The road to my First Twenty Sixer...!!!

I've to say this... Believe in what you do and give a one hundred percent, you can achieve your dreams..!! When i started my practice run for my first 3 miler, i initially thought, "how am i gonna run 3 miles... ". I felt it was really hard to complete it. Then when the day had come, i'd run 3 miles, and the feeling, peace of mind, relaxation you get after running.... i can't describe.. you gotta feel it. Then slowly increased the distance, i used to run in a park during practice runs. When i slowly increased the number of laps, then people started to stare at me... what this guy is up to.. .why is he running like this.. has he gone crazy... But i got addicted to that relaxation and peace of mind i felt after every run... so that pushed me to run more... and more... and more... so one day i thought why shouldn't i try running a half marathon... So i went ahead and registered for it. Till the day, my practice runs had never touched a double figure. But still that morning i went with complete faith that i could complete it. And when you see all the runners around you in that morning, huh... what to say.... you will definitely would want to run with that festival like crowd... The first hour of the run went as i expected. I'd an average speed of 6mph.. then the second hour my speed had reduced to 5mph and I'd totally lost my fluids. I didn't hydrate myself enough as i wasn't aware of how much fluids a person lose while running 13 miles as I'd never run before in the practice runs... My muscles started to cramp and i could hardly run in the last two miles. I was walking and jogging alternately so that i don't get a cramp.... so the last two miles took 25 Min's of my total time. It took 2hrs and 25 Min's for me to touch the finish line. That day i was flying around in the skies... c'mon I'd finished my first half marathon.... Have never run even a 100m race from the school days.... I'm here this day that I'd run 13.2 miles at a stretch. So, here I'm the proud first time 13 miler... Then came the thought... why shouldn't i try the big one... Had to wait through the winter... started practice early spring.... did a 13 miler in 2hrs... but that was the longest practice run I'd before the big one... So my big day arrived.... i reached there pretty early... there were around 9k runners that day... it was a chill rainy morning... I was there fully packed with enthusiasm, faith on myself, and of course, lots of carbs.. I was on my first dream run i would rather say... The first half went as planned... I was hydrating myself properly.. i hit the half way mark at 2:15... Then got to slow down as the number of fellow runners had reduced.... less than a fourth of the total runners were only running the twenty sixer... so that itself had an impact one me... as my speed reduced slowly... then got another guy who was running along.... he is a teacher and also on his first twenty six'er... so we took nearly 6-7 miles together... i hit the 24th mile mark at 4:30 Min's on the timer... then in the 25th mile I'd to stop around as i still didn't hydrate properly in the last few miles... so had to walk a few steps and then jogged a few meters... continued this till the last half mile... from there on gathered all that strength left in me.... when the finish line was visible... just blasted towards it.... and the last 2.2 miles took nearly 34 Min's for me... the moment i crossed the finish line.... i couldn't believe myself... I'd just finished my first twenty six'er... Every time i hear about a marathon since my childhood days... had never thought that i would get a chance to run one... I would definitely say thanks to all those people and volunteers who were standing on the road side and at fluid stations, encouraging.... still i can hear those words ... "you are looking great... just few more miles to go... Keep going..". We all have lots of miles to travel before we go to sleep... definitely I've few more marathons to cover in that... And this very special first one... i dedicate to my Dearest Sister..!! Now I've joined the Elite Marathoner club... !! :-)