Bang! Went the gun that signaled the start of the race. There were thousands of people running, all shapes and sizes. It was intense, you shoulder to shoulder with others sharing the same fate as you for the next couple of hours. I was towards the front but it still took a minute to reach the matt that read the chip in your bib. Then the race really started. Everyone sprinted out, maybe too fast due to their adrenaline pumping. I was guilty of this also, but after a bit I settled in for the long race ahead of me. I was running the riverbank, it was a 25k (15.5 miles.) I trained all fall and winter to be ready for this but I still doubted myself. Running for around two hours gives you a lot of time to think and come up with some ridiculous things. 

I felt good the at the beginning of the race, constantly checking my watch to make sure I was at a good pace, I was trying to keep a eight minute pace. My goal was to make it under a two hour pace, but it wasn’t till later that I realized that my pace would not make it under my goal.

For me the riverbank wasn’t just a race I could wake up one day and run it. I had to vigorously train and train. This wasn't the easiest thing due to the harsh winter which forced me to train on a treadmill… Treadmills stink! Running in one place for an extended amount of time makes you go insane! but somehow I managed. I also has tennis and track which only left weekends to get my long runs in. At the time I didn’t really know why I wanted to run the riverbank so bad, maybe because it was a challenge I wanted to accomplish, or because it kept me in shape, but I kept running in preparation.

As I was running the race it all became clear to me. I was one of thousands that were running and there were even more spectators cheering us all on. The atmosphere was amazing, the sidewalks that lines the road were packed with people cheering, not wanting to look weak in front of the crowd I pushed on looking forward to the finish line that promised relief. I crossed the finish line at 1 hour 59 minutes and 33 seconds. At that moment all of that training and sacrifice became well worth it.

What I took out of this experience was not to back out of a challenge. Even tho it might be hard to reach it, it’s all worth it in the end because pain goes away but regret lasts forever.