“I’ve been waiting for you… and I’ve seen what you’ve been wearing.”
Dear Dublin Marathon Newbies,
It’s me. The finish line. We’ve never met, but I’ve heard a lot about you. Mostly from the sweaty, red-faced messes who stagger across me every year. And soon, you’ll be one of them. Don’t look so nervous, I’ve seen worse. Much worse.
I know you’ve been doubting yourself lately. Wondering if you’ve done enough long runs, if your pacing is on point, if it was wise to eat that entire tub of Ben & Jerry’s “for carb-loading purposes”. Here’s the thing: none of that matters as much as you think. You’ve already done the hard work. I’ve been standing here for years, and let me tell you, the people who finish aren’t always the fittest, but they are the most stubborn. And you, my friend, have stubbornness written all over your face.
You might imagine me as some dramatic moment, angels singing, the crowd roaring, a single tear rolling down your cheek as you collapse into glory. And yes, that can happen. But honestly? I’ve also seen people sprint over me just to get to the nearest pub. I’ve seen marriage proposals. I’ve seen people stop dead because they forgot to press ‘Stop’ on their Garmin. I’ve even seen someone vomit, wave at the cameras, and call it their “best race ever.”
Over the next 20 days, you’ll probably overthink everything. That’s fine. Have your little panic. But remember, I’m not judging your time or your form, I’m judging your commitment to getting here in one piece. I’ll be here no matter what: rain, sun, headwind, or that mysterious “Dublin drizzle” that soaks you faster than a bucket of water to the face.
And when you finally cross me, I won’t care if you’re smiling, crying, limping, or all three at once. I won’t care if you’ve hit your time goal or if you’re twenty minutes behind because you stopped to high-five every child along the course. I’ll just care that you kept going.
So keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep showing up, and for the love of God, keep your toenails short. I can’t stop thinking about that incident in 2014.
See you soon,
The Finish Line
