Epilogue

Dear Friends and Family,

I want to thank everyone who has made this race possible. From my parents who supported me all the way, to all the friends who gave encouragement, to everyone I ran with during my training, to people who came out to cheer me on, to Lillian for always being there, and most importantly to everyone who gave and donated to Partners In Health.

When I decided to run my first marathon, I had three goals in mind that I am now happy to say I have met!

My Goals

1. Finish the Marathon - which I safely did today free of injuries and with a “double fist pump” finish =)
   
2. Raise $2500 for Partners In Health – I am happy to say that with your generous contributions and open heart, I ended up raising $3200 for PIH! More than $700 than I originally expected. I’m amazed at everyone’s compassion to those around the world less fortunate than us. I know now that setting goals that seem out of reach will motivate you to do your best to accomplish it.  Only when we stretch ourselves out of comfort zone can we perform at our best. Although it was me running today, your kindness towards others was with me the whole race.
3. Finish in under 4 hours 30 minutes – This was a bonus challenge which I am happy to have accomplished in 4:26:56. While finishing strong and fundraising were my main motivations, meeting my target time was a nice personal extra. Why 4:30? The average male marathon time is 4:30 which was a convenient target. Plus, Oprah ran her marathon in 4:29:20 and it feels pretty good to have beat her. haha

I truly believe that accomplishing the specific goals I set out to do is truly my reward and sense of achievement, even more so than knowing I just ran a marathon. The joy of setting your mind to something and working hard to achieve it is my biggest reward. Although they rewarded me a finisher’s medal for running a set distance today, to me the medal represents perseverance and dedication to one’s goals and ideals.

What Now?

I intend to take some much needed and deserved rest. Running a marathon was the most physically challenging thing I have ever done. The last 10km was one of the most challenging distances I have ever run. The combination of muscle fatigue along with mental tiredness really forced me to focus and concentrate to finish.

With the start of clerkship, my schedule will be a lot busier so it will be a while before I have the opportunity to do something like this. Maybe a triathlon next? Who knows, but I’m glad I had the chance to run a marathon this summer.

Why did you run a Marathon?

This is a question with many answers. For one, a marathon was something I wanted to accomplish in my lifetime. I just never expected to have done it so soon, I was expecting to do it a few years down the road. However, an opportunity presented this summer where I would have enough time to train for this race. With the start of 3rd year clerkship, I won’t really have a break until I graduate in 2012, so this summer was the ideal time frame to do it.

However, on a more personal level, I ran this marathon because I wanted to make a difference. When the Earthquake hit in Haiti in January, I was saddened by the destruction and suffering. So many people lost their homes, loved ones and lives. I decided to fund raise for Partners In Health because I have read about them and followed them for several years already. They have been working in Haiti for over twenty years and are currently the largest rural health care provider.

Finally, I want to dedicate this marathon to my Grandpa who passed away this past this February. I would have loved to tell him about my race. He was person that always believed in helping those less fortunate than us, even when he had so little himself growing up. This one is for you Grandpa, for teaching me that helping others is not only our duty, but also our blessing and joy.

Can I still Donate?

Absolutely. Every donation, small or large, makes a difference. I encourage you to make giving to others, whether it be with finances, your time or talents, a regular routine. We are all blessed with so much, especially in Canada where all our needs are met. Yet everyday there are people in the world who don’t have clean water, food, shelter or a family. If you’ve never donated before, try it. Knowing you are making a difference is a great feeling. Just make sure you do your research about the organizations and how they spend your contribution.

Advice for Running a Marathon?

If you want to run a marathon, go for it! There are many benefits to running, including getting fit and appreciating the great outdoors. My cardio has never been better and I feel healthier than I have ever been before.

I only began running regularly at the beginning of this year. I remember the first few times, I was struggling to run 2-3km, but here I am 8 months later running a distance I could not imagine I would do at that time. I ran my first half-marathon in April and trained all summer (3-4 runs a week) to prepare for this race.

One thing I learned is that running a marathon is all about perseverance and dedication. Running each kilometer by itself is not hard. It’s having the consistency to run each one successively and never give up on the way is what makes a marathon an endurance event. If you begin training slowly but regularly, along with dedication and commitment, I believe anyone can run a marathon. You just have to set your mind to it and work consistently at it. It truly is a tortoise race, where finishing does not go to the fastest or the strongest, but to those who are determined to finish.

Thank you to everyone!

Could not have finished this journey without you. I’m ecstatic to have got this far and finish what I set out to do. Let me know if you have any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them.

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