If you would have told me 5 years ago that I would have run 3 marathons by the time I turned 25 – I would have called you crazy! Now when people find out I’ve run them, they think I’m crazy.

However, now looking back on the 3 marathon experiences I’ve had, I think everyone should run at least one before they die. They are some incredible experiences! Even if you’ve never thought about running one, maybe this post will inspire you. Here is why I think you should run a marathon:

Anyone Can Do It - Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can! I always tell people – Even Oprah ran one! It takes 20 weeks of training and if you just want to finish, you only have to run 3 times a week. You can run one at any age if you’ll become determined to! You can check out training plans here by Jeff Galloway.

Run One, and You feel Like Anything is Possible – Running 26.2 miles isn’t easy! It’s a challenge and training for one takes a ton of discipline. However, when you cross the finish line and get your medal, you feel like you’ve conquered the world. When you look back on all of your training, you’ll recognize you can do anything you put your mind to.

It Makes You Feel Great - You’ll get in great shape, confidence will be up, and when you’ve run over 10 miles on a Saturday training, you can eat pretty much whatever you want and not feel guilty about it!

The People – It’s amazing the people you’ll meet throughout the process. Seeing the same people on your long runs, seeing people at Starbucks that run, meeting people at the expo, high-fiving everyone you can after you’ve gotten your medal! There are plenty of opportunities to meet some awesome people along the way!

It’ll be a Memory You Never Forget - Running a marathon was definitely a bucket list item for me. Every marathon was so special – the people I trained with, the cities we traveled to, the expo, the pasta dinner the night before, crossing the finishline and getting our medals together – all priceless.

It’s a Reason to go on a Weekend Vacation – Ok, so maybe running 26.2 miles isn’t your idea of a vacation! But you can find one in any city you could imagine. Marathon Guide provides a list of all the upcoming marathons around the country.

Marathoners – what other reasons are there for someone to run a marathon?

“I came that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” -John 10:10

I was listening to Keith Moore and he said this:

“Living for God is the best life you can live. A lot of people will say Christians are boring and don’t have fun, but… Hugging a toilet in the morning  isn’t fun, sitting in jail for doing something stupid last night isn’t fun. No, the Christian life is the best life, the most fulfilling life, there is nothing better. If there was something better, I’d do it, but there is nothing better.”

I couldn’t agree more… In fact, I often say that my life didn’t even start until I started living for God. If there was a better life – I would not be living for God right now.  I’ve lived without God and I’ve lived for God, and there is no comparison between the two.

There really is nothing better than living for God!

If you’re interesting in running the Marine Corps Marathon on October 25th – I’m looking for one more person to join us…Here are some details:

When: Friday, October 23rd – Monday, October 26th (Marathon is Sunday)

Registration: Registration is full for the marathon, but you can still register as long as you run for a charity – REGISTER HERE FOR THAT

Cost: $131 will cover your stay at the hotel rooms I’ve booked. You’d pay the cost of registering for the marathon and take care of your own food.

Training: If you live here -  you’re more than welcome to train with our team (We have a team of 5-6 people)

If you’re interested please let me know as soon as possible by commenting or e-mailing me at bsmith@lifeatvictory.com

Thanks,

Bubs