The 4th Life Lesson and reminder I take from Marathons is that each marathon has a prescribed course. It is important that the course is identified, and it is important that participants follow the course in order to actually receive the recognition for finishing the race. No matter where you run a marathon the distance is always 26.2 miles. The course for marathons may vary in the conditions of weather or inclines, but they are always 26.2 miles. When runners try to take a shortcut to the finish line, they get disqualified from the race. This is a reminder that no matter what, we must put in the work and follow the course. Some may run the course faster than others, but as long as you run the full course you can get credit for finishing. Sometimes in life we like to find shortcuts, but in many cases there is no substitute for experience and for following the prescribed process. So, try to understand the course, look for the markers, stay on course, take it as fast or as slow as you need to, keep pushing toward the finish line, stay on the course and with persistence, you will get there!
