26 Things Marathoners Think About

During my recent marathon, I thought about so many things.  The good, the bad, the positive, the negative, the serious and the funny.  I always find it amusing how my mind wanders, how annoyed I get, how I reconnect with my love for running and how I dread the miles ahead of me – all within a matter of moments.

Here’s a list of twenty six things that marathoners think about during each mile of a marathon.  26.2 miles is a really long way – even if you’ve trained appropriately for it.

Do you have anything funny to add to the list?

26 Things Marathoners Think About

1. I should have gone to the bathroom again.
2. I’m passing so many people!
3. Why are so many people passing me?
4. OK, where is the next port-a-potty?
5. Is there a pebble in my shoe?
6. Only twenty miles to go! (I must be crazy)
7. WOW, I totally forgot that I had to go to the bathroom!
8. This is awesome – maybe I’ll sign up for an ultra next?!
9. Smile for the race photographer!
10. OK, I’m going to catch that chick in the running skirt.
11. Yeah, I passed her!!
12. OK, there goes that chick in the running skirt. 
13. Half way there!
14. I should have registered for the half.
15. Do these dudes really not care that I can see them peeing in the bushes?
16. Phew - Only ten miles to go!
17. Still nine miles to go??!!
18. Even if I walked the rest of the time – I could still finish in X hours.
19. OMG - I will never drink lemon-lime sports drink again!
20. I didn’t hit the wall.  What wall??!!
21. OK, there’s the damn wall.
22. Yikes - I should have put on more Body Glide.
23. Only a 5K to go!
24. I can hear the announcers.  The finish line is straight ahead!
25. OK, where the heck is the finish line?!  Longest – mile – ever.
26. I freaking did it!  Smile big!!