntarily put yourself in the throes of a pseudo childbirth! Only this time your rewards will be the thrill of accomplishment and some shiny bling to hang on your wall. You'll also be filled with the knowledge that you can always do more than you ever thought possible!
So, all you marathoners and ultra marathoners out there,... Let me remind you that you're about to voluntarily put yourself in the throes of a pseudo childbirth! Only this time your rewards will be the thrill of accomplishment and some shiny bling to hang on your wall. You'll also be filled with the knowledge that you can always do more than you ever thought possible!
Me and my sister Kathleen When I ran my first marathon I didn’t know I was going to tell my older sister, Kathleen, “this is worse than child birth!” When she jumped on the course to meet me at mile 20. I had envisioned us joyfully running the last 6 miles together. What really happened is I was a crying mess and she was exactly what I needed for the final push. She was a breath of fresh air for the whole crowd not just for me and cheered for everyone. She gave us all praise and encouragement. She also gave me massages and took the focus off of my own pain. She was awesome. Had I been in childbirth, I would have needed the exact same things from my birth partner.
Looking back, I am lucky that she had been through marathons herself and had an idea of what I might need. If she hadn’t known me well or if she hadn’t been helpful things could have turned out very differently.
Looking back, I am lucky that she had been through marathons herself and had an idea of what I might need. If she hadn’t known me well or if she hadn’t been helpful things could have turned out very differently.
Me after I finished my first marathon I hear lots of stories about friends who want to have their husbands or friends jump in the race with them and help them finish. I love hearing of supportive husbands and friends!
Just make sure to have serious conversations about what you think you will need in the heat of the moment when you're tired, mentally drained, possibly in pain, and not your usual cheerful self. Will you want massages? Or will you not want to be touched? Will you want them to push you to go faster? Or do they need to let you set the pace? Would yelling at you help build you up? Or not? Do you need someone to be funny to distract you? Or would that just annoy you? These kinds of talks about what you will need or will not need could save you from a bad experience.
If you know what you're like when you're running a marathon think back and tell your husband/friend what you think you will need the day of your newest marathon. If this is your first marathon, think back to what you needed in childbirth and I bet you'll find your needs to be similar. If you've never given birth and you haven't run a marathon yet, push on and figure it out as you go :) You're about to be in the 1% of American's who complete a marathon -and that my friends, is an amazing accomplishment!
Happy Running!
Kelly
Just make sure to have serious conversations about what you think you will need in the heat of the moment when you're tired, mentally drained, possibly in pain, and not your usual cheerful self. Will you want massages? Or will you not want to be touched? Will you want them to push you to go faster? Or do they need to let you set the pace? Would yelling at you help build you up? Or not? Do you need someone to be funny to distract you? Or would that just annoy you? These kinds of talks about what you will need or will not need could save you from a bad experience.
If you know what you're like when you're running a marathon think back and tell your husband/friend what you think you will need the day of your newest marathon. If this is your first marathon, think back to what you needed in childbirth and I bet you'll find your needs to be similar. If you've never given birth and you haven't run a marathon yet, push on and figure it out as you go :) You're about to be in the 1% of American's who complete a marathon -and that my friends, is an amazing accomplishment!
Happy Running!
Kelly
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