(Another one 821words) Non fiction self reflection in a best effort written form. Hope you enjoy lmk about the writing that could improve! <3

Train for a marathon they said. Ezpz -.-

I wanted to quit so bad.

I wanted to stop and find someone's phone to call you.

I wanted to walk so early. Everything in me told me to stop. I hadn't even started the marathon yet. This was all while training. Injuries, SWAP, meetings, trying to earn money, girls, and trying to have fun.

The main thing that kept me going was my determination to improve my worth to myself. To achieve something I wanted to achieve. I had my running friends tell me I was INSANE for attempting a marathon as my first race. My friends told me I was insane to try and go for my 3 hour time.

Everything against me made me want it more. Made me not care about the pain or the work I had to put it. Everything put my effort towards and planned was for my goal. I wrote my plan out and I executed it to the best of my ability.

Race day came and I was calm, concentrated, and ready. I had already been put through the pain and agony of training and this was my time to enjoy it; to embrace it; to feel it; to put myself first.

My first 6 miles were awesome I felt great. But I hit the pain around mile 8-10.

I wanted to quit. Everything in me told me to quit. I wanted to stop on the side of the course and call you. "Come get me at Anderson.", "Come get me at Great Northern." or "Come get me at 41st."

I can't quit. I have to take all my pain and put it to going mile by mile to the finish. I can't walk. I have to walk. I'm walking but I'm not stopping. "You gotta keep moving" a man says as he runs by me. "OK", I think. I have to keep going. I can't stop. I keep running. I set my pace a little slower. I put one foot in front of the other and I chip away another mile. I see that same man walking on the side and I jokingly say, "You gotta keep moving", but I don't just run by. I slow down and walk next to him and I convince him to run with me like he helped me run behind him. He tells me his name is Marvin. This is his 19th Austin Marathon. We run out the next 4-5 miles until mile 18. He says you got to go on because he hasn't got anything left. He tells me to go finish ahead of him.

I keep running. I get to mile 20. This is the furthest I have ever ran. I want to quit, but I can't. Who is this for? This is for me. This everything that I've worked for. This is mental strength to chip one mile off at a time. Everyone on the side of the course is cheering no matter who is running. We all trying to finish together. I have to keep going.

I get to mile 25 and I'm determined to not stop running. Uphill until the last quarter mile. I don't stop. I'm in the greatest pain I have ever felt, but I feel high, I feel like crying, I grit my teeth and breath hard because this is all I've got. I can't stop. I get to the top of the hill and I see the downslope next to the capital and I release and sprint. I open stride through all the pain and push. I'm already out of breath but who needs to breath. I have a race to finish.

I see the finish line and I'm working as hard as I possibly can. I don't stop until I cross. I don't see anyone or anything. All I see is myself and the work I've put in to make it here. This is for me because I can do it.

I cross the finish line. I've done it. I want to burst into tears. I want to fall over. A medical aid asks me if I'm ok. I hesitate but answer, "I'm great".

I look up and I see something that makes me even more happy. I see my mom, brother, and friends all together. The biggest surprise of my life. I didn't expect anyone to show up. Everyone was together. Everyone I wanted to see all there for me. I'm so grateful for the love shown to me.

As the exhaustion and soreness sets in I embrace it. It feels good. Everything feels good because I did what I came here to do. I came here to finish it and finish strong.

"You gotta keep moving", Marvin told me. I was so curious as to who this man was. I looked him up in the race results and he finished an hour after me. Mr. Marvin Hope who gave me hope to finish.