The pain in my ankles set in around mile 4, in my knees around mile 8, and in my hip between miles 10 and 11; all of the pain lasted through to the finish line. In fact, I've never been in more self-inflicted pain in my entire life. But I kept running because I had started to see people with colorful finisher medals and I wanted one. I hadn't stopped running yet, and I wasn't about to do so now. I finished in a sprint, earning a personal record for time and, obviously, distance. It was a truly humbling experience.
