Menifee Mom: Running Can Be a Real Life Experience

By Karen Thomas

I was almost at mile 12 when it came to me: Running a race is a lot like giving birth. OK, admittedly the reward isn't exactly equivalent, but the whole process of the two are so much alike, it's uncanny!

Before running a race, a person spends a good bit of time in preparation for the event. The different race events are studied and the one that seems to fit your style is chosen. A schedule is kept, the days and weeks are counted down, hours are spent researching the essential gear needed to make the experience go smoothly, the advice of others who have run a race before is sought, your bag of essentials is packed ahead of time, and your body gets prepared for the stress of it all.

Isn't that like the things you do to prepare for a baby? We research the best hospitals, latest birthing trends, best pregnancy and baby gear, talk to all our friends about their experiences, and pack our bag of goodies for that rushed trip to the hospital.

Even in the racing world ,there are those who want to run the race "all natural" without taking anything artificial and there are others who will take anything to get them through it feeling as good as possible (gel packs, sport beans, drinks, energy shots, etc).

When the day finally comes that we've anticipated for months, we feel a mixture of excitement and fear. Will everything go the way we planned? What if something goes wrong and I'm not prepared? If it's a person's first race (or first baby,) the anxiety will be a lot worse than it is for someone who has done it a few times.

Throughout the race, people tend to experience a wide range of emotions. Some say they go from feeling energetic, to lethargic, to angry at their friend for convincing them this was a good idea in the first place (ever heard of anger directed at a husband in the delivery room?). Then somewhere along the way adrenaline kicks in and they just do whatever it takes to hit the finish line. Often, those who think they are going to run the race "naturally" give in at some point and take whatever help is offered to them at the next aid station.

This last race I started out feeling amazing, then my left leg started to hurt, then I thought I might throw up, then my right knee hurt, then I thought I might pass out, and then for no good reason I started feeling great for a few miles before I started going through all these emotions again!

Almost guaranteed during every half marathon, I can't help but thinking, "13 miles is a REALLY long way to run! This is killing me! Why would I ever want to do this again?" It takes all my mental energy to just keep pushing forward and not slow down. But as the finish line nears, this power comes from nowhere that just gets you through to the end. You are dying, but this goal you have been working toward all this time is almost yours and you can't quit now!

Finally, you are finished. You see your finish time, you cross that line, and a medal is hung around your neck. When you PR at a race or at least meet the goal you set for yourself, the rush you feel is even greater. If you're having a baby, it's that moment when it is finally born, the doctor holds it up for you to see, and you get the satisfaction of holding it in your arms.

At that moment, when time seems to stop and everything you've worked for has finally been achieved, there's no doubt it was all worth it. And, when the pain of the whole thing has time to dissipate, you find yourself saying, "Let's do it again!"

Before you know it, you've signed up for another race (or started planning when the next baby will come) and you get to repeat the whole experience again! Why do we do this to ourselves? Only those who experience it can possibly understand.

Karen Thomas is a stay at home mom of four daughters, has been on the PTA board at her kids' school for four years, and is a volunteer at her church, in addition to her activities as a volunteer soccer referee, a piano teacher, and a runner. Her column will appear here every other week. Comments are welcome.